Sarawak received about three million visitors from January to October last year, generating an estimated RM8.24 billion in revenue for the state. Most of the visitors were from Asean countries followed by tourists from the United Kingdom, China and Australia.
The growth of our tourism industry has created job opportunities for Sarawakians over the years and looks set to generate more employment for locals in years to come.
For those of you who may be interested in being on the front lines of our tourism industry, the following may help you get ahead in your career:
1. Master another language
With more foreign tourists expected to visit Sarawak, it’s only natural for you to be fluent in the language of your visitors. If you’re not sure which language to master, being able to converse in English and Mandarin should serve you well. This is especially so for the latter, with the spike witnessed in recent years in Chinese tourists travelling to Southeast Asia.
2. Brush up on your knowledge about Sarawak
It’s not only important to know how to speak well in many languages, you must also be able to talk with substance on tourism-related topics, and so you should possess a good understanding of our local culture and places of interests in Sarawak. The ability to get your message across and more importantly to make these topics interesting is also a valuable skill, which relates to the next point – communication skills.
3. Enhance your communication skills
Whether you’re a front office executive or tour guide, if you’re in the tourism industry you’re expected to be able to communicate effectively. Good communication skills are great assets in any organisation, but in the tourism industry they are considered a crucial aspect of the work, so taking up courses or joining activities that will help improve these skills will be important for you.
4. Get a qualification
If you’re truly passionate about the industry and keen to explore more opportunities in tourism, you should consider enrolling in a university or college that offers hospitality and tourism related courses. The knowledge that you gain and the certification that you get will not only help to open doors to more opportunities, but you will also play a part in helping our state’s tourism industry and bring it to greater heights.
This is a weekly column by SarawakYES! – an initiative driven by Faradale Media-M Sdn Bhd and supported by Angkatan Zaman Mansang (AZAM) Sarawak – to provide advice and stories on the topics of education and careers to support Sarawakians seeking to achieve their dreams. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
This article first appeared on The Borneo Post, visit this link: http://bit.ly/1QRS2Qe
