NTUC's Reply Letter to "Local tour guides should enjoy a level playing field"

NTUC bid to protect and professionalise tour guides

WE THANK Mr Adam Adnan for his letter ('Local tour guides should enjoy a level playing field'; last Thursday).

His views reflect the feedback highlighted to the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) since our tour guide chapter was formed in July by a group of tour guides who wanted stronger representation and advocacy for their needs and welfare.

Following NTUC's focus group discussions with the tour guides, we identified the issues and solutions. They include:

• Studying the professional development of tour guides to enhance their skills and professionalism. Our chapter is working with NTUC's training arms - e2i and Next U - and with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to craft communication and soft skills courses, which are heavily subsidised, for tour guides. Those who are union members can tap on NTUC's Union Training Assistance Programme funding.
• Improving welfare and benefits: Many guides want insurance coverage and our chapter is working closely with our social enterprise, NTUC Income, to offer the requisite insurance plans.

NTUC has also discussed with STB ways in which we can complement the latter's efforts. These include:

• Reviewing existing regulations to make them more current and relevant by providing feedback from the ground on some issues relating to the regulations of which STB is the licensing body.
• Stepping up enforcement to deter errant travel agencies from operating tours without an STB-licensed tourist guide. Our chapter called for more enforcement at the ground and will report cases of illegal tour guiding to STB.

Our chapter will continue to work closely with our various partners to advance the interests of tour guides and boost their professionalism.

Cham Hui Fong (Ms)

Assistant Secretary-General

National Trades Union Congress