Dual pricing for foreigners in Langkawi will further destroy appeal for foreign tourists

Racism enters tourism and just doesn't pay off

With the announcement that Langkawi Ferry Line Venture Sdn. Bhd. will introduce dual ticket pricing for foreigners and Malaysians beginning January 1, 2025, Langkawi as a destination for foreign tourists could potentially deteriorate even further. A round trip for foreign tourists from Kuala Kedah to Langkawi will be between 10-30% higher for foreigners from locals.

Dual pricing for tourists has been a major issue for foreign tourists in Thailand. Websites opened up exposing companies that practiced dual pricing over Thailand. Graphic pictures of price differentials between Locals and foreigners are displayed on Facebook. This has led to massive drops in the patronage of foreign customers on the principle that dual pricing is racially discriminatory.

Experience has shown in other tourist destinations discrimatry pricing doesn’t pay off.

Many businesses in the Andaman area were hit badly, where many businesses were forced to reverse their policies.

According to media reports, Langkawi is already facing a crisis in attracting foreign tourists. The government has spent RM 63.4 million on developing heritage areas, without any corresponding improvements in visitors. Issues such as the restriction of alcohol, and strict regulation of clothing has led to a drop of around 20% on a month by month basis.

Many foreign tourists perceive Langkawi to be expensive.

The restriction in Langkawi don’t exist north of the border on Islands like Taratao, Koh Ngai, Koh Lanta, and Koh Rok Nai, among many others available as tourist destinations. These island, like Langkawi have majority Muslim local populations but don’t have the restrictions of Langkawi. Travel tickets, accommodation, and food is usually cheaper than Langkawi.

For example, tourist operators can conduct snorkelling around coral and boating without religious authorities interfering. Tourists are also citing the poorer quality of food and service on Langkawi. One tourist said that going to Langkawi was like going to the old eastern European countries, once under communist rule.

Southern Thailand is now presenting itself as a major challenge to Local Malaysian tourists. Civil servants were once discouraged from traveling to Thailand over weekends due to stories about violence from deep south separatists.

Malaysian tourists are just bypassing Langkawi.

Malaysian tourists are now travelling further afield than just Hat Yai, which attracts around 100,000 Malaysian tourists per week. According to Thai statistics 4.6 million Malaysians visit Thailand on an annual basis. Malaysians are travelling up to Krabi, Phuket, Ranong, and even Myanmar.

Every weekend is a festival in Hat Yai as the tourists pour in.

Langkawi tourists wanted.

Dual pricing, which already exists at hotels and some restaurants is going to destroy foreign tourism to Langkawi. Expect foreign tourists to decline further in 2025, if the government doesn’t become pro-active towards attracting tourism. Tourism is a major part of Langkawi’s local economy.

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