The Formation of Mountain Guide Professionalism in Malaysia: An Analysis of History and Institutions
Abstract
Mountain guiding is a profession that has been recognised in Malaysia and has come about through a historical and institutional process. The aim of this study is to explore the professionalisation of mountain guiding in Malaysia from the informal local knowledge to a structured national program. The research adopts a qualitative document analysis approach to analyze government policies, historical documents and literature. The results reveal three periods of professionalization: the colonial period informal practice, the transitional period in the context of recreational expansion, and the more recent crisis-driven formalization period. The Forestry Mountain Guide (MGP) program was introduced in 2020 and is a pivotal institutional action towards addressing the rising number of safety incidents and fatalities in forest reserves. The study concludes that the MGP program represents a great step forward but there is a need to invest more in professional empowerment and international recognition for its long-term sustainability.
Downloads
References
Clivaz, C., & Langenbach, M. (2019). Organisation and professional development of mountain guides and leaders in tourist regions: The Swiss case compared with the French experience. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 29, 100257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2019.100257
Cohen, E. (1985). The tourist guide: The origins, structure, and dynamics of a role. Annals of Tourism Research, 12(1), 5–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/0160-7383(85)90037-4
Colonel, M. (2009). The Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix: A history. Mario Colonel.
Diemberger, K. (1983). Summits and secrets. Hodder & Stoughton.
Eikje, C. A., Horgen, A., & Arnegård, J. (2017). The organizing and regulation of mountain guiding in Scandinavia 1820–2016, with a glance at the Alps. Sport in Society. https://doi.org/10.1080/17430437.2017.1389041
Einang, O. (2007). Nils, IVBV og NORTIND. In A. M. Sookermany & J. W. Eriksen (Eds.), Veglederen: Et festskrift til Nils Faarlund [Veglederen: A letter to Nils Faarlund] (pp. 80–89). Aschehoug.
Goh, H. C. (2009). Mountain guiding in Kinabalu Park: An evaluation of visitor satisfaction. Borneo Research Journal, 3, 81–91.
Gurung, G., Simmons, D., & Devlin, P. (1996). The evolving role of tourist guides: The Nepali experience. In R. Butler & T. Hinch (Eds.), Tourism and indigenous peoples (pp. 107–128). International Thomson Business Press.
Hanly, K., McDowell, G., & Tricker, J. (2023). Climbing through climate change in the Canadian Rockies: Guides’ experiences of route transformation on Mt. Athabasca. Tourism and Hospitality, 4(4), 539–558. https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp4040033
Hansen, P. H. (2013). The summits of modern man. Harvard University Press.
Hiew Soon Sang, L., & Amirul, S. R. (2025). Kinabalu Geopark: Mountaineering guide professional development and empowerment. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(8), 1–?. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v15-i8/26032
Holloway, C. I. (1981). The guided tour: A sociological approach. Annals of Tourism Research, 8(3), 377–402. https://doi.org/10.1016/0160-7383(81)90005-0
Hungerbühler, A. (2013). Könige der Alpen [Kings of the Alps]. Transcript Verlag.
International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA). (2016). Who is IFMGA? http://www.ivbv.info/en/ifmga.htm
Johannis, N. J., Yasim, M. M., Ariffin, A., Shafie, M. S., Mohd Said, O. F., Rahman, M. W. A., & Sidi, M. A. M. (2020). Hiking preparedness model (HiPrep): A scenario of Malaysian hikers’ awareness. Malaysian Journal of Sport Science and Recreation, 16(2), 50–58.
Johannis, N.J. (2022). Pembangunan model kesediaan mendaki gunung di Malaysia (MoKeMM) berasaskan tingkah laku kesediaan keselamatan (Doctoral dissertation). Faculty of Sports Science and Coaching, Sultan Idris Education University.
Mackenzie, S. H., Boudreau, P., & Raymond, E. (2020). Women’s adventure tour guiding experiences: Implications for well-being. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 45, 410–418. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2020.09.006
Mourey, J., Perrin-Malterre, C., & Ravanel, L. (2020). Strategies used by French Alpine guides to adapt to the effects of climate change. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 29, 100278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2020.100278
Mulup, A. (2022, Ogos 9). Wajib guna malim gunung mulai 2023. Utusan Malaysia. https://www.utusan.com.my/berita/2022/08/wajib-guna-malim-gunung-mulai-2023/
Nur Widiyanto, & Agra, E. (2019). Tourism development and the new path of migration in Sabah, Malaysia. Borneo Research Journal, 13(1), 81–97. https://doi.org/10.22452/brj.vol13no1.5
Sam Shor, N. Y., Azlizam, A., Mohd Aswad, R., Zainal Abidin, Z. A., & Mohd Hafizal, I. (2022). Mountaineering in Malaysia: A review and discussion. The Malaysian Forester, 85(2), 199–209.
Sam Shor, N. Y., Saidon, A., Azlizam, A., Mohd, Y. H., & Abdullah, Z. (2009). Gunung Tahan trail: A historical review. The Malaysian Forester, 72(1), 1–14.
Sidi, M. A. M., Sulaiman, M. S., & Remeli, M. R. (2019). Risk and rescuing issue: Outdoor adventure accidents in protected areas of Gunung Ledang, Johor National Park, Malaysia. Journal of Hospitality and Networks (Jurnal Hospitaliti dan Jaringan), 1, 13–17.
Van Loocke, K. (2015). The shaping of nineteenth century mountain guiding. Alpine Journal, 119, 273–283.
Wilson, J., & Dashper, K. (2023). In the shadow of the mountain: The crisis of precarious livelihoods in high altitude mountaineering tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 31(10), 2270–2290. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2022.2108038
