INFLUENCES SHAPE FUTURE(JOHOR)

The major influences that will shape the future of tourism are based on the urban tourism. Johor has been well-known for its city sight and urbanization. There are a few important things that influence the future of tourism in Johor.

The first and foremost is the Johor economic. In 2008, Johor's economy grew in line with Malaysia's economic development. Johor's GDP Growth was 5.2%.The manufacturing sector faced tribulations and several sectors had shown sluggish performance due to a drop in export and weak local markets related to the slow development of the construction sector. The services sector saved Johor's economy. This sector showed continuous growth at an average of 8% as a result of an increase in the transportation sector. This shows that in any condition, the economy still plays a very important role in shaping the future of tourism since the service sector which related to tourism is very dominant.

The next influential factor in shaping Johor tourism is the infrastructure.  The most relevant thing that connects tourists to Johor is of course the infrastructure, which will be including the roads, highways and airport for easy access. One of the major highways in Johor is the East-West Highway,this 75km highway project will link Senai to Desaru, providing a new and faster road link to the east coast of Johor. The highway involved a bridge across the Sungai Johor from Kong Kong on the west to Teluk Sengat in Kota Tinggi. The next one is Pasir Gudang Highway from the new CIQ Complex is being built to disperse traffic away from the Johor Bahru city centre. These highways will cut the time of travelling thus connecting more tourists’ spots.

The second most influential thing is the utilities. Energy provided by Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), the national electricity provider operated by the private- sector. It is the largest in the industry with more than RM60.0 billion assets, serving over six million customers throughout all sate in Malaysia. As reported on Oct. 31, 2012, TNB has posted a higher net profit of RM 1 billion in the fourth quarter compared to RM600 million in the third quarter of 2012. By 2013 the company targeted to expand its power resource from solely depending on fuel and coal to LNG. As reported by TNB their LNG based power plant could be ready by the first quarter of 2013. These plants which providing energy to power the state is virtue since it is the core that is empowering all of the system and infrastructure in Johor.

Lastly, but just as important in other to shape the future tourism in Johor is the population. The people who resides Johor, they are very important since they the one who will provide services for tourists; they are the one doing the maintenance and keeping the place generated. Johor's population, estimated at 3.17 million in 2006, is projected to grow to 4.4 million by 2020. In terms of ethnic breakdown, the Malays (Bumiputeras) comprise 54%, Chinese (33%) and Indians (6%). The active workforce in Johor was increased by 2.43% per year between 1991 and 2000. During this 9 year period, a total of 256,900 job opportunities were created, while unemployment dropped from 3.3% in 1991 to 2.3% in 2000.The availability of manpower, in fact, is projected to grow further by 2.88% between now and 2020. Unemployment is also projected to decline from 2.3% in 2000 to 2.0% in 2020.

In conclusion, the future of tourism lies in the hands of all of these factors combined. As an urban tourism area, it is vital for Johor to keep at pace with the continuous advancement of technology and infrastructure for the sake of its future.