What Can the Tourism Industry Learn from Surah Al-Humazah?
What Can the Tourism Industry Learn from Surah Al-Humazah?
The tourism industry is built on partnerships, trust, and collaboration.
Yet sometimes, instead of competing through better products and better service, we see businesses competing through rumours, backbiting, slander, anonymous letters (surat layang), and attempts to damage the reputation of others.
This is not a new problem.
More than 1,400 years ago, Surah Al-Humazah began with a powerful warning:
“Woe to every slanderer and backbiter.”
That verse made me reflect on our own tourism industry.
Every minute spent attacking a competitor is a minute not spent improving our own products, training our people, embracing AI, or creating experiences that visitors will remember.
The real competition is not the travel agency next door.
The real competition is the thousands of destinations around the world competing for the same international traveller.
If we weaken each other, we weaken Malaysia.
If we destroy trust within the industry, everyone loses.
Surah Al-Humazah also reminds us not to become obsessed with wealth and status.
Business success should never come at the expense of integrity.
A tourism business may win a contract today through politics or character assassination, but in the long run, reputation is built through honesty, professionalism, and excellent service.
As tourism professionals, perhaps we should ask ourselves:
Am I known for solving problems or creating them?
Am I building the industry or dividing it?
Will people remember me for my integrity or my influence?
Our visitors will not remember our industry politics.
They will remember how we welcomed them, how we served them, and how we made them feel.
Let’s compete by creating better experiences, not better rumours.
Let’s build stronger destinations, not deeper divisions.
Because in the end…
A great destination is built on trust, collaboration, and integrity—not slander, backbiting, or the pursuit of power.
Your Inbound Matters Reflection Series
By Uzaidi Udanis
#YourInboundMatters #InboundTourism #TourismLeadership #TourismEthics #Hospitality #SustainableTourism #MalaysiaTourism #TravelWithPurpose #Leadership #Integrity #ExperienceCreatesEconomy