Luxury yacht boost to Semporna tourism
KOTA KINABALU: Borneo Serenity, a luxury yacht offered by Lazy Cat International Travel Service Co. Ltd. for high-end catering in Sabah, is a shot in the arm for Semporna’s tourism sector, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew.
Lazy Cat International is a prominent online travel company in China.
Liew, who is also Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, noted that the company has always had a strong relationship with the tourism industry in Sabah as reflected in its continuity of bringing a large number of young tourists to Sabah.
“I congratulate Lazy Cat Travel on its investment and collaboration with local companies in Sabah. The yacht will soon offer day trips in Semporna which is a great idea to diversify its tour offerings. I understand the company will start its operation in two weeks’ time,” she said when officiating at the Borneo Serenity Maiden Voyage Ceremony at the Marina Jetty, Sutera Harbour Resort on Monday.
Built in China with a European design and capacity of 50 to 60 people, Borneo Serenity was completed two months ago at a cost of 10 million RMB.
From Liew’s observation, the acceleration of tourism development in Sabah in recent years somewhat coincides with the growth of Chinese tourists visiting Sabah every year.
Quoting statistics from Sabah Tourism Board (STB), she said in 2018 alone, some 593,623 Chinese tourists visited Sabah. “To date, we have 93 scheduled flights from China into Kota Kinabalu and several charter flights throughout the year.”
According to the Minister, Sabah is seeing more free independent travellers (FITs) who are eager to explore more of Sabah.
“Many of them may have already come to Kota Kinabalu on their first trip and now, I reckon they have expanded their adventures to the East Coast of Sabah,” she said.
Liew attributed the Chinese tourists’ enthusiasm for Sabah to its rich tourism resources such as Semporna dubbed “Little Maldives” with its white and fine sandy beaches, and a crystal-clear blue sea and sky; Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, has one of the three most beautiful sunsets in the world; famous mangroves and fireflies; and Sandakan with a variety of wildlife and nature encounters.
“In addition, the simple folk customs and diverse culture also make Sabah a favourite among Chinese tourists.”
Also present were the Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Kota Kinabalu, Liang Caide, Vice Consul-General Wu Xiaoqing, STB Chairman Ken Pan Ying On, STB General Manager Noredah Othman, Chairman of Lazy Cat International Travel Service Co. Ltd, Zhao Jun and Company CEO Yang Jing, STB Senior Marketing Manager Tay Shu Lan and Tourism Malaysia Representative (China Market) Sharon Ho.
Source: Borneo Post Online
