28Jun

Sabah set to attract more visitors from India

KOTA KINABALU: An India-based travel media company, Travel Earth, has brought a group of social media influencers to Sabah to promote the region as a destination for Indian travellers. During their visit to the state, the delegates witnessed various aspects of Sabah culture to promote their experience via social media platforms such as their blogs, YouTube and Instagram. They also joined local influencers in a Digital Influencer’s Convention here, where invited speakers spoke on topics such as Millennials travel trends, interests and leveraging marketing through technology. State Tourism, Culture and Environment Assistant Minister Assaffal P. Alian said Sabah was making an effort to expand its tourism market and was eyeing more tourists from India. “Last year, travellers from India made up 0.41 per cent of the international arrivals to Sabah. “India is the most populous country after China and is projected to be the next outbound phenomenon for the travel market. “There are more than 200 flights between various cities in India to Kuala Lumpur and we hope to leverage on this existing traffic. “There is so much potential for us to tap into this market to further introduce Sabah to a new market segment,” Assafal said at the convention’s launch here today. The event was supported by Sabah Tourism Board, Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta), Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria, Air Asia, Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, and Make My Trip. According to statistics furnished by Matta, Indian tourist arrivals to Malaysia last year totalled 595,000 and about 6,000 Indian citizens visited Sabah. “Digital influencers are powerful in creating awareness to attract Indian holiday makers to Sabah. Through conventions like this, it will promote Sabah as a vibrant and new product potential for Indian tourists,” said Tan. Travel Earth co-founder Arun Raghu said Indians did travel to Malaysia, but not many were aware of Sabah as a tourist destination. He said the state has so much potential, which could be interesting and appealing for Indian travellers as they were constantly looking for new destinations. Source: New Straits Times
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28Jun

Govt plans cultural centre in Tawau: Liew

TAWAU: Deputy Chief Minister cum State Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Christina Liew said the State Government plans to set up a cultural centre in Tawau to attract more local and foreign visitors for the sake of boosting the local economy and tourism industry. Christina, who is also Tawau MP, believes such as a centre would help to promote cultural tourism pertaining to Malaysia’s unique blend of diversity. She also invited smallholders or farmers who have fruit gardens, floral gardens or land in Tawau to develop it as a tourist hotspot, including making it as homestays for tourists. She was speaking while attending a welcome dinner cum Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration jointly held by the Tawau Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Tawau Reporters Association at a hotel here recently where about 250 members and guests attended. The welcome dinner was held for the new district council president Datuk Ir. Amrullah Kamal, his new deputy president Koh Kian Leong and the new district police chief, ACP Peter AK Umbuas. She said the government together with the tourism and hospitality industry players must play their roles to increase the number of hotels, restaurants, tour buses etc. in order to fulfil the demands of tourists. “Tawau has potential to reap the economic benefits of tourism but just not ready yet with the insufficient amenities to meet the demands of tourists”. She said the cleanliness at the surrounding, particularly the washrooms at Tawau Airport should be maintained to create a positive image among tourists,” she explained. She also disclosed that the government plans to launch medical tourism and sports tourism. Chairman of Tawau Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Chia Seong Fatt hoped, that the newly appointed council president and deputy president would continue to bring Tawau towards greatest level as the district was far behind Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan. He hoped that the council would work together with elected representatives to upgrade infrastructure and solve the people problems in Tawau. Chia also hoped that the new police chief and his team will strengthen public security and cross border control in Tawau so that the people can live and work in peace. President of Tawau Reporters Association, Hiew Chee Hing hoped the council and police could work closely with reporters as well as respect press freedom in news coverage. Meanwhile, the Tawau Reporters Association also appointed Kent Lim as the association’s honorary chairman. Source: Daily Express
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28Jun

Orang-utan named ‘Christina Liew’

SUKAU: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew toured parts of the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary on her maiden trip here by boat from Sandakan on Thursday. She went on a three-hour river cruise, accompanied by Elopura assemblyman Calvin Chong, Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry permanent secretary William Baya, Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga, Sabah Tourism Board (STB) general manager Noredah Othman, and Albert Teo, founder of Borneo Eco Tours which operates the Sukau Rainforest Lodge. “What a fantastic tour! I am here to see the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary for myself. I have learned a lot today from the Kinabatangan River Cruise, especially the Big Five,” Liew, who is also Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment said (in apparent reference to the presence of the Borneo pygmy elephant, proboscis monkey, rhinoceros hornbill, crocodile and orang-utan). Liew also spotted the long-tailed and pig-tailed Macaque, water monitor lizard, oriental darter, oriental pied hornbill and other bird species. More significantly, the minister caught a glimpse of a visiting female orang-utan, estimated to be about 15 to 20 years old, during her stroll on the Attenborough Board Walk at the Sukau Rainforest Lodge. Teo, who is also the founder of the Lodge, has named the primate ‘Christina Liew’ in honour of the minister’s inaugural visit. Source: Borneo Post Online
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28Jun

Sabah to create state wildlife policy

KOTA KINABALU: The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment kickstarted its efforts to create a Sabah Wildlife Policy this week through its inaugural Introductory Workshop, jointly organised by the Sabah Wildlife Department and WWF-Malaysia. The workshop is the first of a series of consultations and discussions towards developing a consolidated Wildlife Policy for the State that will ensure effective wildlife conservation in Sabah. At present, there are many existing wildlife action plans and initiatives in Sabah designed to tackle different wildlife and environmental issues. This has led to a series of disconcerted efforts to resolve issues to do with wildlife, which may prove to be ineffective both in the short and long term. Recognising this, the government has decided to develop a more robust and encompassing state-wide wildlife policy in order to address the increasing threats facing wildlife protection and conservation in Sabah. These threats include habitat degradation, human-wildlife conflict and illegal poaching. “The government is hitting a milestone through the establishment of the wildlife policy. This policy will provide a framework for collaborations towards discovering new opportunities, to realign and consolidate relevant policies, action plans and initiatives for greater synergy,” said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew. The policy will pave the way for a shared long-term vision and policy framework for wildlife protection and conservation in the State. Ultimately, it is hoped that a state-wide policy will ensure that the true value of wildlife to Sabah’s economy and social well-being is both realised and enhanced. “WWF-Malaysia lends its full support to the Ministry in the development of the Sabah Wildlife Policy. An overarching policy like this can only serve to benefit Sabah’s vast biodiversity and help make conservation more effective in the future,” said Dr Robecca Jumin, Sabah’s Head of Conservation for WWF-Malaysia. Source: Borneo Post Online
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26Jun

More five-star hotels approved

KOTA KINABALU: The State Government has approved the construction of more five-star hotels here and in the east coast of Sabah in tandem with the tourism boom, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew. She made the announcement at the Matta (Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents) Raya Open House celebration at Le Meridien Hotel on Sunday night. “This is in view of the rising demand for hotel accommodation. International tourists are coming to Sabah in droves. It’s incredible, simply, we just don’t have enough hotel rooms,” she said. Liew, who is also Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, said she was told by an incentive tour package organiser from China that the latter preferred hotels that can provide accommodation for two to three thousand clients at any one time. “For her incentive reward trips to Sabah, she is not in favour of spreading out her guests in different hotels.” The celebration was organised by Matta (Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents) Sabah Chapter led by its chairman, Lawrence Chin. Turning to the members of Matta, Liew said while the government formulates policies favourable to the tourism industry, it is incumbent upon all tourism players to do their part to ensure the success of the industry. “The government can only facilitate. It is you (tour operators) who will make a difference by luring tourists here. All of you are Sabah’s tourism ambassadors. Do promote the State’s attractions to the international community,” she added. Meanwhile, Matta president Datuk Tan Kok Liang assured tour and travel agents that the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac), Datuk Isham Ishak will address pressing issues confronting the tourism sector in Sabah. “I have brought issues such as illegal tour operators and zero-dollar tourism to his attention,” he said while urging the secretary-general to provide funding for tourism projects in Sabah. Isham, who also spoke, commended Sabah for its high performance in terms of tourist arrivals under the leadership of Liew. “In this respect, Sabah can be a leader to other states in the country from the tourism perspective.” Also present were the Consul-General of the Republic of Indonesia in Kota Kinabalu, Krishna Djelani; Consul of the People’s Republic of China in Kota Kinabalu Wang Kai; Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Sabah Office Director, Ag Ahmad Zaki Abu Bakar; KKIA Airport manager Sunif Naiman, Sabah Tourism Board general manager Noredah Othman, deputy general manager Kevin Chin and senior marketing manager Tay Shu Lan. Source: Borneo Post Online
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