15Apr

Sabah eyes four million tourist arrivals this year

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government hopes to achieve its target of four million tourist arrivals this year, up from the 3.8 million for 2018, Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin said. He said the government is targeting more balanced tourist arrivals from China, Europe, the United States and the countries in Oceania. “To achieve the target, the government will strive to enhance air accessibility to Sabah and diversify the tourism products of the state, especially in the rural areas and the east coast,” he said. Juhar delivered the policy speech when opening the first meeting of the second session of the current Sabah Legislative Assembly. He said the Sabah Government is also committed to ensuring that the tourism sector in the state remains vibrant and competitive by focusing on the beauty of nature and cultural heritage as the major tourism assets. He said that in line with this and the desire of the government to preserve the natural environment and boost eco-tourism, efforts are being taken to declare Mount Kinabalu and its surroundings, comprising the districts of Ranau, Kota Belud and Kota Marudu, as a National Geopark this year. “The area will be promoted to be a Unesco Global Geopark site by 2020. “Additionally, the government is also in the process of gazetting the Darvel Bay in Lahad Datu and Mantanani Island in Kota Belud as marine conservation areas,” he said. Juhar said that the government is committed to developing the manufacturing sector that has the potential to boost the economy of the state, as well as sectors such as tourism, agriculture and mining.“The government will maintain the policy banning the export of logs to stimulate the timber-based downstream industries such as furniture-making and provide more jobs. “This measure will directly help local manufacturers to generate economic opportunities and enjoy the multiplier effects of the local timber industry. The government has also identified an area in the Sandakan Palm Oil Industry Cluster (POIC) as a furniture manufacturing hub for Sabah,” he said. Juhar said the government will strive to spur high-value downstream activities in the state, especially in the downstream oil and gas industry in the Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park (SOGIP) and the Lahad Datu POIC. – Bernama Source: The Star Online
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15Apr

Sabah handicrafts showcased to international delegates

KOTA KINABALU: Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort & Spa recently successfully brought together Sabah indigenous handcrafters and local artisans to create a Sabah handicraft market for a corporate event for Genesys (www.genesys.com), the global leader in omnichannel customer experience and contact centre solutions. Permanent Secretary of the Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry Sabah, William Baya was present to witness this event, which had nearly 600 international Genesys delegates in attendance. “We believe this is the first MICE initiative of its kind in Sabah where an international organization is actively involved in supporting the improvement of livelihoods. “The Sustainable Development Goals form an important part in their CSR initiative, while also guiding our actions in contributing positively to the community. “We are grateful to see the passion and determination from Genesys in supporting this community outreach program that aims to help improve the livelihood of the local community. “There is a lot we can accomplish together, and this initiative is a clear example of actions that can support the indigenous communities of Sabah,” said Fiona Hagan, general manager of the resort. “Every little effort to support our indigenous craftsmen goes a long way. “We are fortunate to be in partnership with the PACOS Trust that helped us in putting together this indigenous community market. We believe it is important for organizations to help support communities positively and at Rasa Ria we will continue to do so,” she added. The handicrafts came from the different Community Learning Centres (CLC), located in a few villages along the West coast of Sabah. Some of these villages have a small population of 200 to 1000, and are from the indigenous tribes of Dusun, Rungus, Lundayeh and Murut. To the community, handicraft making is an additional source of livelihood apart from farming. PACOS Trust has supported these communities from its inception 25 years ago. PACOS started the CLC with the mission to help the indigenous communities become self-sustaining. Through this event at Rasa Ria, an income of RM157,000 (USD 39.5k) was generated for the local community. Prior to their arrival, Genesys also purchased locally made bamboo straws and Sabah bead wristbands as welcome gifts for all the delegates. One of the featured handicrafts is a woven bag with a motif from the Rungus tribe called “Kinoriki” or hand-stitched patterns from Liu Pitas, a small village in northern Sabah with 67 families. This rich heritage of delicate embroidery skill passed down from their ancestors, features different patterns such as plants, animals and humans. Bag weaving is the only source of income for the women in this community. In addition to the craftsmen, food vendors from Tuaran were able to showcase Sabah’s delectable delights such as the ‘kuih penjaram’, ‘roti jala’ and the popular barbecued chicken wings in traditionally decorated stalls. Genesys president Tom Eggeimier said the trip was an annual affair for the software company of about 6,000 employees. “Every year, 300 employees are selected for such trips and each of them are allowed to bring another person along to travel with them. “We chose Sabah as we try as much as we could to go to places Americans rarely go … we can go back home and promote the place to others as well. “And during such trips, we will do charity works as well where we give back to the community apart from offering new cultural experiences for the attendees,” he said. Also present was deputy general manager of Sabah Tourism Board, Noredah Othman. Source: The Borneo Post
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08Apr

Joint MoU to promote Sabah tourism attraction to India

KOTA KINABALU: The Travel Agents Federation India (TAFI) of the Tamil Nadu Chapter, the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) Sabah and Malindo Air have jointly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote Sabah’s tourism attractions to the people in India. Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony cum Business To Business (B2B) Session yesterday, Sabah Tourism Board (STB) chairman Ken Pan Ying On said that the agreement would benefit all tour agents and hoteliers in Sabah. “With this MoU, Sabah local tour agents and hoteliers can grab the opportunity to start partnering with travel agents from India throughout 2019 to 2020, starting with a target of 50 pax per tour agent from 31 TAFI agents here yesterday (Saturday), which I’m confident will increase,” said Ken in his officiating speech. He pointed out that India is the second most populous country in the world and is set to be the next biggest outbound travel market globally after China. “Hence, this B2B will open up great opportunities for the state’s tourism industry to capture this market. “We would like to have a diverse range of tourists from other markets to level the numbers with the steady growth of Chinese tourists in Sabah,” he added. Meanwhile, Matta Sabah chairman Lawrence Chin said that his association had always been proactive in promoting and facilitating travel to Sabah. “Although Malaysia is already one of the most visited countries, there is still room to increase more visitors from countries with a huge population such as India. “The number of visitors to Sabah from India in the year 2017 and year 2018 was 6,196 and 5,606 respectively. By 2020, Sabah should be getting 50,000 tourists from India which is only a minimum number compared to the large Indian population. “Our tourism industry will thrive on the support and consistency efforts from Sabah Tourism Board in promoting Sabah as the top-of-mind destination,” said Lawrence. He said that MATTA Sabah would like to see healthy growth of visitors from India after the signing of yesterday’s MOU. “As such, the room for growth for India visitors to Sabah, Malaysia, is much bigger, and together, we can make it happen. “Members can develop strategic partnership and promotion of their services to Indian outbound tour operators through this cooperation. “Such collaboration will create favourable conditions for the continuous tourism growth for Malaysia and India tourism industry and members’ interest,” he added. Among those present in the event were TAFI chairman S. Arul Lazaran, Malindo Air Head of Communications and Promotions (South Asia) Suresh Vanan, Tourism Malaysia Senior deputy director Asia/Africa Division Mohamad Taib Ibrahim and STB general manager Suzaini Sabdin Ghani.
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08Apr

Using art to boost KK’s reputation

Kota Kinabalu: Art promotions will be one of the initiatives taken by the Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry to uplift the reputation of the City, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew. She said as the Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, it is her ministry’s responsibility to portray a good image of Kota Kinabalu and push its branding further.“We need to compete with other destinations and rise to international standards,” she said during the launching of the Lampoopalooza, at the compound of Sabah Tourism Board (STB) building, here, Friday. “In my recent overseas trips, I have seen expressions of art by the communities and the respective city councils fully embracing them. “This must be one of the directions that we aim for a vibrant Kota Kinabalu.”Her Ministry, she said, placed great emphasis on developing and promoting traditional as well as modern arts. “Art murals are put up by the City Hall and just last weekend, the Pillars of Sabah 2.0 nearby was launched by my Ministry’s Permanent Secretary on my behalf.  Do continue all of these initiatives,” she said. On Lampoopalooza, she said, it was nothing short of innovative in terms of events in Sabah. “This shows the many possibilities for new tourism events and it also proves that our destination continues to reinvent herself and set the bar higher each time.“I am pleased to see that we are marketing Gaya Street like many famous streets around the world. “This is our very own version of high street with a history going back to more than 100 years. “Tonight (Friday), we mark the anniversary of the STB building by appreciating the heritage, history and the perspectives of turning this street into a modern event site.” She added the bold move will certainly raise Kota Kinabalu’s prominence to be the most vibrant city in Borneo.  Lampoopalooza was a light art installation organised to mark the anniversary of the STB building. The installation followed Kota Kinabalu’s first-ever light show produced by STB last year, during the commemoration of the building’s centennial anniversary. The event featured a production of a special video, showcasing some of the State’s iconic wildlife and cultural elements, projected on the entire building and an artistic display of lights surrounding areas to position the historical street as the City’s signature stretch. The STB building was first occupied in 1918 and officiated by the Governor of the British North Borneo Chartered Company. Later, it was renovated to house the Treasury, Audit Office, a bank and the Post Office until 1986. The State Government officially gazetted it as a historical building in 1988. The building underwent restoration before reopening it in 1991, to house the Sabah Tourism Promotion Corporation, now the STB office. Source: Daily Express
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15Mar

Ministry’s Support For Capsule Hotel in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU:  The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment supports the ‘capsule hotel’ concept which is increasingly becoming popular in the world. Its Minister Datuk Christina Liew said this type of budget hotel with self-contained accommodation units will be in demand, given the booming tourism industry in Sabah. “Apart from conventional hotels, I would encourage existing or potential investors to consider investing in capsule hotels to meet the growing demand for accommodation facilities. “Such facility is a solution provider as we need rooms, especially now when we are so short of hotel rooms. It is an ideal hotel for those in the outskirts coming to the city to attend conferences, seminars or meetings. “It will also provide employment opportunities for locals,” she said after a courtesy call by a delegation from JSK Group led by its Managing Director, Datuk Johnny C.Y. Wong. Liew, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, said a capsule hotel can be a ‘transit point’ for travellers who need a place to rest before catching the next flight. A capsule hotel (also known as a pod hotel) is a type of hotel developed in Japan that features a large number of small bed-sized rooms known as capsules. Capsule hotels provide cheap, basic overnight accommodation to travellers who do not require or cannot afford larger, more expensive rooms offered by conventional hotels. Briefing the Minister, Wong, who is involved in the tourism industry, said the capsule hotel, which originated from Japan, has since been adopted in many countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, USA, Australia, China, Korea and Russia. “Given its affordability, cleanliness and safety features, travellers patronising capsule hotels is a current trend. The fare for this low-budget hotel is only RM70 to RM80 per night. “We have both single and double capsule. When two capsules are put together, it is like a container. For privacy, there can be four capsules in one room for four persons respectively. Alternatively, the capsules are placed in one big hall,” he explained. Wong, who is also Managing Director of the W Group, revealed his proposal for a capsule hotel with rooftop recreation at Sadong Jaya, here. “Our market survey shows there is a genuine need for capsule hotels in the State capital. Domestic customers aside, we are looking at 250 pax mainly from the FIT (Free Independent Traveller or Tourist) category. “We will submit our building plan for the proposed renovation of four blocks of shop lots to serve as a capsule hotel to the relevant authorities. “In the meantime, we will place an order for the capsules from China, and these will be installed when the renovation works are completed. “We hope to get off the ground by October this year to capitalise on the peak season,” he said, adding it could be the biggest such hotel in Sabah when ready for occupancy. Meanwhile, an ambitious Wong also disclosed plans for an international resort and entertainment centre at Jalan Lok Kawi, Beringgis in Papar, to cater to international tourists. He said it will consist of 250 units of service apartments/business suites and 200 units of hotel rooms while the proposed entertainment centre will provide facilities such as a spa, swimming pool and ballroom  (or banquet hall). “To attract visitors and tourists, we will promote seawater sports involving the use of jet ski, water scooter, banana boat and the like. And to facilitate connection from the resort to nearby islands, a jetty and sea transport will be made available,” he added. The islands off Kinarut include Pulau Dinawan, Pulau Ampak-Ampak and Pulau Mantukud about 30 minutes’ boat ride from the mainland. To turn an existing fruit farm at Kinarut into an orchard villa, surrounded by jungle, Wong plans to build 60 units of villa complete with an adventure park. Also present were the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, William Baya, Sabah Parks Head of Parks Management, Justinus Guntavid, JSK Development Sdn Bhd Director of Development (Hospitality), Peter T.S. Wang, JSK Tours & Travel Sdn Bhd General Manager, Tony Kam and JSK Business Development Manager, Leonard Leow. Source: Sabah News Today
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