Sabah offers lifeline tourism grants

News Date:  March 15, 2022

Media : TTR Weekly

KOTA KINABALU, 15 March 2022: Sabah government’s special grants have aided 507 tourism projects in the state, most of which are in rural areas.

The MYR10 million grant allocation not only alleviated the burden on local industry players hit hard by the pandemic but has prepared them for tourism revitalisation.

According to the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), the special fund was used to improve tourism facilities in 27 districts and most being in the West Coast division with 248 projects. Other divisions that benefitted from the special fund were the Interior involving 92 tourism projects, Sandakan (82), Kudat (45), and the East Coast (40).

The project components involved signage, walkway, open hall, performance stage, public restroom, jetty, visitor information centre, hiking trail, gabion, landscape beautification, handicraft workshop, and parking area.

Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said ministry officials and the STB team made sure the funding was utilised properly, and all tourism-related improvement projects that have been approved were carried out.

“The grants had proven to be a valuable resource during difficult times, particularly for rural community tourism operators. Many basic tourism facilities have been updated, which is a positive step toward improving our remote destinations.

“The state government, through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Environment, is dedicated to providing better service and hospitality to our guests, especially international tourists who will make Sabah their next destination once border reopens,” he said.

The state tourism board has assisted in distributing grant support for affected tourism players, with each eligible applicant receiving MYR20,000. Apart from rural community tourism operators, other applicants included tourist non-governmental organisations, cultural villages, tourism associations, lodging providers, tour operators, and government agencies. – Source/TTR Weekly