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KOTA MARUDU: Matunggong should continue to promote the vibrant and unique cultural heritage of the Rungus community to attract tourists. Sabah Assistant Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the dynamism of its culture and natural beauty are the main selling point for the district. "Sabah is blessed with a diverse cultural landscape, home to more than 40 distinct ethnic groups. "Such a unique culture like the Rungus is an excellent complement to tourism operations. "I encourage the Rungus community to continue preserving their culture and to learn more about the tourism industry. "The rural community must seize every opportunity to equip themselves with skills to further promote their people and places," he said. (more…)

KUDAT: Kudat is dubbed the “Bali of Borneo” due to the similarities of tourism product activities that could attract foreign tourists if further developed. Sabah Tourism, Culture, and Environment Assistant Minister cum Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said Kudat has a great deal of rural tourism potential due to its beautiful nature and islands with unique stories. “Bali is well-known among foreign tourists for its culture and surfing sports. Kudat has it all too, with crystal-clear beaches and surfable waves. We share the same characteristic. “However, it is also up to the community to popularise Kudat and work to highlight the uniqueness of this area,” he said at the launching of Tajau Laut Rural Community Tourism Association here, on Friday. Also present were Federation of Rural Tourism Association Sabah president Walter Kandayon; Tajau Laut village chief Lamat Alip; Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) chief Abdul Salleh; and Tajau Laut Rural Community Tourism Association president Junaidi Awang Bulat. Joniston said his ministry and the Sabah Tourism Board are ever ready to assist the community in promoting tourism products available in Kudat. “At the same time, the local community must equip themselves with knowledge about interesting activities and destinations that can be introduced to tourists when they come here. “I am indeed proud to see the Tajau Laut community working together in unity to develop tourism activities. I can see that Tajau Laut Rural Community Tourism Association can be an example for other villages in Kudat to follow suit. “Such cooperation is very important, especially when tourists come to see and learn for themselves how the village community creates tourism activities in their respective areas,” he said. Joniston also said Kudat has benefitted from the state government’s special allocation meant to assist tourism operators affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. For Kudat, he said 16 operators had successfully submitted for the grant totalling RM305,930, adding Tajau Laut Guesthouse is among the recipients. The Tajau Laut Rural Community Tourism Association was established a year ago to encourage villagers to take part in transforming the Kampung Tajau Laut into a promising tourism product. Currently, the village has only one tourist accommodation Tajau Laut Guesthouse operated by Junaidi. Tourists and visitors can enjoy snorkelling, kayaking, fishing, coral conservation, and cooking, among others at Kampung Tajau Laut. Meanwhile, Lamat said the setting up of an association has bolstered the villagers’ sense of community and teamwork, allowing them to carry out a wide range of activities. “There have been agencies and other associations running programmes here as well, and hopefully this will boost the potential of Kampung Tajau Laut,” he said. He also encouraged the association to recruit more villagers as members to ensure that no one is left out of tourism opportunities and efforts to empower them.    

KOTA KINABALU: The return of Royal Brunei Airlines to the state has now made it accessible for tourists not just from Brunei but also from other countries to get to Sabah. Royal Brunei Airlines is the second foreign airline to resume direct flights to Kota Kinabalu, following Singapore’s low-cost carrier Scoot. Tourism, Culture, and Environment Assistant Minister cum Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the return of foreign carriers is a great indication for the tourism and economy of Sabah. “We are pleased to welcome the return of the Royal Brunei Airlines flight. The connectivity from Brunei will help with transiting international passengers, especially from routes that were previously in service from Australia, the United Kingdom, the Middle East and Japan. “Sabah is ready to accommodate tourists, and we hope that more foreign airlines will begin direct flights to Kota Kinabalu. With more direct flights from cities across the ASEAN region, we can expect an increase in visitors,” he said. (more…)

KOTA KINABALU: Singapore's low-cost carrier Scoot has resumed service to Sabah, making it the first international airline to do so. The Scoot Flight TR492 touched down at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport at about 9pm on Friday, carrying 150 passengers most of whom were westerners. While the aircraft was saluted with a water cannon, the passengers were greeted with a warm welcome by a group dressed in traditional cultural attire as they entered the arrival gate. State Tourism, Culture, and Environment Assistant Minister cum Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai was on hand to greet Scoot passengers and hand out goodie bags. (more…)