Sabah Rural Development Ministry plans rural tourism initiatives through Mini Estet Sejahtera

KOTA KINABALU: The state Rural Development Ministry plans to further develop rural tourism through the Mini Estet Sejahtera (Mesej) project, starting with Kadamaian, located in the Kota Belud district.

Minister Ewon Benedick who is Kadamaian assemblyman, said Kampung Sayap would be pioneering the pilot programme, starting with SK Sayap through its edu-tourism programme in welcoming visitors including international tourists.

“The school initiative would enhance the knowledge of students in tourism industry and generates fund for the school.

“I had launched the edu-tourism programme at SK Sayap in 2016 before becoming an assemblyman.

“The school has an upside-down hut as an attraction in its edu-tourism park. I hope more schools would emulate such ideas and find activities to generate economic returns for the school fund.

“Today, Kampung Sayap being identified as the pilot group for the rural tourism Mesej is another example of my commitment to continue supporting them,” he said after receiving a courtesy call from the SK Sayap Edu-Tourism main committee and the village tourism main committee at his ministry’s office here.

He said the new programme would be conducted in collaboration with Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry through Sabah Tourism Board.

Meanwhile the school’s edu-tourism coordinator Boniface Jiran said they welcomed such efforts to incorporate the new Mesej concept in the village, which would in turn bring positive impacts to Kampung Sayap, such as improvement of road links there.

“The edu-tourism approach also helped improved the students’ academic performances, where they all have achieved the basic ability for reading, writing, counting and reasoning.

“At the same time, it also increased their confidence as they could communicate in English with foreign tourists as we had visitors from Japan and England coming to the school,” he added.

Source: New Straits Times