Sabah to promote rural tourism through community-based roadshow

KOTA KINABALU (Bernama) – Sabah Tourism Board (STB) will hold a two-day community-based tourism roadshow to promote rural tourism attractions beginning tomorrow, said State Tourism, Culture And Environment Ministry Permanent Secretary Datuk Datu Rosmadi Sulai.

The roadshow, which is being held for the second time, aimed to encourage foreign and domestic tourists to travel to the rural areas, which in turn would generate income for the residents there, he said.

“Fourteen districts are participating in the programme this year compared with four in 2017. Furthermore, the programme will include a plastic-free campaign organised with a water filter company to persuade the public to minimise plastic use,” he told a press conference on the programme yesterday.

Datu Rosmadi said the roadshow involved the cooperation between the public sector – STB and Sri Pelancongan Sabah – and the private sector, namely Suria Sabah shopping mall that provided the event’s venue.

Besides rural attractions, the roadshow would also promote rural tourism products such as village stay, camping, and ecotourism activities, he noted.

To further boost community-based tourism industry’s growth in the rural areas, Datu Rosmadi said, tourism action councils had been activated in most districts in the state to identify and develop tourism-related products for the benefit of the locals and the state economy.