Tag - Culture

Tambunan: A Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta), Sabah chapter visit to Tambunan, Keningau and Tenom found the homestay concept to be among potential tourism products for the three districts. Its organising chairperson Alicia Gomes of Avasi Borneo Tours & Travel Sdn Bhd said foreign guests would be interested to include them in their holiday plans given the right marketing method. "We want to promote more local products as this will help improve our State revenue. I am optimistic that products such as homestay in Tambunan which are already in the market needs to be properly organised and coordinated," said Christina Wahida Kong of the organising committee from Sensational Holiday's Sdn Bhd. Welcoming the group of 15 tour agents, Joanna Kitingan, the Coordinator for Tambunan Village Homestay, brought them for a site tour in one of the homestay operators in Kg Toboh, Tambunan. This year is Visit Tambunan Year. Joanna said the products in homestay are usually day-to-day living activities of the villagers (operators) where many tourists took interest in experiencing and sampling the local way of life. "We cook the traditional delicacies and get them to do our daily activities such as feeding the chicken, planting paddy and so on. It is fun to see foreign guests doing what the kampung people like us do here," she said. She also said there are many natural products being used to serve their guests. During the visit by Matta, Joanna served a sweet dessert made by one of her operators which is one of the sought-after desserts. "This is akin to a kuih wajid. It is glutinous rice from our own paddy field, using our own grown coconut. So everything we use is fresh and new. She recalled her mum doing the same kuih and it could last three to four days and still good to eat, as she always used freshly plucked ingredients. The group also visited Bondulu Children's Home in Tambunan where they were welcomed by 64 children and sister in-charge, sister Germaine. Foodstuff, household items and cash were some of the donations made by the travel agents. They were later entertained by children in singing performance. Besides the singing performance, a motivational talk was also held for the older children, which was conducted by Albert Aseh, one of the delegates. They also made a visit to the Tambunan Viewing Point which was newly built in a shape akin to a carriage bag (wakid). "This place is going to be another potential tourism spot. From here, you are able to view the whole town of Tambunan as well as the natural scenery around it. It is beautiful," said Christina. Mat Salleh Memorail Park in Kg Tibabar in Tambunan was also in their itinerary and made a short educational tour in the area before they went to the next district. Source: Daily Express

Kota Kinabalu: Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the organising of the 2017 Chinese New Year Dragon, Unicorn and Lion Dance Festival is proof of the unity of the Chinese community, tolerance and brotherhood of Sabahans. He said in other parts of the country it is seldom that an entire clan join together celebrating a festival and it was something the other states can imitate at national level. Masidi said the festival organised by the United Sabah Chinese Communities Association of Kota Kinabalu (USCCAKK) is an advantage to the tourism industry, adding that tourists, especially the non-Chinese, need not to go to China to see such performances but only come to Sabah. "It will paint a good image on Sabah as it shows the spirit of tolerance and brotherhood of Sabahans who come from different races and religion," he said. Masidi said this during a courtesy visit held by the USCCAKK representatives led by President Datuk Susan Wong. He said tourists from China will feel welcomed to Sabah by the festival as the Chinese culture is also widely practised here. He noted that there are 171 international direct flights to Kota Kinabalu weekly and among them, 76 are from China, while there are a total of 400 domestic flights to Kota Kinabalu weekly. Masidi has been invited as a special guest to the drum beating opening ceremony of the Festival on Jan 14 (Saturday), at 2.30pm, at the Likas Sports Complex, the opening ceremony of which will be officiated by the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman. Among those in the courtesy call included Deputy President Bong Chong Shui, Vice President Datuk Wong Hai Ming, Vice President Chua Kui Ting, Vice President-cum- Organising Chairman Soo Shau Kiong, Secretary General Datuk Wong Yit Ming, committee members Dr Ling Fii Yeu, Dennis Gan, Ong Lee Chien and Baby Gan. Admission is free with a series of exciting performances starting at 1pm. More than a hundred of dragon, unicorn and lion troupes will gather for the event and 30 will be selected for the challenging performance. Source: Daily Express