01Nov

Sabah may host Borneo Hospitality Challenge in May

KOTA KINABALU: If everything goes well as planned, Sabah will play host to the inaugural Borneo Hospitality Challenge 2020 (BHC2020) from May 30-31 next year.It is being organised by the Borneo Culinary Association (BCA) Sabah and Sarawak, which is a non-profit organisation.Deputy Chief Minister cum Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Christina Liew assured the organisers that her Ministry will support the event that will feature a Culinary & Food & Beverage (F & B) Competition. She gave the assurance during a courtesy call by a six-member delegation led by retired Executive Chef Volkmar G.Ertel. Present were Norsina James @ Mimiey James (Director, Ocean Play KK Tours & Travel Sdn Bhd), Executive Chef Daniel Shepherd (Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa), Dion Jee (Director of Food and Beverage, SkyHotel), Executive Chef Alex Sim (Sutera Sanctuary Lodges) and Sarah Diana Michelle Durai (Auditor & Event Director for BHC2020).“We endorse events that will bring in participants and visitors from the international community, as this will not only promote Sabah tourism but also forge friendship ties with people from neighbouring countries and beyond,” Liew said. Briefing the Minister on BHC2020, Jee, who is also the Organising Chairman, said more than 500 participants are expected from Asian countries (including Malaysia), Australia and New Zealand. “We are receiving encouraging response from potential international participants who will be made up of chefs, executive chefs, bartenders and baristas,” he said, adding that judges are drawn from various countries.According to him, the proposed prizes are USD1,000 for the winner, followed by USD500 for the first runner-up and USD200 for the second runner-up (plus a medal and certificate for each winner).Officially registered in December 2013, the BCA is a member of the Malaysia Food & Beverage Executive Association (MFBEA) and aims to play an active role in supporting culinary activities in the East Malaysia region.“Part of our mission is to develop, promote and improve the quality standards of the Food and Beverage industry in East Malaysia,” said Jee. Also present was the General Manager of Sri Pelancongan (Sabah) Sdn Bhd, Zachary Mobijohn. Source: Daily Express
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31Oct

Hotel construction to boost tourism in KK

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government welcomes construction of hotels to complement the current state’s economic growth, part of which depends on the tourism and service sectors, Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman said on Monday. He said in the service sectors, hotels were crucial to complement the current economic growth in the state, apart from infrastructure development provided by the government. “Efforts to promote Sabah is very dependent on cooperation with the right partners from the private sector and tour associations. “Therefore, construction of the Kota Kinabalu Mercure Hotel is very much welcome and I can assure that the decision to invest here is very apt,” he said when opening the hotel here on Monday.
Musa said the state government would remain committed to develop the state's tourism sector with the cooperation of private entities.
“The tourism sector will continue to help develop the state's economy,” he said, adding that Sabah had various products to attract tourists, including places of attraction, food and culture. He said measures had been taken by the state government to ensure the sustainability of tourism products in Sabah. Musa, who is also state Finance Minister, hoped more investors, local and foreign, would help develop and promote the state's tourism and service sectors. Source : The Star
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26Oct

Ctrip awards Hotel Grandis “Best Family Hotel” 2017

KOTA KINABALU: Hotel Grandis has been awarded “Best Family Hotel” for 2017 by Ctrip with a guest score of 4.7 out of 5 and 97 per cent guest recommendation rate. Ctrip, founded in 1999 with its headquarters in Shanghai, is a leading online travel platform in China, with more than 90 million registered members in addition to 5,000 member hotels available domestically and overseas. This year, Ctrip invited 12 Malaysian hotel operators to attend their 2nd Ctrip Global Hotel Partners Summit. Four of these hotel operators were from Sabah, and the others were from Penang, Langkawi, Johor and Kuala Lumpur. The summit also included a tour of Ctrip headquarters to further understand their operations and administrative process of room reservations. During the summit, Ctrip released its “2017 One Belt One Road Travel Report” which among others stated that outbound Chinese travellers increased 71 per cent in 2016 compared to the previous year. And, Chinese travellers to Malaysia went up 129 per cent, followed by Thailand (up 91 per cent), and Singapore (up 47 per cent). The general manager of Hotel Grandis in Kota Kinabalu, Michael Tan received the award on behalf of Grandis Hotels and Resorts. “We are thankful to the China travellers who recognised Hotel Grandis as their preferred hotel. We also appreciate our associates for their continuous support in providing distinctive service to our guests,” Tan said. Source : New Sabah Times
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