25Feb

Homestay revenues may increase drastically

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Homestay Association (SHA) aims to increase the revenues of homestays in the State to RM10 million-RM20 million by 2025. Its president Djuanis Mogirong said it is not impossible to achieve this target provided there are strong support from the Federal Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry, and the Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry to develop the rural tourism industry. “We can see a surge in tourist arrivals for homestays in the State, last year, with 70,083, as compared to 47,291 in 2017,” he said during a press conference, here, Thursday.   “The trend is soaring upwards and we can clearly see that there is a big potential in developing rural tourism, especially homestays. “The total receipts for homestays also witnessed a shocking increase to RM7.17 million, last year, from RM3.8 million in 2017.” Djuanis also disclosed that the homestays in the State are ranked top five in the country, with the exception of the top spot which was grabbed by a homestay in Pahang. Currently, there are 29 homestays in 50 villages, involving 394 operators in the State. These homestays offer some 687 rooms. Djuanis said the association had outlined several measures to achieve its target.   “SHA would like to help more potential communities or villages to join homestay programmes to achieve our target of getting 50-100 homestays in the State by 2025,” he said. The association also hoped that homestays in Sabah can be registered for Kampungstay programme this year. “Kampungstay is at another level where certified operators can provide more rooms for guests and this can offer bigger advantage for rural tourism players in the State. “Apart from that, we plan to hold an annual convention for homestays next year…it is a platform for international to converge and exchange information as well as share their success stories.” SHA, he said, has also discussed with Sabah Tourism Board (STB) to conduct the Visit Year Homestay Sabah 2022. Meanwhile, several homestays and community-based tourism associations made the State proud as they received international recognitions from two events, recently.   Announcing this, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew cum Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister said Kadamaian Tourism Association, Kota Belud received the Asean Community-Based Tourism Standard, Misompuru Homestay, Kudat obtained the Asean Homestay Standard and Jari Jari Spa, Kota Kinabalu grabbed the Asean Spa Services Standard. The awards were presented by Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Mohammadin Ketapi at the Asean Tourism Ministers’ Conference in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Jan 18. “The second event was the World Homestay Organisation Summit for Tourism (World Host),” Liew said. Among the recipients were Misompuru Homestay, Seri Serbang Homestay, Mesilou Atamis Homestay, Tanak Nabalu Homestay, Walai Tokou Homestay and Taun Gusi Village Homestay. “This proves that our local tourism players are able to fulfilled international standards for their services and facilities. “I hope these awards will help to motivate other homestays and community-based tourism associations to improve.” She also pledged the ministry’s commitment to support the progress of homestays in the State. - Ricardo Unto Source: Daily Express
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07Dec

Call to activate Tourism Action Council in 26 districts next year

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew wants the respective Tourism Action Council in 26 districts to be activated by next year. She said most of the districts in Sabah had a Tourism Action Council set up with the assistance of the Sabah Tourism Board. “Each council is responsible for identifying and developing their respective products for the benefit of their own district and people. “This coming New Year there will many more tourists coming by regular flights and chartered flights, and income from tourism will also increase. This is one of the ways to enhance each distrct’s economy. “We also want balanced tourism in Sabah, not just focused on Kota Kinabalu, Mount Kinabalu and the resort islands but all the across the state,” she said after launching the Community-Based Tourism Roadshow here. Liew said community-based tourism would be able to enhance all districts and towns into business entities that could contribute to the state’s economy. She said the state government through her ministry could provide the necessary infrastructure for all districts to heighten the experience for visitors. “Whenever a District Tourism Council identifies its products to be promoted as tourism products, they will let us (ministry) know. Our officers will go down to work with them,” Liew said. The two-day Community-Based Tourism Roadshow saw a total of 16 participants compared to only four last year. Earlier, in her speech, Liew said up to September this year, tourism had already generated an estimated RM6.2bil in receipts or 7% compared to last year, for the state’s economy. She said tourist arrivals were up 5.1% or 2.865 million compared to the same period last year. – Bernama Source :  Star Online
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27Nov

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.
Source: Borneo Bulletin
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04Oct

Kota Belud, Kadamaian and Kiulu a focal point for rural tourism

By NOOR ZAFIRA SHAFIE KOTA KINABALU: Kiulu, Kadamaian and Kota Belud will be the focal point for rural tourism in two years’ time after being chosen by Sabah Tourism Board as pioneer districts for rural tourism development. Tourism, Culture and Environment Assistant Minister, Assaffal @ Samsul Kamal P. Alian said that the rural sites have great potential to be promoted as unique, attractive and authentic tourism places and products. He said improvement of services in promoting rural tourism must be continuously enhanced and upgraded. “We must have the relevant knowledge, skills in operating and managing rural tourism, especially in the areas of language/communication, conservation, sustainable and responsible consumption as well as local youth participation in the rural tourism development,” he said to reporters here yesterday after witnessing a MoU signing ceremony between University Malaysia Sabah and Almacrest International College, Kadamaian Tourism Association and Kiulu Association. According to him, Sabahans and industries players should make efforts to offer more diverse products for eco-tourism and nature tourism as well. “It is important that we shift our focus to sustainable tourism development and responsible consumption, as these are vital in making Sabah as global competitive sustainable tourist destination. “Rural tourism consists of rural heritage and activities such as visiting villages, local architecture, hiking, fishing, horse riding, participating in local festivals and tradition as well as territory, like mountains, rivers and any more natural scenery,” he said. Assaffal also stressed that Sabah with interesting geographical landscape have all the important components in developing and promoting tourism. “I believe the local communities can benefit in terms of employment and income generation, and thus will enhance the economic security of the community,” he added. “All these can be prosperous and flourish through rural tourism development,” he added.   Source: New Sabah Times
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