KOTA KINABALU, 11 NOVEMBER 2019 – Tourism Malaysia is organising the “Ekspresi Media Kinabalu 2019” programme which will be held from 11 to 15 November 2019 where a total of 10 representatives from social media from various newspapers, magazines and social media platforms will be on a trip to explore the land of Sabah. This programme, which is the third of the series, is organised with the aim to encourage the promotion of tourist destinations in Sabah as part of Visit Malaysia 2020 campaign.
Like the previous series in Kenyir and Lembah Bujang, Ekspresi Media Kinabalu works based on the concept of interactive and experiential tour where participants will be actively involved in the tourism activities. Participants will be on a sightseeing trip from Kota Kinabalu to Tuaran, Kudat, Kota Belud and Kundasang and will have the opportunity to explore new as well as existing attractions along the route. The program includes hands-on experiences and product briefings by professionals in the industry to provide a wholesome experience of Sabah and showcase some of the state’s hidden gems.
“The programme is constructed such that our media participants will get exposed to experiential tourism to ensure that they not only get to visit our beautiful tourist destinations, but also experience our culture and customs especially in Sabah which is well known for its communitybased tourism (CBT),” said Mr. Iskandar Mirza Mohd Yusof, the Senior Director of the Corporate Communications Division of Tourism Malaysia.
He commented further that this programme is one of the strategies adopted by Tourism Malaysia to penetrate the digital world where social media representatives can play an active part by introducing tourism products through the concept of ‘travel and storytelling’ which is capable of creating a huge impact in this highly digitalized era.
Media participants will be exposed to various activities such as “glamping” where daily luxuries are retained amidst nature in a camping ambiance at Cabana Retreat, and cruising down Kampung Rampayan river to enjoy the scenery along Pantai Rampayan which is inhabited by wildlife including proboscis monkeys and fireflies, with the romantic setting sun in the background.
Among other interesting activities in the itinerary include the exposure to a variety of tribes and clans unique to Borneo such as the Bajau tribe, which will be a part of the entourage to welcome participants clad in their traditional attire.
The participants will pay a visit to the Bengkel Kraftangan Tenunan Dastar Kota Belud to view art crafts, weaving process and the traditional clothing worn by the Irranun tribe during ceremonies and special events.
In addition, the programme will bring the participants up close with the Rungus tribe and witness the process of gong and beads making which are part of Rungus’ culture. Owing to Sabah’s geographical location which is rich with natural resources, the participants will be going on a trip to the resort that houses Sabah tea which is known as one of the famous Sabah souvenirs and Desa Dairy Farm which the locals affectionately dub as the Little New Zealand of Sabah.
Through the hands-on experience, Tourism Malaysia hopes that the participating media will share their stories with their readers and followers by informing them via their respective media in order to stimulate interest in visiting the unique state known as the land below the wind.
It is estimated that between 40 and 50 stories will be generated by this group, which include feature articles and postings on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and blogs.
In order to expand the audience reach, hashtags such as #tourismmalaysia, #malaysiaairlines, #malaysiatrulyasia, #cuticutimalaysia, #vm2020 and #ekspresimedia2019 will be used to allow followers to seamlessly access the latest updates on the programme.
Key to the success of this programme is the partnerships between Tourism Malaysia and the private sectors. Malaysia Airlines, as principal sponsor of the programme, have come together to provide strong support. Meanwhile, state tourism stakeholders, hoteliers and tourism product owners have also stepped forward to collaborate on this programme and ensure its success.
-Tourism Malaysia.
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