Sabah's Batu Puteh is among UNWTO's Best Tourism Villages

 

KOTA KINABALU: Kampung Batu Puteh in Kinabatangan has been recognised as one of the Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

The Community Based Tourism village by Batu Puteh Community Tourism Co-operative, KOPEL Bhd, was selected from over 170 candidate villages from 75 countries, as it demonstrated its outstanding values and actions towards the development of rural tourism.

Among the criteria for the award includes low population density with less than 15,000 inhabitants, located in a landscape with an important presence of traditional activities such as agriculture, forestry, livestock, fishing, and the sharing of community values and lifestyle.

Kampung Batu Puteh was nominated by the Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture Malaysia for the recognition.

State Tourism, Culture and Environment minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said such an award solidified their motivation to continue their good efforts in sustainability.

"I am aware that rural tourism is not entirely a new niche segment for tourism in Sabah. However, seeing the importance of further growing and supporting such industry players, Sabah Tourism took the initiative to amplify promotion efforts since 2014.

"This resulted with Kadamaian receiving the Asean Community Based Tourism Award in 2019 and also initiated tourism councils in each district to assist with the efforts," he said in a statement.

KOPEL Bhd chief executive officer Martin Vogel said the team was ecstatic when they heard the news as it was a huge morale boost after 18 months of pandemic losses and zero international tourism income.

"We were even more excited when we received sponsorship to attend the awards ceremony with the Ministry of Tourism.

"KOPEL hopes this recognition helps promote rural and community based tourism in Malaysia and helps bring back international tourists especially to Sabah and the Kinabatangan region," he added.

Community Based Tourism by KOPEL began in the year 2000 with the opening of Sabah's first homestay programme, Miso Walai Homestay.

Alongside the village boat service, guide services, cultural music and dance programmes, KOPEL's forest conservation initiatives have grown into a medium scale social enterprise that supports employment, social and environmental goals and is committed to protecting and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity in the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.

The Sabah Tourism Board partially sponsored KOPEL chairman Abd Sanih Nasri, deputy chairman Mohamad Juhari Kadir and conservation manager Saidal Udin to be present in Spain to receive the award of Best Tourism Villages, which was held during the 24th UNWTO General Assembly yesterday at the Marriott Auditorium Conference Centre in Madrid.

-nst online.