Sabah's community-based tourism fair finally gets peninsula showcase

 

Sabah Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai (behind, centre) with the participants who attended the KTA appreciation programme. - Photo courtesy of STB.

KIULU: Sabah will bring its community-based tourism fair to the peninsula for the first time.

Sabah Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the fair would be held at the IOI City Mall, Putrajaya in Oct.

Joniston, who is also Sabah Tourism Board chairman, said the move was to get rural tourism product operators to venture into bigger markets.

"This event offers tour operators and rural tourism product operators a chance to get together and discuss ways to improve rural destination packages for new markets," he said during the 2024 Kiulu Tourism Association Appreciation programme, here. A total of 26 community-based tourism operators and 40 private entrepreneurs attended the programme.

The Kiulu assemblyman said a mentor and mentee system would be introduced in Kiulu to provide a platform for tourism operators to share their success stories with newcomers. "STB is identifying mentors and mentees for the programme. The sessions will be done in phases," he said.

He also announced that three Sabah rural operators had been shortlisted for this year's Asean Tourism Standard Accreditation. They are Murug-Turug Eco Tourism, Lingga Eco Tourism and Bambangan Lama Eco Tourism, which had met the 10 criteria set for the prestigious award.

"The main criteria emphasises management, business direction, standard operating procedures and how the tourism activities would impact the local economy.

"Most importantly, all these must be documented," he said, adding that winning the award would strengthen Sabah's growing international reputation for rural tourism.

Also present were STB chief executive officer Julinud Jimit and KTA president Mejin Manginggow.

-nst online.