KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah tourism promotional activities will be continued but with different approach despite the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said.
The unfolding of the pandemic has seen the promotional efforts being intensified through digital platforms to maintain awareness that Sabah is a tourist destination, he said.
“My Ministry through the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) has formulated new strategies to restore confidence and will be implemented to attract domestic tourists,” Jafry (pix) said in replying to Segama (Warisan) Assemblyman Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi during the Q&A session at the State Legislative Assembly sitting.
Since March 2020 until now, he said the STB has implemented various promotional activities specially for the domestic market including the participation in four online tourism fairs namely Online MATTA Fair, MITA e-Travel Fair, Weddings Malaysia Virtual Fair and Go Local Online Fair.
Other activities were organising familiarization trip for bloggers, media and travel agencies; publication of brochures and videos related to SOP; launch of the #BahMarilah digital campaign as a platform for tourist entrepreneurs to promote their packages: digital campaign for members of the Malaysian Association of Hotels / Travel Agents and tourism product operators; and collaboration with Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia.
To continue the promotion of domestic tourism, he said the STB will implement several promotional campaigns from December 2020 until next year.
Among the campaigns that has been drawn up are “Recreate your holiday picture” competition in collaboration with MASwing and the “SayangSabah and Let’s Carhub” competition; #RinduSabah digital campaign and banner advertising in four selected AEON supermarkets in the Klang Valley.
Also in the pipeline are strategic collaboration with airlines to promote the latest domestic routes namely Kuala Terengganu – Kota Kinabalu (AirAsia) and Penang – Kota Kinabalu (Firefly) which is expected to start in the first quarter of 2021.
“Roadshow” at selected shopping malls in the Klang Valley in the first quarter of 2021; and collaborate with selected brands such as Xiaomi, and GoPro, he shared.-HS
