Almost all tourist products and attractions in Sabah are located in rural areas.
The Sabah Tourism Board is promoting and marketing these products domestically and internationally, said Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew.
Therefore, community-based tourism (CoBT) activities are crucial to Sabah, said Liew in response to Appointed Assemblyman Datuk Raime Unggi at the State Legislative Assembly sitting.
He asked about the steps taken to boost this industry in the remote areas.
“The Sabah Tourism Board has provided infrastructure and facilities assistance as well as training for the operators to ensure the safety and comfort of visitors,” said Liew.
She said the Sabah Tourism Board has set a target for 80 per cent of the CoBT to obtain the ASEAN standards by 2030 as this accreditation will place Sabah on the international stage to attract more visitors
Additionally, she said the Sabah Tourism Board has so far published nine digital guide brochures for the Kiulu, Tenom, Kudat, Kinabatangan, Membakut, Telupid, Sipitang, Kuala Penyu, and Kota Belud districts to add value in marketing.
To boost promotional visibility, she said the Sabah Community-Based Tourism Fair, started in 2017, will for the first time to be held outside the state at IOI Mall Putrajaya from October 18 to 20, 2024.
The Federation of Rural Tourism Association Sabah (FeRTAS) had also organised business-to-business sessions for CoBT operators to interact with tourism agents to have a better understanding of their activities, she said.
She also urged all the district tourism action councils and its tourism associations to activate their offices to serve as a bridge with the government and foster cooperation.
