District tourism committees should identify tourist spots in Sabah

 By Olivia Miwil - March 23, 2022 @ 3:59pm

Sabah Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai (left) at the state assembly sitting.- Pic courtesy of Sabah Information Department

KOTA KINABALU: District Tourism Action Committees should remain proactive in identifying prospective tourism sites throughout Sabah.

Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the committee should also inform the ministry so that steps could be taken to boost tourism activities in their respective areas.

"We need more tourism attractions for us to be competitive (in the industry) and Sabah is blessed with attractions, especially in the rural areas that are considered jewels of tourism.

"So, we are always prepared to listen (to suggestions) not only from elected representatives but from every District Tourism Action Committee," he said in a statement, following the question-and-answer session at the Sabah assembly sitting.

Joniston was responding to a supplementary question raised by Justin Wong (Independent-Sri Tanjong) on whether the ministry had plans to explore tourism sites in Tawau.

Wong had also suggested the setting up of a Tourist Information Centre at the Tawau Airport, stating such a facility to be considered as Tawau's vital gateway to Semporna.

Earlier, Joniston said preliminary planning was underway to look into developing tourism activities at Batu Punggul.

It was in response to Datuk Abdul Ghani Mohd Yassin (Bersatu-Nabawan)'s question about turning Batu Punggul into a tourist attraction.

He said Batu Punggul was under the care of Sabah Forestry Department and gazetted as Class IV Forest Reserve, adding that the department disallowed any tourism activity at the moment due to lack of proper visitor facilities.

"Without a doubt, Batu Punggul Forest Reserve has enormous potential for development as a tourist destination for adventure activities such as hiking and jungle trekking. It has also been identified as a prospective birding area.

"The ministry has done some preliminary planning with the forestry department. My ministry has included basic infrastructure requirements under the allocation for rural tourism development programme in the 12th Malaysian Plan."

Joniston said the forestry department had engaged the local community to educate and prepare them on tourist management in their respective areas.

Likewise, he stated that the ministry, through the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), was committed to working together to help establish community-based tourism.