KOTA BELUD: The Sabah Tourism Board (STB) is ready to help rural communities in the state get the skills required to transform their respective locations into world-class rural tourism destinations by 2025.
State assistant Tourism, Culture, and Environment minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said his Ministry (KepKAS) hopes to see more rural and community-based tourism operators in Sabah achieve the ASEAN Tourism Standard.
This was following the success of Kadamaian tourism with its rapid growth and the Kadamaian Tourism Association which was awarded the ASEAN Community Based Tourism Standard 2019-2021 in Hanoi, Vietnam, early last year.
"The tourism industry is one of the main thrusts of the Sabah Maju Jaya Development Plan to develop the state from 2021 to 2025.
"My Ministry and STB are committed to developing the rural community through tourism activities that contribute to the state's economy," he said in a statement after the launch of the Nahandang Melangkap Homestay and Campsite Open Hall at Kampung Melangkap here yesterday.
Joniston, who is also STB chairman, said the board would provide seminars and necessary skill training in terms of awareness, safety, and management to tourism associations, rural tourism operators, and local communities involved in tourism activities in their respective areas.
He had also called on rural tourism industry players to adopt sustainable practices in operating the industry to ensure sustainable and long-term development.
The Nahandang Melangkap Homestay and Campsite Open Hall is among 85 projects under the Sabah New Deal for Kota Belud, which involves a total financial assistance of almost RM1.67 million.
This special assistance was implemented by the state government during the Covid-19 pandemic, where STB helped coordinate the distribution of financial assistance to affected local tourism industry players.
To boost rural tourism activities, Joniston also encouraged rural tourism operators to continue cooperating with STB in identifying new quality tourism products that can be developed and promoted.
This includes exploring the potential of Dark Tourism in the district, with the ministry actively planning to promote such tourism concept to locals and foreign visitors, alike.
"I believe rural areas, such as Kota Belud, have the potential to develop Dark Tourism products that can be used as a new marketing strategy for Sabah's tourism sector.
"For example, the Pandasan War in the 1910s has the potential to be promoted as rural Dark Tourism in this district.
"This Pandasan War is a historical event for the Kota Belud community that can add value to tourism activities here.
"At the same time, homestay operators or community-based tour operators may include storytelling sessions as part of their activities, where operators spend time with their visitors and recount past historical events or folklore stories in this area."