KOTA KINABALU: While the Covid-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on the tourism industry, it has also opened a great window of opportunity for rethinking and reimagining the future of the country’s tourism, said Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (MOTAC) secretary-general Datuk Saraya Arbi.
Saraya said as the pandemic and multiple crises would continue to disrupt the tourism sector’s growth trajectory, the industry needed to be more sustainable, inclusive and less susceptible to shocks.
She said the ministry had taken initiatives to boost sustainable tourism, including creating unique experiences that leveraged on Malaysia’s rich multiracial character, culture and arts, as well as maintaining the nature, eco-tourism and green technology.
“When we talk about sustainability, we have to link it with (culture) we have in the country. We need to protect, preserve and conserve what we have in Malaysia. We have to think of everything that we want to develop, take care and maintain it,“ she said in a press conference after the opening of the World Tourism Conference 2022 here today.
The conference was opened by Sabah Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, who is also state Finance Minister II, on behalf of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
Also present were Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin; World Tourism Organisation regional director for Asia and the Pacific, Harry Hwang; and Sabah Tourism Board chief executive officer Noredah Othman.
Organised by the ministry in partnership with the World Tourism Organisation and Sabah government, the three-day event brings together 1,000 delegates from more than 60 countries to reconnect and reassess efforts on tourism recovery in the aftermath of the worldwide pandemic.
Earlier in her speech, Saraya said despite challenging global economic headwinds in 2023 and beyond, experts have great expectations for the tourism sector, predicting continued pent-up demand alongside new growth opportunities and emerging niche markets arising from the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Hajiji, in his speech delivered by Masidi, said efforts to empower local communities through the Community-based Rural Tourism programme have borne fruit, making it a thriving sector as the Sabah government continued to see its steady growth throughout the state.
Hajiji said rural-based tourism provides the opportunity to grow and improve community-based tourism products through upskilling as well as product enhancement, and the initiative has not only increased the state’s tourism product offerings but also improved the economic livelihood of the communities.
He said Sabah registered 1.2 million domestic and international visitor arrivals from January to September this year, with an estimated tourism receipt of RM2.1 billion, which is a good sign for the industry.
Hajiji said that from Dec 5, 2022 until Jan 1, 2023, Sabah will have additional 24 international flights per week from Taipei, Narita, Busan and Hong Kong, adding 52 per cent to the current international seat capacity. - Bernama
