THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2001

Promoting Mulu, Kinabalu jointly

By Letitia Samuel

KUCHING (NST) - Sarawak and Sabah are working together to promote the Mulu National Park and the Kinabalu National Park to tourists.

State Tourism Minister Datuk Abang Johari Tun Abang Haji Openg said a committee had been established to look into ways of enhancing the tourism potential of both places.

The committee is jointly headed by both the permanent secretaries of the Sarawak Tourism Board and the Sabah Tourism and Development, Environment, Science and Technology Ministry.

Speaking after launching service centres for the Sato and Petra constituencies at Jalan Green, here, Abang Johari said the decision to jointly promote both parks was reached after discussions with his Sabah counterpart Datuk Chong Kah Kiat on Tuesday.

Although both parks are already well known, Abang Johari felt their potential had not been fully explored.

Abang Johari said they also discussed the problem of accessibility to both parks at the meeting.

Both Mulu National Park and Kinabalu Park were put on the World Heritage List during the World Heritage Meeting in Cairn, Australia in December.

Abang Johari had gone to Sabah after attending the National Tourism Council Meeting in Labuan.

While in Sabah, Abang Johari who was accompanied by his two Assistant Ministers, Dublin Unting and Peter Nyarok, also visited several resorts and islands.

"We also went to Pulau Tiga and met a British television crew filming the Survivor series," he said.

Meanwhile the Sabah Tourism Promotion Cooperation (STPC) is going all out to woo tourist from the United States.

STPC chairman, Tengku Datuk Dr Zainal Adlin Tengku Mahmood said the Diving Equipment Market Association (Dema) and Professional Association of Diving Instructors (Padi) supported the states move to attract more tourist from the US.

"Last year more than 10,000 Americans visited Sabah and we hope to get more this year. Although the American operators have said they are interested in coming, it is too early to estimate how many American tourist we will get this year.

"Our trip was mainly to create awareness about us. Americans have more than 1,000 travel destinations to choose from," he said, adding that this was the first time STPC has gone to the US.

He said this after attending a lunch hosted by Chong at the Pacific Sutera Hotel, here today.

 

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