SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 2001
Tourism is Sabah's new growth industry
By Joe Fernandez
Tourism is quietly emerging, despite misgivings on the security situation along certain island stretches of the porous eastern seaboard, as the new engine of growth in Sabah. As a result, Sabah is placing renewed emphasis on tourism as the sun sets on the timber industry which once brought in RM1.6 billion in annual royalties for the state government and will this year barely manage RM250 million. Much of this tourist sector development is along the safe and secure west coast, especially a 70 kilometre stretch from Surusup near Tuaran to the north and Papar to the south which is also being considered as the site for a new international airport for Kota Kinabalu.
Sipadan Island is one of the best dive spots in Asia and one of the top 10 in the world. Crystal-line waters reveal a rich underwater world of corals and huge green turtles.
By the light of the silvery moon, proboscis monkeys fall asleep in the mangroves along the Menanggol River in east Sabah.
Mount Kinabalu is a veritable paradise for the bio-diversity of its flora.
"The recent Abu Sayyaf kidnappings in the Southeast have in fact overshadowed the fact that much of Sabah is safe and secure for the tourist," says Rebecca Kotter-Kofod, a tourist guide who handles Danish and English-speaking tourists.
Ten sectors along the 70 kilometre stretch have been identified as the core sectors for tourism development. Here, there are wide beaches and sufficient hinterland for tourism development. This is in line with the Tourism Master Plan which identifies areas to be improved, infrastructure to be provided, constraints to the development of the industry and overall recommendations. Tourism is the logical choice for the "Land Below the Wind", geographically well-placed in North Borneo below the typhoon belt, and made world-famous by the majestic 4,101 metre high Gunung Kinabalu. Sabah, in other ways, is "Borneo's best kept secret" with four national parks, flora and fauna, mammoth caves, the high country, sparkling clean beaches in gold-and-white, spectacular islands in the sun and overall the rich heritage provided by the green virgin beauty that lies in this jungle-clad land.
The Institute for Development Studies Sabah helped the State Tourism Ministry draw up guidelines for the processing of applications for tourism development.
Already, the tourism sector stands on the threshold for take-off as the private sector has ploughed in RM3.5 billion so far on infrastructure and facilities. The Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA), the only 24-hour airport in Malaysia and the country's easternmost international gateway, is meanwhile undergoing a RM20 million face-lift which will be completed by December 2001. The airport has already seen extensive upgrading works the past year. Under the present face-lift, the runway and airport apron will be resurfaced, a visual guidance display system for pilots installed, the terminal building repainted and the mechanical and electrical services upgraded.
There are now about 9,050 hotels rooms in the state including 4,000 guestrooms and suites in four and five star hotels.
Hotel occupancy levels at five-star establishments, an indicator, are running at between 60 per cent and 83 per cent with Hyatt Regency Kinabalu in KK reporting 72.68 per cent and the Renaissance Sandakan managing 65 per cent. October and November were even busier months with the Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon, the International Cocoa Conference and the International Conference of Outward Bound Schools. MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) is a growing niche market. Expectations are there will be 512,000 "quality international visitors" this year, Visit Sabah 2000, estimates the Sabah Tourism Promotion Corporation (STPC). This compares with 483,991 visitor arrivals last year including 335,931 from foreign destinations and the rest from ports in Malaysia outside Sabah.
Most tour groups have packaged the state into half-day itineraries which take in Kota Kinabalu and the surrounding area; day trips which take the visitor from Gunung Kinabalu to swamp forest frequented by the unique proboscis monkey, from wild river to a peaceful beach; overnight itineraries which introduces the visitor to the astonishing plant life of the interior, lovable orang utan, striking hornbills and other remarkable wildlife of the east coast. Itineraries which take one to the remote locations take three to five days each.
But this is only the beginning. The ardent naturalist will find Sabah a rare paradise. The amateur anthropologist will be intrigued by the differing lifestyles of Sabah's many ethnic groups. The outdoor enthusiast will never run out of options. The sybarite in search of a relaxing holiday will have nothing more taxing to do than decide where to dine that evening. Nature reigns supreme in Sabah as in Borneo.
Above all there is the people of Sabah, an exotic mosaic of over 30 ethnic groups mostly grouped under the Kadazandusun, the sea-faring Bajau, the Suluk, Brunei Malays, Chinese, Indians, Sarawakians, Peninsular Malaysians, Filipinos, and Indonesians.
"We have a better market penetration in the Japanese market while the market players in Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong are also responding very well," notes the Sabah International Hotels Association (Siha) in a recent circular. "The same can be said for Europe, especially France and countries in Southern Europe like Italy. The UK, a traditional market, is expected to improve as well."
What is Sabah's niche in the worldwide travel and leisure market?
The answer: Ecotourism.
Ecotourism belongs to a highly specialised subset of nature travel and is based on the people's interest in nature and conservation and their willingness to travel to pursue this interest.
Ecotourism, says STPC, is the largest market in the world.
Sabah's main strength in the worldwide ecotourism market lie in her relatively unspoilt nature, enchanting landscapes and unique flora and fauna. There is much to be found in the nature of Sabah that is not found elsewhere in the world. The products of ecotourism in Sabah include: Mount Kinabalu, the highest in Southeast Asia; Sipadan island, Malaysia's only oceanic island which is a world famous diving spot; nature forest; wildlife; forest canopy; islands and beaches; insects (eg. beetles and butterflies); fruits; caves; plantations; acquaculture farms etc.
State Tourism and Environment Minister, Datuk Chong Kah Kiat, remains excited about the niche markets that Sabah can tap. He is currently pushing for cultural and meditation tourism at lodges and resorts ideally situated in tranquil, picturesque and the natural environment. "This type of tourism has proven popular in the Himalayas and Switzerland," says Chong. "Tourists go to these places to meditate amidst the peace and tranquility of the natural surroundings."
STPC has identified four categories of nature travellers and sees potential in the latter two categories:
(1) Green entertainment: typical sightseeing tourists whose main travel agenda is to sight-see and be entertained. They have little or no interest in nature and conservation and do not partake in activities in nature. Example: the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre near Sandakan;
(2) Sporting activities in the green environment: sporting and adventure-seeking tourists who can be found engaged in such activities like white-water rafting, four-wheeled drive safaris, sport fishing and the like. These travellers have little or no interest in nature and conservation but are active participants in activities in the green environment. Example: Camel Trophy;
(3) Travel plus conservation: These travellers possess a more developed and professional interest in nature and conservation but are not active participants in nature-based activities. These travellers derive great pleasure from experiencing nature in its pristine state and often travel to satisfy this need. Example: Danum Valley Conservation Reserve;
(4) Project travel: these travellers have a highly developed and professional interest in nature. These people are active environmentalists and are often involved in conservation projects. Their motivation to travel stems mainly from environment-related reasons and they usually contribute materially or professionally to the nature destinations that they visit.
STPC is reaching ecotravellers through special interest groups, universities, non Governmental organisations and special interest publications. The promotional theme emphasises back-to-nature Borneo visits. Detailed information is available to suit the specific needs of individual travellers.
The state government's immediate concern is to mitigate the negative fallout from the April 23 and Sept 10 hostage-taking incidents on Pulau Sipadan and Pulau Pandanan respectively on the emerging tourism industry. One step has been to impress upon in-bound tour operators that while the overall security situation in Sabah remains good, stepped up measures are being implemented in the most vulnerable stretch in the southeast along the common sea border nearest inhabited Philippine territory.
"STPC can give a guarantee that the security situation at all island resorts is under control," assures STPC General Manager Irene Benggon Charuruk.
KKIA will handle over three million passengers this year thanks to the nine airlines bringing in flights. The figure for the first five months of this year totalled 1.26 million, according to Haji Baharin Haji Embi, the Malaysian Airports Berhad (MAB) General Manager for Sabah and Sarawak.
Effective Nov 2, points out outgoing Regional Manager for Malaysia Airlines Helmi Haji Daud, MAS rescheduled its Tokyo-Kota Kinabalu flights from Sunday to Thursday so Japanese visitors can have a long weekend holiday in the state. "The main objective is to build Kuala Lumpur as the regional hub for flights from UK, USA and Japan and provide an immediate connecting flight to Kota Kinabalu," says Helmi. "If there is enough demand and interest, the airline can 'bend' flights by flying direct to KK instead of via KL. We flew 400 passengers directly from Rome to KK this April and brought in another 400 in October direct to KK from Sydney."
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