KOTA KINABALU: Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment Datuk Joniston Bangkuai has suggested the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) consider involving more global partners in next year’s Community-Based Tourism Conference and Expo in Sabah.
He said the participation of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) would further strengthen efforts to promote rural and community-based tourism in Sabah.
“With the participation of UNWTO and UNESCO, we can gain valuable global perspectives, build stronger networks, and bring greater recognition to our communities,” he said.
Joniston, who is also the chairman of the Sabah Tourism Board, made the suggestion during the closing ceremony of the Community-Based Tourism Conference and Expo at Suria Sabah Mall, held last week.
The suggestion aligns with the Sabah Tourism Board’s call during the UNWTO Affiliate Members Plenary Session in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, in 2023, emphasising the need to advance rural and community tourism.
Joniston added that UNESCO’s participation would bring added value, as Sabah holds the prestigious Triple Crown UNESCO recognition.
Organised by the Sabah Tourism Board, this year’s event featured an international conference for the first time, co-organised with UNDP and joined by speakers from Thailand, Indonesia, and Taiwan.
“The conference has raised the bar with the inclusion of international participation, which provided a valuable platform for knowledge sharing, learning, and collaboration that directly benefits our rural communities,” he said.
Joniston stressed that the success of Sabah’s community-based tourism is made possible through the active involvement of rural communities.
He also expressed hope that Sabah would soon be able to support and bring its community-based tourism operators and entrepreneurs to international expos to showcase their offerings and expand their reach.
“We are still learning and growing, but the key is to continue supporting each other and scale up what we have started because the future of tourism lies in empowering the very communities it touches,” Joniston said.
Present for the closing event were Sabah Tourism Board chief executive officer Julinus Jeffery Jimit; UNDP (Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam) Programme Analyst, Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Management, Norhafiza Shafie; and Champion of the Tourism Productivity Nexus at the Malaysia Productivity Corporation under the Ministry of International Trade and Investment, Rohizam Md Yusoff.
For more information on Sabah visit Sabah Tourism Board.
