Explore rural tourism, businesses told
Published on: Wed, Jul 16, 2025 Text Size: Kota Kinabalu: Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Joniston Bangkuai has encouraged business leaders to explore tourism related opportunities in rural areas to complement the growing industry in urban centres. He said rural tourism is emerging as a key focus for Sabah and presents untapped opportunities for business involvement.
Advertisement Many rural communities, he noted, have already taken the lead in developing community-based tourism, and further support from the private sector would help strengthen and expand these grassroots efforts. Joniston, who also chairs Sabah Tourism Board (STB), said increased business activity in rural areas would contribute to local income opportunities, support overall rural development, and enhance the quality as well as sustainability of existing tourism initiatives. He gave these remarks during a meeting with Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KKCCI) members, led by its President Datuk Michael Lui, who also presented a token of appreciation to Joniston during the session (pic) . The meeting touched on various matters, including tourism recovery and the importance of collaboration between the government and private sector in supporting events and destination promotion. Michael thanked the Ministry and STB for promoting golf tourism and for the support given to KKCCI's golf event in May, while also commending their continued efforts to bring more tourists into Sabah, which he said has helped boost business confidence in Kota Kinabalu. He noted that the current momentum in tourism is encouraging, especially post-pandemic, and said local businesses are feeling the positive effects, with hopes for continued collaboration to attract both international and domestic tourists to Sabah. Michael also welcomed the call to explore rural areas, stating that the business community is open to supporting initiatives that can create new business opportunities while contributing to broader tourism development. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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