KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is positioning itself as a world-class vacation destination by emphasizing sustainable tourism, enhanced infrastructure, and community-based tourism under its Culture, Adventure, and Nature (CAN) strategy.
State Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew pointed out the importance of such efforts towards the long-term development of the tourism sector. She called on stakeholders to collaborate and explore innovative ways of promoting Malaysia’s tourism products overseas.
“We have our key priority areas of reinvigorating sustainable tourism, enhancing infrastructure, and promoting community-based tourism activities,” she explained during an engagement session with Sabah’s tourism stakeholders at Hilton Kota Kinabalu on Monday (March 17).
Liew acknowledged the significant role of federal aid in shaping Sabah’s tourism situation, expressing gratitude for the grants and incentives that have boosted the industry. These include the Tourism Promotion Grant, Tourism Sector Support Grant, Aviation and Charter Sector Grant, and the Cultural Sector Support Grant, which have helped enhance domestic and international tourism development in Sabah.
The Tourism Malaysia-organized engagement session aimed at enhancing collaboration among industry players before the launch of the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) promotion campaign. Liew said that her ministry and the Sabah Tourism Board were honoured to be aligned with the strategic program, which promotes cooperation and long-term planning.
As we gear up for VM2026, alliance-building, embracing innovation, and collaboration are vital to positioning Sabah as the top travel destination in Malaysia and the world,” she continued.
Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Manoharan Periasamy explained the VM2026 campaign, saying what its direction was and what incentives were offered, including matching grants from the Tourism, Arts, and Culture Ministry.
“The campaign theme, ‘Malaysia: A Sustainable and Culturally Rich Destination,’ says it all about the government’s push to attract high-spending travellers as well as Malaysia’s assertion of being an ideal global destinations tourism hub,” he added.
Manoharan further averred that all this effort by both Tourism Malaysia and the Sabah tourism players will continue to promote the country’s vast array of tourist products.
Through concerted efforts on specific projects and activities, we can enhance Malaysia’s appeal and competitiveness on the international front,” he added further.
The interaction session brought together key industry players, from airline representatives, hotels, travel agents, tourism associations, to owners of tourism products, to create a collective effort in shaping Sabah’s tourism sector.
