MUSLIM-FRIENDLY BORNEO
Kota Kinabalu at night
( Source : Tsen Lip Kai / Sabah Tourism Board )
Sabah ’ s vast tourism offerings
State positions itself as an ideal Muslimfriendly destination with its signature ecotourism attractions
BY KHIRTINI K KUMARAN
SABAH , the second-largest State in Malaysia , is a must-visit destination for nature , environmental and adventure enthusiasts . It offers travellers beautiful scenic spots surrounded by lush greenery and rich biodiversity . Sabah Tourism Board ( STB )
CEO Noredah Othman said : “ Sabah is well known for its carefully protected diverse ecotourism offerings , especially in nature and adventure destinations .
“ Most of our iconic tourism products are conservation-based , such as Kinabalu Park , Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park , Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre , and Danum Valley Conservation Area .”
STB is one of the six fully-funded State agencies under the purview of Sabah ’ s Ministry of Tourism , Culture and Environment ’ s ( KePKAS ).
“ Our core function is to promote and market Sabah as the world ’ s premier ecotourism and nature adventure destination .”
PENETRATING THE MUSLIM TOURIST MARKET
Noredah said Sabah is strategically located in the heart of Southeast Asia , easily accessible from Indonesia and major cities such as Bangkok , Manila and Brunei .
Meanwhile , direct flights from major cities in North Asia , a key tourist market for Sabah , include Tokyo , Seoul , Busan , Shenzhen ,
Noredah Othman
Kota Kinabalu city mosque
( Source : Laily Hassan / Sabah Tourism Board )
Guangzhou and Chinese Taipei .
“ Malaysia is one of the top Muslim-friendly destinations globally , and Sabah is no different . We have a lot to offer in terms Muslim-friendly and Islamic travel .
“ We are now looking towards penetrating the Muslim tourist market from Southeast Asia and the Middle East .
Regarding Sabah ’ s signature ecotourism offerings , Noredah explained : “ Respect and care for nature and the environment is part of the Islamic pillar . And Sabah ’ s ecotourism is one of the best ways to spread awareness about environmental conservation .
“ We hope to attract more travellers and nurture environmental awareness and conservation with our ecotourism products while offering Muslim and non-Muslim travellers the opportunity to experience and appreciate the natural greenery , landscapes and wildlife .”
She continued : “ Sabah has a large Muslim population , and therefore facilities and basic needs of Muslim travellers are readily available . Facilities and infrastructures such as mosques , suraus , halal food and cuisine are accessible in every district and nearly every tourist destination .”
Besides ecotourism products , Sabah has other Islamic tourism attractions such as mosque tourism and the Sabah Islamic Civilisation Museum .
“ Our mosque tourism is also popular among non-Muslims , especially those from Korea and
China ,” she added .
MUSLIM-FRIENDLY ACCREDITATION FOR TOURISM PLAYERS
As part of its effort to attract Muslim travellers and position Sabah as a Muslim-friendly destination , STB is collaborating with the Islamic Tourism Centre ( ITC ).
The collaboration aims to expose the local tourism industry players in the Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality ( MFTH ) industry and assist them in receiving the relevant accreditations .
“ Sabah ’ s tourism industry is one of the biggest in Malaysia , with over 700 tourism operators . While many know the Muslim-friendly requirements , we want to ensure they receive the relevant accreditation and certification .
“ So , last November , ITC conducted a seminar in Sabah , and industry players were exposed to MFTH , which helped them better understand what more they can offer being Muslim-friendly and how to get accredited .”
STB , she shared , is also working on getting Sabah ’ s tourist guides to participate in ITC ’ s Muslim-Friendly Tourist Guide ( MFTG ) training .
“ We have more than 1300 tourist guides and the Persatuan Pemandu Pelancong Berlesen Bumiputra Negeri Sabah ( PBB Sabah ). It ’ s a matter of putting them together and guiding them to be certified and recognised as Muslimfriendly tourist guides ."
So far , ITC has conducted one MFTG training for Sabah tourist guides in 2022 . From that , 20 MFTGs were certified in Sabah while more have expressed interest to do the same .
“ We look forward to continuing working with ITC to position and promote Sabah as a Muslim-friendly destination .”
POST-PANDEMIC RECOVERY
Before the Covid-19 pandemic , the Sabah tourism industry was performing at its peak , and was among the top three revenue earners for the State , shared Noredah .
“ We received over 200 direct international flights , which brought in more than four million visitors annually . So , of course , when no travellers were coming in during the pandemic and lockdown , it severely affected the State ’ s tourism industry , especially the hotels and local players .
Fortunately , since the border reopened and with flights gradually being reinstated , Sabah has seen an increase in tourist arrivals , indicating a positive recovery in the tourism industry .
“ As of now , 11 direct international flights have resumed , and we are working on reinstating the rest of the flights .” — R & R
Turtle of Mantanani Island ( Source : Azhari Ashraff / Sabah Tourism Board ) Zip Line , Pulau Sapi ( Source : G Woolley / Sabah Tourism Board ) Mount Kinabalu ( Source : Clement Liew Ket Hin / Sabah Tourism Board )