Sabah expects 20 per cent growth in tourist arrivals

KOTA KINABALU: The growth in tourist arrivals per annum in Sabah is projected to be above 20 per cent in the next five years, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Aman.

“Our (Sabah) projection for 2010 is 3.4 million tourist arrivals, with tourism receipts exceeding RM6.5 billion and, in fact, Sabah Tourism Board’s (STB) target is to achieve one per cent of the US$2,000 billion world tourism receipts by 2020,” he said at the opening of the three-day First Commonwealth Sport Tourism Conference here yesterday.

Musa, who was represented by Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Masidi Manjun, said last year, Sabah received 2.48 million visitors, representing a five-fold increase over the 1998’s figure of about 400,000.

He said significantly the number of international tourists approached the one million mark and some 40 per cent of tourist arrivals were repeat visitors, with average length of stay of eight nights and nine days.

Sabah’s reaped over RM4.7 billion in tourism receipts, surpassing the RM3.2 billion estimated for 2007 and accounting for 14.8 per cent of the State’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), said the Chief Minister.

According to Musa, in view of the impressive growth in tourism and the fact that Sabah had great potential to be a world class tourist destination given its abundant natural attractions, the government was targeting to make tourism the state’s main economic driver.

“Our focus is on sustainable tourism development, with high yield longer-staying tourists, and we have already taken pro-active steps to boost our tourism capabilities such as implementing our comprehensive long-term plans for hotel accommodation and for training and upgrading of skills of tourism personnel,” he said. He said the state government was already in discussion with renowned signature resorts to anchor new tourism products such as spa and wellness tourism in Kundasang and marine tourism on the islands.

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Miri Jazz Fest ends on high note

By George Francis

MIRI - The 3rd Miri International Jazz Festival, held on May 9 and May 10, ended on a high note with bigger and better acts.

It attracted 6,000 visitors compared to 4,000 last year. Many came from Brunei, Sabah, Singapore, Peninsula Malaysia and expatriates living in the region and European tourists.

Two nights of marvellous shows held at the Pavilion of Parkcity Everly Hotel saw renowned jazz performers from the international circuit of Australia, Philippines, Japan, Cuba, Britain, Canada, Algeria, a jazz street band "T'Inventielke" from Holland, and near to home the Borneo Jazz Quartet from Sarawak.

Havana Sax from Cuba, one of the performers from last year's line up made a come back at this year's festival, after the crowd voted the band as their favourite. The band was formed in the 1980s as a classical saxophone quartet before a percussionist was added to incorporate Cuban rhythm to its beat.

Asia's Charmaine Clamor, is the first Phillipine jazz songtress to have her debut album titled Searching for the Soul (2005) played over American radios. She has successfully combined American jazz with blues, soul and traditional Filipino folk music genre she calls jazzipino which was incorporated into her second album 'Flippin Out' released last year.

Another big-name performer is Amar Sindy, an accomplished guitarist who plays a mix of Chicago blues and folk beat traceable to Tuaregs root from the Sahara Desert.

Mood Indigo, a band from Britain, featured a wide repertoire, including blues and swing. The band has under its belt a hit album called "God Bless the Child'.

Japan's contribution is a six-peiece band called Oma Sound, led by a 74-year-old accomplished bassist, Isao Suzuki, who has been in the music business since 1956.

From down under, Daimond Dave and the Doodaddies, a four-piece group introduced a good selection of Chicago-style jazz numbers with band leader Daimond Dave Billing playing the harmonica, combining the expressive acoustic approach and the driving amplified style.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

Sports Tourism has great potential as revenue earner for Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: Sport Tourism can play a vital role in the growth of the tourism industry in Sabah. For example, the golf tourism, which is popular with the North Asian market, particularly Korean and Japanese, has shown great potential as a revenue earner for Sabah, said Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman.

Musa, who was represented by Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, Datuk Masidi Manjun, at the official opening of the 1st Commonwealth Sport Tourism Conference yesterday, said that the steady increase in revenue from golf tourism indicates that Sabah is one of the popular destinations among foreign golfers.

The event was launched by the Head of State, Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Ahmadshah Abdullah and was witnessed also by Tourism Minister, Dato Sri Azalina Dato Othman Said.

Last year, more than 46,000 golf rounds or 20 percent of the total golf rounds in Sabah was played by international golfers. Sabah also hosted the 2008 Asian Tour Qualifying School with over 500 professional golfers from 25 countries participating.

One of Sabah’s most successful sport tourism events is the Mt. Kinabalu International Climbathon, dubbed the ‘World’s Toughest Mountain Race’ and currently into its 22nd year, he said. “In 1999, the Climbathon received a major boost when Malaysia won its bid to host the World Mountain Running Trophy at the scenic Kinabalu Park, Malaysia’s first World Heritage Site,” he said.

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Full force of the Bajau

PAINTING the town red is an understatement in Semporna in Sabah especially when the Regatta Lepa Festival makes its annual round.

The colours go beyond the small town to the turquoise-coloured sea where Semporna folks, mostly Bajaus, moor their lepa (traditional boats) at the waterfront of Tun Sankaran Marine Park.

The lepa are heavily decorated with colourful sambulayang (sails or flag) in contrasting combinations of red and other bright colours.

Traditionally in red, white and black, the sambulayang is raised on special occasions and events like weddings and national day celebrations or to welcome State leaders.

For three days, from April 18-20, the small bay between the Waterfront and the floating Dragon Inn Resort was turned into a vibrant dockyard for a total of 138 lepa.

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Kuching's ‘Meow Festival’ revived

KUCHING: The ‘Meow Festival’ is making a comeback. In a press conference yesterday, Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) Mayor, Abang Haji Mohamad Atei Medaan announced that the festival will place from May 24 to 25.

The festival is aimed at promoting the Cat Museum as a tourist destination while creating an awareness of the branding of the city of Kuching. Members of the public would also gain a better understanding on how to care for their pet cats.

An handful of competitions with titles such as ‘Cats Candid Shot with Caption Competition’, ‘Cats in Action Video Competition’, ‘Cat Make-up Competition’, ‘Cat Story Telling Competition’, ‘Cat Voice & Action Imitation Competition’, ‘Cat Poster Colouring Competition’ and the ‘Cat Poster Drawing Competition’ will be held on the first day of the festival on May 24. On the second day, May 25, the ‘Cat Fancy Dress Competition’, ‘Cat Cage Decoration Competition’ and the ‘Cat Kite Competition’ will take place.

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