Monday, January 29, 2007

Sabah calls for clean image in promoting tourism

By Arman Gunsika

KOTA KINABALU - Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Enviroment Datuk Karim Bujang said Sabah is definitely not a destination for tourists who come to the state looking for sex.

He said Sabah is proud to be able to project a healthy image to tourists. Sabah wants a clean image in all respects, be it physical, moral and spiritual when promoting tourism.

Karim was responding to recent remarks by Deputy Prime Ministry Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak that foreign tourists who come to the country with sex on their mind should forget about it.

"Indeed we don't encourage such tourism in the state and to some extent we have achieved some success in drawing people for our good culture, food and environment. It is true that we don't have tourism in that category," Karim said.

Commenting on the poll conducted by the Global Traveler magazine, which has ranked Malaysia as the world's best tourism destination in 2006, Karim said this augurs well for Sabah and Malaysia.

We are proud of this because it is timely with our Visit Malaysia Year 2007. This accolade by a renowned US Travel Magazine is what we have been waiting for a long time, he said.

He said what have been said all these while about Malaysia are true, that it is a safe place to visit, has scenic environment in its natural setting and friendly people. The poll results also prove that allegations about Malaysia by certain groups are baseless.

However, the challenge now is for Sabah and Malaysia to maintain the ranking which is very difficult to do. Winning the ranking is one thing, retaining it is another that requires all Malaysians to be together in the effort.

The publication describes itself as a business travel magazine that takes into account the sophisticated lifestyle interests of today's executive travellers.

The magazine claims to have a paid circulation of 60,055. A total of 13,653 completed questionnaires were received by the magazine from its readers.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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