Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Award winners to promote Sabah’s photography tourism, marine conservation

The two winners of the Malaysian Tourism Awards 2008-2009 from Sabah vow to further promote the state by exploring niche markets such as photography tourism and raising awareness on marine conservation.

North Borneo Safari earned the Innovative Tour Programme award for their inventive photography tourism package.

Its director, Cede Prudente, said Sabah was ideal for specific groups of visitors such as bird watchers.

“Photography tourism, especially when combined with eco-tourism, can attract high-end clients. Our customers are mostly lawyers, doctors, and other professionals who have money to spend. This is good for our tourism receipt,” said Prudente who is also a leading wildlife photographer in the country.

He said photography tourism had a lucrative market especially in western countries and Sabah with an abundance of exotic bird species can cash in big money from the growing number of travellers who are bird watchers.

“There are 625 bird species in Borneo and 52 of them are exclusive to Sabah. There is potential especially with visitors from the European countries, US, Australia and Asia Pacific countries. For 2010, our plan is to explore these markets, especially US, more aggressively,” he said.

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