KOTA KINABALU: Tourist arrivals to Sabah are expected to hit 2.93 million with tourism receipts of RM5.12 billion this year as compared to 2.84 million and RM4.98 billion, respectively in 2011.
Disclosing this, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman said Sabah is continuously working towards achieving its tourism strategies to increase tourism receipts for the state and national economies.
He also said the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) would bring tourism to greater heights through a range of identified entry point projects (EPPs).
“This move will not only boost economic development in Sabah, but also create plenty of job opportunities for those keen to pursue a career in the industry.
“Apart from Sabah’s world renowned natural attractions, we will also pursue the vision of turning Kota Kinabalu into a centre for international meetings and conferences, further growing our tourism industry,” he said, when officiating at the Asian Tourism International (ATI) College’s 15th convocation here yesterday.
Musa, who is also Finance Minister, added that the state government would continue its commitment to develop the hospitality and tourism sector by allocating substantial funds through the State Budget. This industry is one of the primary income generating sectors for Sabah and the government would continue to provide the best economic stimuli to boost it.
“This is so that the industry could remain sustainable in the long run.”
He also told the graduates that they played a critical role in supporting the government to meet Sabah’s needs for skilled and knowledgeable people in this field.
Musa added that the Sabah Tourism Master Plan aimed to improve infrastructure for accessibility to all tourism spots across the state.
Continue reading at: 2.93 million tourists, RM5.12bn in tourism receipts for Sabah this year
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