‘Ant House’ a new attraction for Sabah tourism

KOTA KINABALU: Tourism industry players should think out of the box to come up with unique and fun products so that tourists will not get bored seeing the same things when visiting Sabah, a state minister said.

Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said Sabah has a lot of potential in the industry, and it is more than just snorkelling, islands and mountains.

“Yes, we have many tourists coming here every year but if we keep telling them to go up the mountain, go to the islands and try snorkelling, they would probably feel bored after some time,” he said at the opening of the Borneo Ant House theme park in Tuaran, 35km from here.

Masidi said there were about 3.24 million visitors to Sabah last year, generating revenue of about RM7.5bil, showing the state’s popularity as a destination.

That is why, he said, Sabah’s tourism products need diversity and creativity.

“The more products (we have) and the more diverse they are, the better it is for us and for tourists,” he said.

He also urged tourism players to incorporate homestays and hotels into their products as these are some aspects of tourism where there is demand and room for growth.

Masidi commended the operators of the Borneo Ant House for daring to be different by offering underground walkways and tunnels, simu­lating an ant nest, as well as canopy walkways.

“This is a family business and I am proud to see Sabahans tap into this industry,” he said, adding that the ministry would help promote the Borneo Ant House through its Sabah Tourism Board.

“We will assist where possible for this place to be marketed and maybe expanded in future,” he said.

The Borneo Ant House will be open to the public from July 1. The entrance fee is RM9 for the disabled, senior citizens aged 60 and above as well as children aged seven and below.

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Sabah's Borneo Ant House opens

KOTA KINABALU: The Borneo Ant House, Malaysia's first underground gallery, near Tuaran and some 35km from here, opens its doors to visitors on July 1.

Owned and managed by a local family from Sabah, it offers visitors a chance to learn more about ants, as well as Sabah and Sarawak's ethnic groups.

Borneo Ant House chief executive officer Sufiah Abd Rahim Lee, 59, said the name "Ant House" is taken from the concept of "living underground", like an ant.

"Ants live underground and since the theme park's main attractions are the underground galleries, we decided to name this place as such," said the retired teacher and mother of five.

The main attractions would be the three galleries - the first would be on sculptures of ants and some description of the insect, said Sufiah.

The second would be on the cultures of the Bajau, Dusun Lotud, Iban and Bidayuh people, and the last, on swords.

"The Bajau and Dusun Lotuds make up the majority of the population in Tuaran and the Iban and Bidayuh people are the largest ethnic groups of Sarawak," she said.

"This is why we chose to focus on these four ethnic groups," Sufiah said.

She added that the gallery on swords among other weapons were relevant as decades ago, the people of Borneo (Sabah and Sarawak) were known as headhunters.

"So we think this topic would be interesting for visitors to learn more about it," she said.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sabah's Borneo Ant House opens

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