KOTA KINABALU, 5 April 2022: The Sabah Tourism Board product
team is helping to transform Bingkor township in Sabah’s interior into a
sustainable rural tourism destination.
The team had recently carried out an engagement with 47
Village Development and Security Committees (JPKK) in the Mukim Bingkor to
explore tourism potential in their respective area.
Organised in collaboration with the Keningau Tourism and
Culture Association, the engagement session was officiated by State Assistant
Public Works minister and Bingkor assemblyman Datuk Robert Tawik.
Sabah Tourism Board chief financial officer Julinus Jeffrey
Jimit said rural areas such as Bingkor have a great deal of potential to become
a draw factor for tourists looking to travel into the interior of the state.
“While we encourage tourists to visit Sabah and
experience the state’s major attractions, we equally encourage them to explore
the countryside and interact with the local community to get the most out of
their visit.
“It is part of the product team’s role to support rural
communities in consistently unlocking their potential and creating
opportunities for them to thrive through tourism,” he explained.
During the engagement session, Julinus gave a presentation
on the tourism industry and how rural communities can benefit from it, especially
now that travel is fully resumed with the reopening of the country’s border.
Among other things, the programme aimed to raise awareness
among JPKK representatives about tourism products that can be developed,
particularly community-based tourism products in Bingkor.
Additionally, they were also briefed on the importance of
equipping themselves with digital marketing skills to efficiently market their
tourism products.
Julinus added that similar engagement would be expanded to
Keningau and other districts soon to empower and reach out to as many rural
communities as possible.
Bingkor is about 10 kilometres from Keningau and has a
predominantly Dusun population. Nature, culture, and handicrafts are abundant
in the area, but they have yet to be developed.
At the moment, Bingkor does not have a community-based
tourism offering, but the development of Bandukan Eco Park is in the works.
The community will manage the new tourism product with
assistance and training from the Sabah Tourism Board.
In addition, the Keningau Tourism and Culture Association
will work with Sabah Tourism to use QR codes to capture visitors to Bingkor.
For more information visit: http://www.sabahtourism.com/
(Your Stories: Sabah Tourism Board)
