28 NOVEMBER 2022, 9.00 AM 
SABAH INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE (SICC)


Represented by:
YB Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun
Minister of Local Government and Housing/Minister of Finance II

Foremost, the Right Honourable Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor’s sends his warm wishes to all of you. He sends his apologies as he has to be in Kuala Lumpur for some urgent official matters. He has asked me to represent him at the Conference and to deliver his speech.

Mr. Harry Hwang,
Regional Director, Asia and the Pacific, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) 

Datuk Hajah Saraya Arbi, 
Secretary-General, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC) 

Honourable Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Heads of National Tourism Organisations

Excellencies, Ambassadors and High Commissioners

Distinguished Speakers and Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen

Assalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh, Salam Sejahtera and Salam Sabah Maju Jaya.

Selamat Datang to Sabah! A very warm welcome to all of you to the 6th World Tourism Conference (WTC) 2022 proudly hosted by the Sabah State Government with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia and theWorld Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Your Conference theme “Tourism Futures Reimagined” is timely and apt. Since opening our borders on 1st April 2022, Malaysia and Sabah for that matter has been relentless in our pursuit of speeding up our growth and development, particularly in progressing tourism. I am happy to know that in-person participation at this conference will put many heads together to address tourism futures and strategies driving tourism’s recovery and resilience post-pandemic.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Two years ago when my government took over the reins of administration, Sabah like the rest of the world was hit hard by the pandemic, challenging all of us hard on a personal, social and economic level. But we did not let up and we resolved to chart our state’s future for the next five years. Hence, the launch of our five-year Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) Development Plan from 2021. This became our roadmap, a pivotal blueprint to set out a strategic direction for the state’s economic development.

The SMJ Development Plan has three main thrusts - Agriculture, Industry and Tourism. In addition, the Plan also place emphasis on human capital and well-being of the people, on connectivity, specifically green infrastructure and sustainability networks. The three sectoral economic thrusts will provide clarity on Sabah’s key focus areas, especially for businesses and investors.

We have done well since putting this development plan in place and the proof is in the pudding. Today, high-impact multi-billion Ringgit investments have all taken off to speed up development and providing employment for our people. And the best news is that from all this positive development, Sabah has continued to rake in good investments. From January to October 2022 we recorded RM12 billion worth of foreign investments and RM942 million in domestic investments. It remains for us to push this momentum and I cannot stress more here that we will continue to facilitate more investments into Sabah.

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Although Sabah’s tourism was the worst affected sector this past two years, we did not let up in our efforts to manage the challenges. The State  Government dispensed a good budget to cushion the impact and to ensure the healthy development of our tourism industry seeing that tourism generated the biggest revenue for Sabah pre-pandemic.

I am happy to say that our efforts to empower local communities through the Community-based Rural Tourism Programme have borne fruits. It is a thriving sector as we continue to see its steady growth throughout Sabah. Rural-based Tourism provides the opportunity for us to grow and improve our community-based tourism products through upskilling and product enhancement. This initiative has not only increased the State’s tourism product offerings but also improved the economic livelihood of the communities. 

I hope you will take time off to experience the ongoing Community-Based Tourism Roadshow being held at the sidelines of this Conference. Sabah is proud to bring to you the rich cultural diversity of the state’s 27 districts and 11 sub-districts right here at the Sabah International Convention Centre. You will  appreciate that more than 100 operators have established their businesses since the inception of 2 successful Community Based Tourism pilot projects in Sabah, namely in the district Kadamaian, Kota Belud and the sub-district of Kiulu, Tuaran in 2014. And we are also proud that the Batu Puteh Community Ecotourism Cooperative and Miso Walai Homestay in Sandakan, in Sabah’s east coast was recently selected as one of the winners of UNWTO’s inaugural Best Tourism Villages award (2021).

What all this means to Sabah is we are on the road to recovery. We have embarked on various recovery initiatives including putting the state on international impactful high visibility, joint promotional destination campaigns with industry and airlines as well as media familiarisation programmes, amongst others.  Special Airlines Incentives to airlines were also introduced to encourage airlines to resume international routes into Sabah and as this month, six airlines have resume their international routes to Kota Kinabalu.

It is also a good sign that Sabah has managed to register 1.2 million domestic and international visitor arrivals from January to September this year with an estimated tourism receipt of RM2.1 billion. From 5 December, 2022 to 1 January 2023, Sabah will have additional 24 international flights per week from Taipei, Narita, Busan and Hong Kong which will add 52% to the current international seat capacity. Sabah continues to explore as many initiatives to enhance our tourism, recognising its importance as an economic catalyst. And to ensure that Sabah remains as one of Malaysia’s favourite tourism destinations.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In my Budget 2023 speech on Friday, I have stressed that my Government will endeavour to restore and develop the tourism sector through various programmes next year. I have allocated a total of RM134.59 million to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment and its departments and agencies for tourism development. This will include the upgrading of tourism facilities and human capital development for Community Based Tourism (CoBT).

I have also announced that the Sabah Convention Bureau (SCB) will be set up and operational by next year. The SCB will accelerate the growth of the tourism industry through tourism-based Business Events to make Sabah a preferred destination for Meeting, Incentive, Conference and Exhibition/Events that will generate economic activities for the benefit of the hospitality, logistics, aviation and other related sectors.

Ladies and gentlemen, 

It is good to know that some 1,000 delegates from more than 60 countries have converged here in Kota Kinabalu for WTC2022. We are delighted to have you in Kota Kinabalu and hope your stay here will be a memorable one. Sabah is blessed with the enchanting beauty of rainforests, alluring beaches and idyllic islands, earning the epithet ‘The Land Below the Wind’. With a simplicity and charm personified by its remarkably warm and welcoming people, Sabah is the ultimate haven to explore during and after the Conference.

In closing, I hope Sabah will provide an inspiring backdrop for the insightful discourse of this Conference. I wish you all a fruitful deliberation.

Thank you. 

SOURCE: Corporate Communications Unit
Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 
Name: Muhammad Najmi
Tel: 6019-276 5789

Name: Eliana
Tel: 6012-361 0285

Website: www.motac.gov.my
Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @mymotac

--BERNAMA