Kota Kinabalu: Sabah is shifting its tourism strategy towards attracting higher-value visitors as part of efforts to strengthen the sector’s contribution to the State economy.
Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Josie Lai, said tourism currently contributes about 12 per cent of Sabah’s gross domestic product, generating RM13.7 billion in revenue.
She said the industry directly supports nearly 400,000 jobs, accounting for more than 22 per cent of total employment in the State.
Josie said tourism spending also benefits a wide range of sectors, including retail trade, accommodation, food and beverage, agriculture, transport and community-based enterprises.
She said the Ministry wants to increase tourist spending and length of stay instead of focusing solely on arrival numbers.
“We aim to increase tourist spending rather than simply increase tourism numbers,” she said during a forum, here, recently.
Josie said Sabah’s future tourism strategy would emphasise authentic experiences centred on its natural environment, cultural diversity and community-based tourism products.
“Rural tourism also presents significant opportunities to spread economic benefits to more districts while creating new income streams for local communities,” she said.
Josie said continued investment in roads, airports, ports, utilities, digital connectivity and visitor facilities would be essential to improve accessibility and support future tourism growth.
“Private sector participation would also be encouraged through greater investment in hotels, resorts, attractions and tourism-related businesses,” she added.
Josie emphasised that protecting forests, marine parks and biodiversity remains fundamental to ensuring Sabah retains its competitive advantage as one of the region’s premier nature tourism destinations.
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