Kuala Lumpur: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) has expressed its readiness to consider the establishment of a Special Tourism Investment Zone (STIZ) encompassing Ranau, Kota Belud and Kota Marudu, provided that the proposal is supported by strong market demand, genuine investor interest and receives the endorsement of the Sabah Government.
The ministry’s position was disclosed in a written reply to a question by Ranau Member of Parliament Datuk Jonathan Yasin (pic), recently.
Jonathan had urged the Ministry to consider recognising the three districts, highlighting its exceptional international standing as one of the few destinations in the world to possess the prestigious Unesco Triple Crown.
The region’s three internationally recognised Unesco designations are Kinabalu Park, a Unesco World Heritage Site; the Crocker Range Biosphere Reserve, recognised under Unesco’s Man and the Biosphere Programme and the Kinabalu Unesco Global Geopark.
These make northern Sabah one of Malaysia’s most valuable natural and ecological tourism assets.
Blessed with Mount Kinabalu, diverse ecosystems, rich biodiversity, indigenous cultural heritage and internationally recognised conservation areas, the Ranau-Kota Belud-Kota Marudu corridor possesses significant potential for the development of world-class eco-tourism, geo-tourism, wellness tourism and community-based tourism initiatives.
Industry observers have long pointed to the area’s unique combination of protected landscapes, adventure tourism opportunities and cultural attractions as key assets capable of attracting premium tourism investments while promoting sustainable development.
Motac said the Special Tourism Investment Zone initiative was introduced to encourage high-value investments from the private sector by identifying tourism destinations with outstanding development potential.
The initiative is to not only to attract strategic domestic and foreign investment but also diversify Malaysia’s tourism offerings through the development of unique, innovative and internationally competitive tourism products.
Motac said Special Tourism Investment Zones are not restricted to specific regions, and proposals may be considered anywhere in the country, provided they demonstrate strong commercial viability and substantial tourism potential.
The Ministry emphasised that any proposal for an STIZ must first be discussed with and endorsed by the relevant State Government before being formally submitted to MOTAC for evaluation and further consideration.
