Nice for MICE: Sabah Convention Bureau to take off by year’s end

KOTA KINABALU: A Sabah Convention Bureau will be launched by the end of the year to promote the state as a preferred destination for MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) events, says Datuk Christina Liew. The state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister said the bureau will be placed under her ministry. "We welcome any form of collaborative...

Joint task forces with Thailand a boon for Malaysia’s agriculture, tourism sectors

KUALA LUMPUR: The formation of several task forces between Malaysia and Thailand is a timely move to boost agricultural cooperation and promote tourism in both countries. Malaysian Padi Farmers Brotherhood Organisation (PeSawah) special functions exco Abdul Rashid Yob said through the task forces, Malaysia would be able to gain knowledge and new ideas, learn from Thai...

Sabah tourism on track for strong comeback, says Hajiji

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is showing signs of a strong comeback in terms of tourist arrivals after the pandemic with the state recording a hotel occupancy rate average of over 50% for the past six months, says Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. "Even as we speak, visitor arrivals continue to show strong growth in 2023, with overall visitor...

Sabah govt looking at existing laws to see how to regulate Airbnb operations

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is looking at current laws to see how to regulate operations of Airbnb in the state, says Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam. He said that there should be regulations or minimum standards for Airbnb operators to follow to prevent any incidents relating to customers. "We are looking at the ordinances and seeing...

Hidden camera incident: Airbnb removes Sabah homestay’s host account

KUALA LUMPUR: The Airbnb safety team has removed the host account of a homestay in Sabah pending an investigation into an allegation that a hidden camera was installed inside a wall socket at the lodging. Airbnb’s India, South-East Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan general manager Amanpreet Bajaj, in an email to Bernama, said Airbnb banned hidden...

Event organisers must keep a lid on conflicts, says Tiong after Desaru biker brawl

JOHOR BARU: The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry has advised event organisers to mediate conflicts and prevent them from escalating into fights that would cast Malaysia in a negative light. Commenting on a brawl that took place during the Desaru International Bike Week last weekend, its Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (pic) said organisers should...

Tattoo industry can be a tourism pull for Melaka, say body art fans

MELAKA: Local body art enthusiasts are hoping to promote the tattoo industry as a tourism attraction in Melaka. Melaka International Tattoo Convention organiser Lydia Urmila Murty said a recent tattoo expo at a leading hotel here saw more than 1,500 enthusiasts from Italy, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam flocking to the state. "The event was a showcase...

No food poisoning outbreak in Semporna, says Shafie

KOTA KINABALU: There is no major food poisoning outbreak in Semporna despite reports of several cases at a resort in Kapalai recently, says Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal. The Semporna MP said only a few cases were reported at the resort and immediate action was taken to address the matter. "Compound notices were issued to the resort...

Efforts to promote Perak as tourist destination ongoing in Thailand

IPOH: Efforts to promote Ipoh and Perak as a tourist destination are now ongoing in Thailand, says Loh Sze Yee. The Perak tourism committee chairman said the tourism industry players in Thailand are working hard to promote Ipoh and the state, following a familiarisation trip here a few months ago. "We brought in 30 tour operators from...

RM8.4mil allocated for KKIA upgrades, RM11mil for Tawau airport

KOTA KINABALU: The Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) will be given a facelift with a RM8.4mil allocation from Malaysia Airports Sdn Bhd (MASB), while Tawau airport will receive RM11mil for the same purpose. Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew revealed that she was informed of this by the MASB management during a courtesy...