Sabah Parks urged to review decision to raise fees
Published on: Friday, July 28, 2017
Sandakan: Sabah Parks' decision to increase the rate of conservation fees for the Taman Tunku Abdul Rahman (TTAR) area should be reviewed, said Sabah PAS Pemuda Chief Zulzaim Hilmee Abidin.He said although it was an effort to accommodate high management costs, it should not increase the fee as the only solution is to control the overcrowding of tourists and enhance park management. He urged Sabah Parks to abolish the fees for local visitors and that the increase should only be applicable to foreign tourists, taking into account the cost of living faced by locals today and at the same time to encourage the growth of the Sabah tourism industry.
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Zulzaim was commenting on the Sabah Parks' decision recently to increase the entrance fees throughout Taman Tunku Abdul Rahman (TTAR) beginning next year to address the issue of overcrowding.Its Director Dr Jamili Nais said Sabah Parks Board of Trustees had set for the fees to be increased from RM3 to RM5 for local tourists, while foreigners will be charged from RM10 to RM20, as of Jan 1, 2018."We see the rise in these fees will have a bad impact in the long-term and for the tourism industry," said Zulzaim in a statement.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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If not, he feared island tourism would become "luxury tourism" where in the end, local visitors would not have the ability to travel to the islands in their country, especially Sabahans.
