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BERLIN: The recent ITB (International Tourism Berlin) Berlin 2019 proved the ideal venue to promote Sabah to markets such as Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Denmark and many other European countries.

The Sabah Tourism Board (STB) delegation was led by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew. 

Images of Sabah’s proboscis monkey, orang-utan, pygmy elephant and turtle, rich cultural heritage, Mount Kinabalu, Kinabalu Park as a world heritage site, idyllic islands as well as world-renowned diving sites took centre-stage at the event. From the entrance to the venue and to the stairs leading to the hall, delegates were greeted with pictures of the proboscis monkey.

Managing Director of Rustic Travel, Peter Stenberg, who is based in Kota Kinabalu, had a travel magazine produced with the orang-utan for its front cover to lure European travel agents and travellers.

Liew, who is also Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, had a field day “selling” Sabah as a premier tourist destination through meetings, discussions and interviews with German and other European tourism players, tour operators and travel agents.

While championing Sabah as a premier tourist destination offering a diverse range of natural and cultural attractions, great seafood dining, a diving paradise and exotic wildlife spotting opportunities, her second key message to potential clients is that Tawau, as the gateway to the East Coast of Sabah, is emerging as a tourism hotspot after the State Capital of Kota Kinabalu.

Interviewers included Greece-based Lai Wah Chow (Executive Director of IGI-MICE, International Incentive-Business and Golf Consultant under the European Division of Best Travel Deals) and they discussed the possibility of holding an international cultural event in Sabah next year, featuring the world’s best choirs.

“I met an interesting lady journalist,” said the Minister who fielded questions from Gabi Drager who writes for travel publications in Germany. She is interested in Sabah’s natural attractions and exotic wildlife such as the orang-utan.

Liew also welcomed ITB Berlin News Editor-in-Chief Richard Barnes’s plan to come to Sabah and film its wildlife for a documentary later this year.

Sophie Lang, a German trade visitor, expressed her intention to re-visit Sabah as her maiden visit in 2006 was not complete without an expedition to Mount Kinabalu. “I saw the unique proboscis monkey in the Lower Kinabatangan area. But I was devastated to see how forests were being destroyed then to make way for economic development,” she recalled.

Liew’s sharing on Sabah’s successful community-based tourism (or rural tourism), which generated huge tourism receipts, drew the attention of many, including an elected representative from Johor. “Liow Cai Tung (Chairman of Women Development and Tourism, Johor) expressed her interest to visit Sabah to find out how we operate our community-based tourism,” she said. 

Notably, Liew, who is MP for Tawau, launched “Cuti Cuti Tawau”, describing Tawau as the gateway to the East Coast of Sabah, whereby visitors have the opportunity to also visit Semporna (springboard to world-class diving sites) and Lahad Datu (gateway to Danum Valley Conservation Area and Tabin Wildlife Reserve). Among Tawau’s attractions are the Tawau Hills Park (home to the world’s tallest tropical tree), Balung River Eco Resort, Roach Reef Resort and Teck Guan Cocoa Village and Cocoa Museum.

German travel agents wanted to know how to get to Tawau and Semporna (springboard to world-class diving sites at Pulau Sipadan and Pulau Mabul, among others). Tawau has daily direct flights from Kota Kinabalu as well as from Kuala Lumpur. There is also a service directly linking Sandakan directly with Tawau. A network of roads links Tawau, Semporna, Lahad Datu, Sukau and Sandakan.

On hand to assist in promotion efforts were STB Chairman Ken Pan Ying On, General Manager Suzaini Datuk Sabdin Ghani and President of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents, Datuk Tan Kok Liang. Pan was interviewed by Harald Mielke, a writer for Aquanaut next generation, a German-based travel magazine. He offered insights into Sabah’s famous diving spots such as Sipadan, Mabul, Mataking and Mantanani.

STB Marketing Manager Cassie Perpetua Forsythe and Assistant Marketing Manager Daniel Roman, who manned the Board’s Business Session booth, received numerous queries on Sabah tourism in their meetings mainly with German travel agents. Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort & Spa Director of Sales, Jocelyn D. Untasan, availed herself of the opportunity to promote the hotel at the booth, saying “It’s mutual support. Sabah Tourism Board supports the resort’s promotion exercise and vice versa.”

Liew was pleased to note that Sabah’s registered travel agents who took part in ITB Berlin 2019 have secured business deals. “Their concerted effort has paid off. It was worth participating in this international travel trade show.”

Meanwhile, Sarawak Tourism Board Director Benedict Jimbau said both Sabah and Sarawak are working together to promote Borneo Malaysia. “We are neighbours. We (Sarawak) and Sabah have agreed to complement each other in our efforts to ‘sell’ Borneo to the world,” he said, adding the tourism board in each state went overseas together to promote Sabah and Sarawak in Australia, for example.