Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Parks (TTS) revenue collection has dropped by 33 per cent to RM11.7 million last year, compared with RM14.8 million collected in 2020.
TTS Director Dr Maklarin Lakim said the drop in revenue was due to the closure of the TTS tourist area during the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO).
“The number of visitors also dropped to only 269,819 people last year compared with 403,469 the previous year,” he said when addressing the Sabah Parks Board of Trustees award ceremony for 2021, here, Friday night.
Also present was Sabah Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Joniston Bangkuai.
Maklarin, however, said the transition to the endemic phase in April has started to show a positive effect when the number of visitors to TTM increased to 113,309 as of February this year compared with only 13,853 people recorded for the same period last year.
He said with more flexibility of standard operating procedures (SOPs), TTS would continue with several programmes that had been planned, including projects under the Sabah Maju Jaya Initiative (SMJ), towards realising the success of the Sabah Parks Strategic Plan 2025.
At the ceremony, a total of 27 recipients received the Excellence Service Awards, Board Appreciation Awards (nine), Director Special Awards (two), Loyal Service Award of the year (one), retirees (10) and three employees who passed away during in service.
