Kota Kinabalu: Over 100 people will descend here to compete in a senior citizen solo singing competition dubbed “Voice in the Shadows – Our Concert”.
“Although this is a small event, I believe it has a big impact on the tourism industry,” said main organising chairperson Datuk Eliza Goh during a press conference at a hotel here.
She said such a competition could be developed into an entertainment tourism product to promote Sabah.
“We try to promote tourism in many ways, including through the music video of the songs, which will be released throughout Malaysia and can be viewed overseas,” said Eliza.
The competition, which is open to Malaysians aged 40 and above, aims to foster friendship among those who love to sing from Sabah, Sarawak and the Peninsula, she said.
“We want to attract people from this 40-and-above age group to explore Sabah, as many still do not know much about the state,” she said.
“We want them to see that Sabah is actually quite modern now, and we have a lot of products to offer them,” she added.
“So as a Sabahan, I would like to do this as a contribution to the state in helping the tourism ministry attract more visitors.”
She added that the competition also has the potential to boost domestic tourist arrivals, as the state cannot rely solely on international travellers.
The competition will feature 50 singers, each bringing along supporters – about 50 in total – who are expected to take the opportunity to explore the state’s tourist attractions.
Co-organiser and Malaysian songbird Irene Tan said the event will be held on August 16 (preliminary round), followed by the finals on August 17 at the Putera Theatre Ballroom in Bukit Padang here.
“The competitors can select their own songs in one of three languages: Mandarin, Cantonese, or Hokkien,” she said.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew is expected to officiate the concert.
