Madagascar Council wants to bring more tourists to Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: The Madagascar Malaysia Business Council (MMBC) is looking into developing tourism business together with the Sabah Tourism Board.

“The Government adopts an ‘open door’ policy in welcoming visitors to Sabah. We encourage the people of Madagascar to visit the State. We have a lot to offer,” said MMBC Madagascar’s Vice-Chairman, Johary Christian Rasoarahona.

MMBC Madagascar is a private business association that was set up to identify and develop the possibilities of business and investment opportunities between Madagascar and Malaysia.

Last week, Rasoarahona and his mother Ellen Myra Ranaivosoa paid a courtesy call on Deputy Chief Minister cum Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Christina Liew to convey greetings from the Government of Madagascar through its President and the Minister of Tourism, Transport and Meteorology.

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Rasoarahona, who was mandated by MMBC Madagascar Executive Committee to discuss matters of mutual interest with the Minister, said they were studying the possibility of developing tourism business together with the Sabah Tourism Board (STB).

Rasoarahona, who is also the International Relations Officer, informed Liew that the Mayor of the Commune Urbaine Antananarivo was inviting the City of Kota Kinabalu to enter into a sister relationship with the City of Antananarivo (capital of Madagascar).

“I will convey the Mayor’s intention to the Mayor of Kota Kinabalu, Datuk Nordin Siman. We will work further on this proposed twin sister city and tourism exchange programmes,” said Liew.

Admittedly, Rasoarahona did not know about Sabah until October last year when he met Sabah Tourism Board (STB) Marketing Manager, Humphrey Ginibun. “He introduced us (Rasoarahona and his mother Ellen Myra Ranaivosoa) to Sabah and some of the very nice places here. We fell in love with Sabah and decided to come and live here.”

The duo have since opened Boozaka (The Showcase Boutique of Madagascar) at the Oceanus Waterfront Mall, offering rare crystals, semi-precious stones, luxury crafts, delicatessen and other fine products from Madagascar. Ranaivosoa is now the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Boozaka.

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Meanwhile, Chairman of MMBC Madagascar, Willy Andriambelo is leading an official delegation to visit the State capital today (March 27) until March 30.

They hope to meet with Liew through a courtesy call to discuss potential collaborations in the area of business and investment opportunities between Madagascar and Sabah. (The Republic of Madagascar is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about 400 kilometres off the coast of East Africa).

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