Sabah Durian tourism bazaar a feasible venture

Khairul (middle) with Datuk James Ratib Minister of Community Development and People's Wellbeing at one of the stalls

24 August 2024

By AVV

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Durian Tourism Bazaar 2024 want to inspire more agro entrepreneurs to open their farms to the public as a means of diversifying income sources.

Launched by Khairul Firdaus Akhbar Khan, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture at the Durian Valley in Keningau today, the bazaar showcased diverse types of Durian grown by durian farmers.

Khairul said it aimed to create a platform for exchanging information about agro-tourism, while selling the fruits to attendees in the festive atmosphere.

He commended Agro entrepreneurs and industry particularly member of Sabah Durian and Tropical Fruit Producers Association (MaSDa) for encouraging participations.

"The goal of this event is to motivate more agro- entrepreneurs to open their farms to the public as a way to diversify their income sources. It also aims to provide a platform for sharing information and insights about agro-tourism," he said.

The Sabah Durian Tourism Bazaar today is a continuation of the Durian Tourism package launch that took place on June 27 at Broga Orchard Hill, Negeri Sembilan.

"The sales value of the Durian Tourism package for 2022 recorded RM107,000, and this figure has surged to RM1.6 million in 2023," he said.

Given the impressive sales performance and response, the Durian Tourism package for 2024 has been expanded to include Sabah, covering 12 states in Malaysia, compared to only 7 states in 2023 and 3 states in 2022, according to him.

Durian Tourism is a segment that has successfully attracted the interest of both domestic and international tourists, especially from China and ASEAN countries.

" I believe that this durian agro-tourism initiative will not only satisfy local durian enthusiasts but also attract international tourists, particularly from China, Brunei, and Hong Kong, to Malaysia to experience this unique opportunity."

"This year's Durian Tourism is one of Tourism Malaysia's initiatives to diversify the range of tourism packages in our country. With strong collaboration between local tourism operators, agro-tourism entrepreneurs, and relevant parties, Tourism Malaysia can introduce more potential tourist destinations that positively impact local economic activities as we approach Visit Malaysia Year 2026," he stressed.

Tourism Malaysia Sabah is collaborating with the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), the MATTAS Sabah Chapter, as well as the Sabah Durian and Tropical Fruits Entrepreneurs Association (MaSDa) in the two days event, starting August 24 to 25, 2024, at The Durian Valley, Keningau.