Sabah Strengthens Rural Tourism with ASEAN Community-Based Standards Training

25 January 2026

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Tourism Board (STB) is stepping up efforts to equip rural community-based tourism operators in Sabah with the knowledge and skills needed to enhance their tourism products and services.

Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister and Chairman of STB, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, said such initiatives are crucial to meeting the expectations of increasingly discerning visitors.

“Upskilling programmes are essential to ensure rural tourism operators deliver facilities and services of the highest standard,” he said during a session with participants of the ASEAN Community-Based Tourism (CoBT) Standards Training held here recently.

The two-day programme, held from 21 to 22 January 2026, brought together representatives from 13 CoBT operators across nine districts in Sabah, namely Kota Belud, Kota Kinabalu, Keningau, Sipitang, Papar, Kota Marudu, Pitas, Tuaran and Ranau.

This session marked the first round of training for 2026 and will be followed by additional sessions aimed at further strengthening CoBT capacity throughout the state.

Organised by STB’s Product Division, the training was supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, with the objective of guiding participants in applying ASEAN standards in their day-to-day operations.

Joniston said the programme aligns with the state’s rural tourism development agenda and the Visit Sabah initiatives.

“Training of this nature prepares our CoBT operators to implement recognised standards by strengthening quality, sustainability and community participation, while supporting Sabah’s aspiration to become a recognised and competitive tourism destination,” he said.

Participants took part in interactive discussions and hands-on exercises, learning how to translate knowledge into sustainable practices and improve the overall quality of their tourism offerings.

STB aims for at least 80 per cent of CoBT operators in the state to meet ASEAN benchmarks by 2030, reinforcing its commitment to quality, sustainability and positive community impact.

The value of such training was demonstrated by a similar programme conducted in 2023, which involved 22 participants from 18 operators across six districts.

Following the 2023 training, five CoBT operators — three from Kiulu, Tuaran, and two from Kadamaian, Kota Belud — were nominated and subsequently awarded the National-Level ASEAN Community-Based Tourism Standard for the 2025–2027 period.