Tawau Tourism Gets Organised Boost with New Working Group

Joniston (right) meeting with attendee

29 July 2025

TAWAU: Tourism stakeholders in Tawau were commended for their proactive move in establishing a dedicated Tawau Tourism Working Group.

Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai who also chairs the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), described the initiative as a timely and strategic step towards fostering more structured and impactful tourism development within the district.

“This initiative reflects the energy and ambition within the local tourism industry. A focused and functional working group offers an excellent platform to generate fresh ideas, address existing gaps, and advocate for the support that tourism in Tawau rightly deserves,” he said during an engagement session with stakeholders.

Organised by the Sabah Tourism Board, the session brought together representatives from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), Royal Malaysian Customs Department, Immigration Department, Tawau Airport, and key players in the local tourism industry.

Joniston also emphasised the critical role of local authorities, noting that their involvement complements grassroots tourism efforts—particularly in rural development and ensuring alignment with district-level planning.

“Local authorities and District Tourism Action Committees must be actively involved in tourism-related development, given their essential roles in local planning, infrastructure development, and driving socio-economic progress,” he stated.

“Their participation is not only expected but essential. Tourism is one of the core pillars under the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) development agenda, and its success depends on shared responsibility across all levels.”

Joniston reaffirmed the Sabah Tourism Board’s commitment to supporting community-based and grassroots initiatives aimed at strengthening tourism at the district level.

Also present during the session were STB Chief Executive Officer Julinus Jeffrey Jimit, Sabah MOTAC Director Ibrahim Othman, and Tourism Malaysia Sabah Director Haryanty Abu Bakar, among others.

During the discussion, Julinus outlined several ongoing initiatives, strategic priorities, and future directions in alignment with the Explore Sabah campaign.