Tourism growth in Kiulu impressive

Hajiji (4th left) with notable in a symbolic harvesting ritual to start the celebration

6 May 2025

KIULU: Sabah's tourism sector continues to see impressive growth, with significant contributions from Community-Based Tourism (CoBT), particularly in the state's rural areas like Kiulu, according to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor.

He stated that tourism is one of the key pillars in the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) development plan, and Kiulu has emerged as a leading pioneer in CoBT development.

He reported that the total state revenue from CoBT increased to RM7 million in 2024, up from RM6.7 million in 2023, generated from 18 active districts.

"I want CoBT to be actively developed because of its potential to expand and generate income in the rural areas of this state," he said at the opening of the Tuaran District Level Kaamatan Festival 2025 at the Kiulu Community Hall on Tuesday.

Hajiji mentioned that Sabah received 923,709 tourists in the first quarter of 2025, which is around 26 per cent of the overall target of 3.5 million visitors for the year.

"I am confident that this target is not only achievable but also has the potential to be exceeded, similar to the performance in 2024 with 3.2 million visitors compared to the initial target of 3 million tourists," he said.

He also emphasised the importance of improving rural infrastructure as a foundation to support the growth of tourism and agriculture.

He stated that good infrastructure not only provides comfort to local residents but also serves as a major attraction for both foreign and domestic tourists.

Hajiji urged the public to continue supporting the government's efforts in strengthening state development, particularly in the tourism sector, which is a key driver for Sabah's economy.

"The well-being of the people is always our priority. Sustainable economic development and growth are important to ensure the prosperity and welfare of this state," he stressed.

He also congratulated four CoBT associations in the state that signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with four universities and a tourism association from Taiwan, including the Kiulu Tourism Association.

He added that the other three CoBTs were the Tambunan Tourism Association, the Sabah Coffee Entrepreneurs Association, and the Kampung Tambatuon Women's Community Association, Kadamaian Kota Belud.

He explained that these collaborations are expected to bring significant benefits in knowledge transfer and empowering local tourism communities.

"The Kiulu sub-district should fully utilise its potential in tourism and agriculture as economic catalysts because this district has some of the CoBT operators in the state," he said.

Hajiji announced that the first-ever Community-Based Tourism Conference will be organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the Sabah Tourism Board in June this year in Kota Kinabalu, as another strategic step in strengthening Sabah's tourism sector.

The Chief Minister also approved an allocation of RM1.1 million to implement several development projects within the Kiulu State Assembly constituency.

These include the construction of a car park in Pekan Kiulu, the construction of a road to Kampung Kitapol, and a gravity water supply project for Kampung Lopot.

"Kiulu must be developed, and we must champion and assist the aspirations of the people who want continuous development and their well-being," he said.

Hajiji also declared that the Kiulu Community Hall is now named Dewan Masyarakat OKK Rampas.