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KOTA KINABALU: There is a critical need for courses that offer rural tourism players with the skills and knowledge to do well in the tourism industry, said the Sabah Tourism Board (STB).
STB chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai (pic) said this is because there is a continued growing interest in rural tourism among the local communities, in part due to the ongoing efforts by the state to promote and encourage rural tourism or community-based tourism in Sabah.
“Sabah is going strong on rural tourism and with the growing interests among the rural community, offering courses is much needed to help them upskill,” he said in a statement Tuesday (Aug 20).
Bangkuai said tourism should benefit all segments and not just five-star hotels.
“We definitely need skilled manpower in rural tourism. At STB, we welcome collaborations that align with our vision and empower the rural population,” he said after a meeting with University College Sabah Foundation (UCSF) board of directors on collaboration possibilities.
The meeting also included discussions on collaborating with the Sabah Institute For Development Studies (IDS) to conduct research on Sabah's tourism sector, with the aim of developing a comprehensive master plan.
Earlier during the meeting, the members discussed the possibility of STB and the UCSF to provide formal training and certification for aspiring bird guides and other tourism-related professions.
The meeting also touched on various tourism-related ideas which among others, focused on community empowerment, particularly the need to upskill and reskill rural folks, as well as tapping into the growing potential of bird watching activities.
Also present at the event were STB chief executive director Julinus Jeffrey Jimit, UCSF vice-chancellor Dr Rafiq Idris, and IDS senior research associate Jesi Majungki.
Bangkuai shared STB's recent participation in the Rutland Global BirdFest and plans to integrate birdwatching into community-based tourism initiatives to enhance its value.
He noted STB's ongoing collaboration with the Sabah Birdwatchers Association to develop the birdwatching scene further and stressed the importance of offering proper certification for birding guides.
In response, Mohd Yaakub and Rafiq noted that some UCSF students were experienced birdwatchers, and tourism hospitality is among the courses offered by the institution.
They proposed that UCSF could partner with STB to offer short courses with proper certification, stressing the institution’s commitment to quality assurance.
Julinus highlighted the need for further discussions between STB, UCSF, and the Sabah Birdwatchers Association to explore this collaboration as a strategic step forward.
