Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai (front, third left) alongside Kiulu tourism players listening to briefing from Datablu manager Dharmik Sheth on the digital data application.
KOTA KINABALU: A pilot project for digital tourism data collection has been launched in Kiulu, marking a significant step in strengthening efforts to record tourist arrivals in rural Sabah.
Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the initiative aims to enhance data collection, analysis, and utilisation to support sustainable rural tourism development.
“Accurate data is crucial for understanding the real state of rural and community-based tourism and formulating effective strategies,” he said at the launch of the rural tourism data collection application at the Kiulu Tourism Information Centre on Monday (March 17).
Bangkuai, who also chairs the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), said the project aligns with the government’s push to integrate technology into rural tourism, ensuring a more comprehensive record of tourist arrivals.
He highlighted that from January to November 2024, 85 community-based tourism operators across 18 districts submitted their data to STB.
Records indicate that 269,154 visitors were reported within this period, generating over RM6.5mil in revenue.
However, he noted the actual figure could be higher as many areas still lack a proper data collection system.
“This digitalisation effort not only addresses data gaps but also helps identify areas that require attention and investment.
“With better insights into tourist patterns, we can refine promotional strategies and long-term planning,” said Bangkuai, who is also Kiulu assemblyman.
The project, a collaboration between STB and the Kiulu Tourism Association, was developed by Datablu, a local tech company.
Kiulu was chosen for the initiative as it has been a pioneer in rural and community-based tourism since 2014, alongside Kadamaian.
Datablu director Dharmik Sheth noted that to his knowledge, this is the first application specifically designed for rural tourism data collection.
“Kiulu, and Sabah as a whole, could become a model for others in leveraging data-driven tourism development,” he said.
The application features automated e-receipt generation and systematic activity management, enabling tourism operators to manage their businesses more efficiently.
Also present at the launch were Sabah Tourism Board chief executive officer Julinus Jeffery Jimit and Kiulu Tourism Association President Mejin Maginggow.
