Sabah Offers 'Food Trail Package' As Latest Tourist Attraction

SANDAKAN (Sabah, Malaysia) Oct 31 (Bernama) -- The Sabah Food Trail Package combining local cuisines and various tourist attractions, launched by the Sabah Tourism Board is the latest attraction to draw tourists to the state. Tourism, Culture and Environment Assistant Minister Kamarlin Ombi launched the package here, Friday. In his speech, Kamarlin said nine types of packages were highlighted and the travel agency involved expects to sell about 1,200 packages per year with sales revenue of US$116,495 (RM500,000). The combination of food and various tourist attraction packages are focused in the districts of Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran, Ranau and Sandakan. A variety of packages are available starting with two days and one night until five days and four nights combining food and tourist attractions within the validity period of the package until December next year. He said domestic tourists accounted for 68 per cent of the total number of tourists to Sabah. On domestic tourists arrival this year, Kamarlin said the number as at August showed a decrease of about one per cent, that is 1.44 million tourists compared with 1.45 million in the same period last year. Kamarlin said domestic tourism is one of the important strategies to educate present and future generations to appreciate and love nature, heritage, cultural and social institutions in their own country. The increase in domestic tourism can also create new investments in domestic tourism destinations as well as conserve potential tourist attractions. He said the domestic tourism sector can only be improved if local people decide to holiday in their own country. -- BERNAMA