ID :
46989
Mon, 02/23/2009 - 08:28
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/46989
The shortlink copeid
SANDAKAN DEATH MARCH TREK ATTRACTING AUSSIE TO SABAH By Neville D'Cruz
MELBOURNE, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- Sabah (an East Malaysia state) is attracting an increasing number of Australian tourists, many wanting to cover the seven-day trek along the treacherous route taken by World War II prisoners of war in the infamous Sandakan death march.
"Our post-war heritage listing has drawn thousands of visitors from
Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom who have historical links with
Sabah," Sabah Tourism Board marketing manager Noredah Othman said here.
Over 1,000 Australian and British PoWs were forced to march across 260km of
difficult terrain and dense tropical jungle from the Sandakan prison camp to
Ranau between January and March 1945.
Only six Australian PoWs survived.
"Sabah had 26,071 tourist arrivals from Australia last year, an increase of
25 per cent from 2007 when 20,859 people visited us," she said.
There were also arrivals from Korea, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, China,
Ireland and from mainland Peninsular Malaysia.
"Although we enjoyed good results, we have to work harder to push our
destination. We cannot sit on our laurels," Noredah said.
"We are focusing on special interest groups because we have first-class
facilities and attractions, some very unique to the world."
Sabah had the largest Malaysian contingent at the two-day Asia-Pacific
Incentives and Meeting Expo (AIME) here last week, and Noredah said she was
pleased with the many inquiries.
Noredah lamented the lack of direct flights between Australian cities and
Kota Kinabalu.
"We desperately want an airline -- any airline -- to start an
Australia-Sabah service. Our tourist arrivals will swell significantly if this
is available," she said.
The Sandakan Death Marches were a series of forced marches from Sandakan to
Ranau which resulted in the deaths of more than 3,600 Indonesian civilian slave
labourers and 2,400 Allied prisoners of war held captive by the Empire of Japan
during the Pacific campaign of World War II at prison camps in North Borneo.
"Our post-war heritage listing has drawn thousands of visitors from
Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom who have historical links with
Sabah," Sabah Tourism Board marketing manager Noredah Othman said here.
Over 1,000 Australian and British PoWs were forced to march across 260km of
difficult terrain and dense tropical jungle from the Sandakan prison camp to
Ranau between January and March 1945.
Only six Australian PoWs survived.
"Sabah had 26,071 tourist arrivals from Australia last year, an increase of
25 per cent from 2007 when 20,859 people visited us," she said.
There were also arrivals from Korea, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, China,
Ireland and from mainland Peninsular Malaysia.
"Although we enjoyed good results, we have to work harder to push our
destination. We cannot sit on our laurels," Noredah said.
"We are focusing on special interest groups because we have first-class
facilities and attractions, some very unique to the world."
Sabah had the largest Malaysian contingent at the two-day Asia-Pacific
Incentives and Meeting Expo (AIME) here last week, and Noredah said she was
pleased with the many inquiries.
Noredah lamented the lack of direct flights between Australian cities and
Kota Kinabalu.
"We desperately want an airline -- any airline -- to start an
Australia-Sabah service. Our tourist arrivals will swell significantly if this
is available," she said.
The Sandakan Death Marches were a series of forced marches from Sandakan to
Ranau which resulted in the deaths of more than 3,600 Indonesian civilian slave
labourers and 2,400 Allied prisoners of war held captive by the Empire of Japan
during the Pacific campaign of World War II at prison camps in North Borneo.
