Potential in religious tourism
Published on: Wednesday, June 04, 2025
Published on: Wed, Jun 04, 2025
By: Wu Vui Tek Text Size: Mary (centre) and Vincent (right) with the fellowship participants. Kota Kinabalu: Christian religious tourism holds strong potential to be further developed in Sabah, following a steady stream of overseas arrivals. This was evident from the growing number of participants from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Brunei, and Singapore who attended the 30th Legion of Mary (Chinese) Annual Fellowship Gathering 2025 in Kota Kinabalu. They were joined by local parishioners and participants from Peninsular Malaysia during the fellowship held from May 30 to June 2. 'It is estimated that nearly 800 overseas participants, along with over 100 local and domestic attendees, came together for this fellowship event. 'This is the third time Kota Kinabalu has hosted the event, and over the years, the number of arrivals has continued to grow,' said Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association (MCTA) Sabah Chairman Vincent Sia during the farewell dinner at Wisma Hakka. Among those in attendance were Archbishop John Wong and Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry (KePKAS), Deputy Permanent Secretary Mary Malangking. KePKAS sponsored goodie bags for the participants. Next year's fellowship will be hosted by Taichung, Taiwan. Parishioners also engaged in cultural presentations, including participating in the Kadazan's sumazau dance and enjoying the APT dance. 'I see this religious tourism segment as one that can be further developed into a niche market in Sabah with support from the tourism ministry. 'One of the ways to encourage this is by providing more incentives to tourism players to promote this segment,' said Vincent. The programme included visits and worship at Sacred Heart Cathedral, the Catholic Church of Divine Mercy in KKIP, and the Church of Mary Immaculate to deepen the participants' faith and connection with God. Vincent attributed the surge in overseas arrivals to the inclusion of excursion tours to Kudat, Kundasang, and Ranau, allowing participants to explore the tourist attractions in those areas. 'The combination of worship and sightseeing has made the programme particularly appealing, as participants are able to spend time relaxing and reflecting,' he said. 'We hope to attract more arrivals in the near future, as many people have heard about Sabah but have yet to set foot here. 'We hope the participants will help spread the word when they return home,' he added. Some attendees extended their stay to visit St Michael's Church in Penampang, the second-oldest stone church in Sabah after the Anglican Church in Sandakan, he said. Vincent added that other religions, including Islam and Buddhism, also hold potential for religious tourism, as the architectural design of their places of worship can attract faith-based travellers. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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