Latest news with #KePKAS
Daily Express
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Express
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. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Express
Chief Minister to officiate Asean Travel Exchange June 19
Published on: Wednesday, June 04, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jun 04, 2025 Text Size: Tan (standing at right) briefing Minister Liew (seated at left) on ATE 2025. Kota Kinabalu: Preparations are underway for Sabah to host the two-day Asean Travel Exchange (ATE) 2025 this month, says State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew. Basically, ATE 2025 is a premier Business 2 Business (B2B) networking event in Sabah, connecting travel trade sellers and regional buyers to foster partnerships and collaborations on June 19 and 20. The Minister said the State Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment (KePKAS) will host this inaugural mega tourism event at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC). Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has been invited to officiate at the opening ceremony on June 19. Liew said KePKAS supports the proposal for four organisations to establish strategic partnership with Sabah Tourism Board (STB) in organising ATE 2025. They are the Asean Tourism Association (Aseanta), Federation of Asean Travel Associations (Fata), Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (Matta), and AirAsia Group. Asean has 10 member countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. For ATE 2025, the target audience will be made up of tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers, homestay operators, product owners, and decision-makers from the industry stakeholders. 'As we gear up for the upcoming event, I have been informed by the President of Fata (Datuk Tan Kok Liang) that 354 delegates from 17 countries have already confirmed their participation. They comprise 125 sellers and 229 buyers,' said Liew after a courtesy call by a delegation from the organisers, recently. According to Tan, seller countries include Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, and Cambodia, with Malaysia leading the list at 88 sellers. 'On the buyers' side, top participating countries include the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Thailand. This strong regional presence underscores growing international interest in Malaysia's tourism offerings, particularly in Sabah, which continues to gain traction as a vibrant and strategic tourism hub in the region,' he said in his briefing for the Minister. Also present were the Ministry's Permanent Secretary Datuk Josie Lai, President of Matta Nigel Wong, Chairman of Matta Sabah Mohd Azlan Saleh, and Immediate Past Chairman of Matta Sabah, Lawrence Chin. * 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. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Borneo Post
2 days ago
- Business
- Borneo Post
Sabah starts preparation for ASEAN Travel Exchange
Tan (standing at right) briefing Liew (seated at left) on ATE 2025. KOTA KINABALU (June 3): Preparations are underway for Sabah to host the two-day ASEAN Travel Exchange (ATE) 2025 this month, says Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Seri Christina Liew. ATE 2025 is a premier Business 2 Business (B2B) networking event in Sabah, connecting travel trade sellers and regional buyers to foster partnerships and collaborations on June 19 and 20. The minister said the State Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment (KePKAS) will host this inaugural mega tourism event at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC). Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has been invited to officiate at the opening ceremony on June 19. Liew said KePKAS supports the proposal for four organisations to establish strategic partnership with Sabah Tourism Board (STB) in organising ATE 2025. They are the ASEAN Tourism Association (ASEANTA), Federation of ASEAN Travel Associations (FATA), Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA) and AirAsia Group. ASEAN has 10 member countries – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. For ATE 2025, the target audience will be made up of tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers, homestay operators, product owners and decision-makers from the industry stakeholders. 'As we gear up for the upcoming event, I have been informed by the president of FATA (Datuk Tan Kok Liang) that 354 delegates from 17 countries have already confirmed their participation. They comprise 125 sellers and 229 buyers,' said Liew after a courtesy call by a delegation from the organisers, recently. According to Tan, seller countries include Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei and Cambodia, with Malaysia leading the list with 88 sellers. 'On the buyers' side, top participating countries include the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, India and Thailand. This strong regional presence underscores growing international interest in Malaysia's tourism offerings, particularly in Sabah, which continues to gain traction as a vibrant and strategic tourism hub in the region,' he said in his briefing for the minister. Also present were the Ministry's Permanent Secretary Datuk Josie Lai, President of MATTA Nigel Wong, Chairman of MATTA Sabah Mohd Azlan Saleh, and Immediate Past Chairman of MATTA Sabah, Lawrence Chin.
The Star
4 days ago
- The Star
Eco group proposes village waste centres in Sabah
KOTA KINABALU: A Sabah-based eco-tourism group seeks government support for a village clean-up and environmental education programme in Kinabatangan, one of the state's richest biodiversity hotspots. The Kinabatangan-Corridor of Life Tourism Operators Association (KiTA) proposes a three-part initiative. This includes constructing new waste disposal centres in Kampung Bilit and Kampung Sukau and a community river-cleaning awareness campaign. KiTA president Johnny Lim said the initiative aims to tackle pressing waste management issues and improve environmental stewardship in the region. "We hope the Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry (KePKAS) will support this effort through a matching grant. The programme is not just about infrastructure. It is about educating the community on proper waste disposal and river conservation." "Cleaner rivers and villages benefit residents and help sustain eco-tourism in the long run," he said after presenting the proposal to Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew during a recent courtesy visit. Lim noted that the existing waste disposal centre in Kampung Bilit, built by KiTA in 2015, has become rundown and now undermines both the local environment and tourism appeal. "We propose to build a new facility near the current site, working with local authorities to ensure regular waste collection," he said. Liew welcomed the initiative, calling it a meaningful step towards protecting Kinabatangan's natural assets while strengthening community participation in conservation. "The Ministry will consider the application. We appreciate KiTA's dedication to environmental sustainability, especially in areas critical to eco-tourism like Kinabatangan," she said. Also present at the meeting were KePKAS senior assistant secretary Dr Dayang Siti Maryam Mohd Hanan, Sabah Wildlife Department director Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar, and KiTA's immediate past president, Alexander Yee Kok Tsen.
Borneo Post
6 days ago
- Business
- Borneo Post
Sabah, Korea county sign MoU to promote festival, tourism exchange
Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister cum Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai (top third left) with the delegates from Boseong County, South Korea. Also in photo are (from top left to right) Chairlady of the KDCA Women's Council, Datuk Joanna Kitingan; Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Kota Kinabalu, Yoon Ockchae; KepKas Deputy Permanent Secretary I Mary Malangking; Deputy Governor of Boseong County Seo Hyung Bin; Chief Executive Officer of the Jeollanamdo Tourism Organization Kim Young Sin; Director of the Culture and Tourism Bureau of Boseong County Rho Joung Yi; and KePKAS Deputy Permanent Secretary II Alesia Sion. KOTA KINABALU (May 31): Sabah's Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment (KePKAS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Boseong County, South Korea, to strengthen cooperation in festival and tourism exchange. The MoU was signed by KePKAS Deputy Permanent Secretary I Mary Malangking and Deputy Governor of Boseong County, Seo Hyung Bin. Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister cum Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai and Director-General of the Culture and Tourism Bureau of Boseong County Rho Joung Yi witnessed the signing which took place during a welcoming dinner in Kota Kinabalu held in conjunction with the Kaamatan Festival, on Friday. Joniston said the MoU represents a step forward in building stronger ties and shared interest in learning about each other's traditions. 'This partnership is about people. It's about building understanding and sharing our stories. The timing of this MoU, held during our Kaamatan Festival, makes it even more meaningful. 'With this year's theme Kaamatan For All, it reflects our desire to share this celebration with the world and we are honoured to welcome our friends from Boseong to experience the spirit of Kaamatan with us,' he said. Joniston also highlighted the recent visit by Sabah representatives to Boseong during the Green Tea Festival. He said the warm welcome and the opportunity to learn about Boseong's tea culture were deeply appreciated, adding that such cultural exchange allows both sides to respect and enjoy each other's heritage. With direct flights connecting Kota Kinabalu and South Korea, Joniston believes more cultural and festival exchanges can happen. As part of the cultural exchange, the Boseong cultural troupe will perform on the open stage at Hongkod Koisaan, KDCA in conjunction with the Kaamatan Festival finale on Saturday. Joniston said the performance will give Sabahans a chance to experience the music and culture of Boseong. He also expressed hope that Sabah will one day bring the Kaamatan Festival to Boseong. The MoU is expected to lead to more cultural activities, exchange visits, and tourism promotions between the two regions. Joniston said this is a good start and hopes the collaboration will grow stronger. Also present at the signing ceremony were KePKAS Deputy Permanent Secretary II Alesia Sion; Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Kota Kinabalu, Yoon Ockchae; Chief Executive Officer of the Jeollanamdo Tourism Organization, Kim Young Sin; and chairlady of the KDCA Women's Council Datuk Joanna Kitingan.
