Photo : Liew (left, foreground) stressing a point during the post-Cabinet meeting on Friday.
KOTA KINABALU : The deadline for applying for the government’s tourism development grant has been extended until the end of August.
Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Christina Liew announced this at a post-Cabinet meeting with Ministry officials and heads of departments and agencies, chaired by her at the Ministry’s Conference room on Friday.
“I encourage more tourism players (registered homestay operators and budget hotels) to avail themselves of this opportunity to upgrade their facilities. Each applicant may apply for the grant up to a maximum sum of RM20,000.00,” she said.
According to Liew, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, only 100 applications have been received so far as of July 24 (Friday).
The breakdown is as follows :
Tamparuli (9), Kudat (1), Lahad Datu (1), Tawau (1), Membakut (1), Kalabakan (1), Penampang (2), Kota Marudu (2), Kinabatangan (7), Sandakan (3), Tongod (2), Semporna (8), Kota Kinabalu (2), Tuaran (2), Sipitang (4), Beaufort (6), Papar (3), Kota Belud (19), Ranau (20), Kuala Penyu (3), Tambunan (1) and Kemabong (2).
The RM20,000 fund is part of a special RM10 million grant for the upgrading of tourism infrastructure (homestay facilities and community-based tourism products) under the Sabah New Deal as announced by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal in June this year.
Among those present at the meeting were Assistant Minister Assafal P. Alian, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Dr Jamili Nais, Sabah Parks Director Dr Maklarin Lakim, Sabah Wildlife Department Director Augustine Tuuga, Environment Protection Department Director, Vitalis Moduying, Sabah Cultural Board General Manager, Mansur Asun and Sabah Tourism Board (STB) General Manager, Noredah Othman.
Meanwhile, Liew said she and Assafal will be visiting the Blue Ring Reef dubbed Blue Hole in Lahad Datu.
Dr Maklarin disclosed that domestic tourism was gaining momentum as reflected in the increasing number of visitors to the Sabah Parks comprising Kinabalu Park, Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, Crocker Range Park, Tun Sakaran Marine Park, Pulau Sipadan Park, Pulau Tiga Park, Turtle Islands Park, Tawau Hills Park and Tun Mustapha Marine Park.
“Between June 22 and July 19 this year, we received a total of 18,778 visitors under the Recovery period of the Movement Control Order (RMCO). The most popular destination is Kinabalu Park visited by some 8,565 people, followed by Tunku Abdul Rahman Park with 3,163 visitors and Tawau Hills Park (2,243),” he told the meeting.
Noredah reported that some 43 tour operators, tour and travel agents from the Peninsula are currently on a familiarisation trip to the east coast of Sabah. https://borneodailybulletin.com/
