Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Tourism Board (STB) is intensifying efforts to equip rural community-based tourism operators in Sabah with the knowledge and skills needed to enhance their tourism offerings.
Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister and STB chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said such initiatives are vital to meet the expectations of discerning visitors.
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“Upskilling programmes are essential to ensure rural tourism operators provide the highest standard of facilities and services,” he said during a session with participants of the Asean Community Based Tourism (CoBT) standards training held here, recently.
The two-day programme, held on 21–22 January 2026, brought together representatives from 13 CoBT operators across nine districts in Sabah, namely Kota Belud, Kota Kinabalu, Keningau, Sipitang, Papar, Kota Marudu, Pitas, Tuaran and Ranau.
This session marked the first round of training for 2026 and will be followed by subsequent sessions to further develop CoBT capacity across the state.
Organised by the Product Division of STB, the training was supported by Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to guide participants in applying the standards in their daily operations.
Joniston said the programme supports the state’s rural tourism development agenda and Visit Sabah initiatives.
“Training like this prepares our CoBT operators to implement recognised standards by strengthening quality, sustainability and community participation, while supporting Sabah in becoming a recognised and competitive tourism destination,” he said.
Participants engaged in interactive sessions and hands-on exercises, learning how to translate knowledge into sustainable practices and improve the quality of their offerings.
STB aims for at least 80 per cent of CoBT operators in the state to meet Asean benchmarks by 2030, reinforcing its commitment to quality, sustainability and community impact.
The value of such training was evident in a similar programme conducted in 2023, which involved 22 participants from 18 operators across six districts.
Following the 2023 training, five CoBT operators — three from Kiulu, Tuaran and two from Kadamaian, Kota Belud — were nominated and subsequently received the National-Level ASEAN Community Based Tourism Standard for the 2025–2027 period.
