Kota Kinabalu: Sabah’s leading hotel, homestay booking and lifestyle platform, Zuba, has officially launched its Zuba x Visit Malaysia 2026 “Snap & Win” Campaign, offering prizes worth up to RM30,000 to encourage creative social media engagement while promoting local merchants and domestic tourism.
The campaign was launched at Banyan Valley Sales Gallery and attended by Dr. Wong Siew Te, CEO of the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC); Anson Ng, Managing Director of Ayuhouz and Zuba; Charlie Tang, Director of Ayuhouz and Aton Group; Tang Kiah Khang @ Jin Director of Aton Group; Charis Lee, Director of CSX; Melissa Chong, Chief Marketing Officer of Zuba; and Kelly Eleanor Tseu, Miss World Malaysia 2024 First Runner-Up and Ambassador of Ayuhouz.
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Speaking at the launch, Zuba’s Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Chong said the campaign runs from February 1 to April 30, 2026, and is open to Malaysians and international tourists aged 18 and above.
“Visit Malaysia 2026 is more than a national campaign — it is an opportunity to show the world who we really are.
“Sabah has rich culture, food, creativity and natural beauty. What we need is a meaningful way to connect visitors with authentic local experiences, and that is exactly what the Zuba x Visit Malaysia 2026 Snap & Win Campaign is designed to do,” she said here on Feb 1, 2026.
Participants are required to visit participating merchants featuring the Zuba x Visit Malaysia 2026 Sun Bear mascot, capture photos or videos with the mascot, and share them on public Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok accounts. Each Sun Bear outfit is uniquely designed to reflect the individual merchant’s brand identity, spanning sectors such as hotels, food and beverage, wellness, tour and travel, retail and lifestyle.
“This means every bear is different, and every stop offers a new experience.
It turns Sabah into a fun, walkable and shareable travel map driven by people and real stories, not just advertisements,” Melissa added.
She said the campaign aims to increase Zuba app downloads, generate user-generated content (UGC) for Sabah tourism, drive foot traffic to local merchants, support Visit Malaysia Year 2026 narratives, and provide long-term exposure for participating businesses.
Also present at the launch, Dr. Wong Siew Te, a renowned conservationist and CEO of the BSBCC, welcomed the collaboration and highlighted the importance of integrating conservation awareness into tourism initiatives.
“Tourism can be a powerful platform to inspire appreciation and responsibility.
“By bringing the Sun Bear into public-facing campaigns, we can raise awareness about Sabah’s unique wildlife while encouraging people to protect our natural heritage,” Dr Wong said.
To qualify, posts must clearly feature the Sun Bear mascot, tag Zuba and the participating merchant, and include the hashtags #ZubaSnapWin and #VisitMalaysia2026.
Participants must also follow and like Zuba’s official social media platforms on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, download and register on the Zuba app, submit proof of registration via direct message, and tag three friends in the post comments.
A total of eight winners will be selected every two weeks across categories including Most Likes, Most Shares, Most Comments, Most Tagged, Most Creative Photo, Most Creative Video, Most Bear Snap and Most Bear Video. In total, the campaign will award 48 bi-weekly prizes and eight grand prizes.
Grand prizes include an iPhone 17, iPad, Insta360, Apple Watch, Samsung Watch, as well as travel vouchers and Airwheel smart luggage.
For prize redemption, winners must have the Zuba app installed and be logged in with accurate personal details. All prizes must be redeemed within the timeframe specified in the app. Full campaign details, guidelines, terms and conditions are available on Zuba’s official Facebook page.
At the same event, Sabah-based hospitality brand Ayuhouz launched a conservation-driven Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative that channels RM1 from every room booking towards Sun Bear conservation efforts in Sabah.
Ayuhouz Ambassador Kelly Eleanor Tseu said the initiative reflects the brand’s belief that hospitality should go beyond providing accommodation to creating meaningful experiences and positive community impact.
Voluntary donation boxes have also been placed at Ayuhouz properties to encourage public participation.
She added that the Sun Bear, native to Sabah, plays a vital role in maintaining forest ecosystems but faces increasing threats from habitat loss and poaching.
