Getting more villages in Kota Kinabalu to be turned into homestays
Published on: Monday, February 19, 2024
By: Crystal E Hermenegildus
Sabin (left) presented Abidin with a fruit basket during the launch of the Id Pogimpaan homestay.
Kota Kinabalu: City Hall will identify more villages that have the potential to be turned into homestays under the Community-Based Tourism (CBT) initiative.
Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister, Datuk Abidin Madingkir, said the programme is based on the Kota Kinabalu City Tourism Strategic Plan 2022-2026.
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“We are not satisfied with just four homestays; we aim to identify another suitable area to serve as a tourist attraction.
“The State Government prioritises tourism with the emphasis on rural tourism as it directly involves villagers and contributes to improving their standard of living,” Abidin said during the launch of the Id Pogimpaan Homestay in Menggatal.
The four homestays — Desa Cinta Kobuni, Id Kalangadan, Darau Wetland Id Pogimpaan — are all under CBT.
Abidin said City Hall would continue to support these homestays by promoting them to both local and foreign tourists as well as by providing the necessary facilities.
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“We aim to make these four homestays top tourist attractions where visitors can experience the unique atmosphere of village life amidst the city,” he said.
Abidin also suggests that the City Hall Tourism Department and homestay operators work together with the Malaysian Travel and Tourism Agents Association (Matta).
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He said every year, the Matta Fair was organised in every State to develop the tourism industry within and outside the country in line with Matta’s aim of advancing the interests of the tourism industry in the country.
Abidin said there are 800 registered travel agents with Matta in Sabah to bring and attract tourists, particularly from China, Europe, Japan, Australia and other regions.
He said Matta organises many exhibitions, seminars, conventions and tourism workshops in each State to attract more tourists.
“This is, of course, a large market space that can be taken advantage of as well as benefiting homestay members.
“City Hall can initiate a courtesy call on Sabah Matta chaired by Christina Wahida Kong to explore potential cooperation for realising this proposal soon.
“Matta can also conduct visits through the Business to Business (B2B) Programme to homestays registered with City Hall, assessing their tourism potential and collaborate to attract tourists.
Abidin said the proposed approach aims to enhance tourism promotion annually, particularly focusing on city-area tourism.
“This will also spotlight the homestay programme around Kota Kinabalu, making it a focal point for both domestic and foreign tourism,” he said.
Homestay Id Pogimnpaan in Kampung Binaung Baru, Manggatal is five minutes from Telipok Town and offers scenic countryside in the capital city.
Located on the hill and surrounded by orchards, the homestay also offers two activity packages which are the Jungle Survival package and the Village Activities on the Hill package.
The activities include making a squirrel trap, looking for forest herbs and vegetables, making traditional food, farming activities, learning traditional music and dance, and visit to the Batu Sumpah.
One of the homestay owners, Majuntin Bulang, 55, hopes that the homestay would attract more tourists to visit their villages.
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