Study on monopoly by foreign tour firms
Published on: Saturday, May 04, 2024
Christina(centre) speaking to reporters at the Ministry’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri function on Thursday.
Kota Kinabalu: The State Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry, through the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), is conducting an in-depth study on ways to address concerns of monopoly by foreign tour companies.
“The study, which will be completed by the end of this month, will provide a better understanding of tourist spending patterns before the necessary strategies and mitigation measures can be developed to benefit both local and foreign tour operators and the Sabah economy,” said STB Chief Executive Officer Julinus Jimit.
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He was responding to complaints that local players risk losing out to foreign-owned enterprises that are monopolising tour bus services and restaurants in Sabah to serve their citizens, particularly those from China and South Korea.
He said the study is expected to be completed by this month and may be extended to include tourists from other countries.
State Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said such monopoly is unfair and wants a win-win situation that benefits all parties.
She added that the study would explore ways to expose tourists to a wider range of sights and activities around Sabah.
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“We will work with the Sarawak Tourism Board and once the study is completed, we will submit a joint memorandum to the federal Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry highlighting what we need and steps required moving forward,” she said at the Ministry’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri function at Sutera Harbour.
She also said that the state administration would revisit the proposal to give Sabah authority over tourism licensing, which is now under federal jurisdiction.
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Regarding the prevalence of foreign businesses in Sabah’s tourism sector, Liew emphasised that the state’s economy is still benefiting from various revenue comprising fees for lodging, food and beverages, as well as activities such as mountain climbing, golf and visits to the islands.
“But the study will identify the most effective solution for this problem,” she said.
Among those who attended the event included Consul-general of the People’s Republic of China in Kota Kinabalu, Dr Huang Shifang, Japan Consul-General for East Malaysia, Yamashita Yoshito and Honorary British Consul for Sabah David Powell and Honorary Consul for Australia in Kota Kinabalu Datuk Andrew Sim.
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