Published on October 16, 2025
Nabalu Tourism Information Centre was opened successful Kiulu connected October 16 2025. This was a awesome measurement towards nan betterment of nan agrarian tourism successful nan region. The Centre is placed connected nan measurement to nan Kundasang highlands. This accusation centre connects visitors pinch agrarian tourism and organization experiences successful nan region. Alongside nan agrarian tourism info centre improvement, nan Sabah Tourism Board (STB) besides useful connected nan betterment of nan region’s tourism infrastructure successful nan region to amended assistance and support agrarian communities.
This centre is nan first of 3 info centres successful nan Kiulu region and is easy accessed and serves arsenic a tourer info centre to nan Kiulu, Kadamaian successful Kota Belud and Kundasang successful Ranau. This centre exemplifies nan continual advancement and maturation of tourism one n nan agrarian area successful a responsible manner, focusing connected biology sustainability and assisting communities successful nan area.
Connecting Rural Destinations and Enhancing Visitor Experiences
The Nabalu Tourism Information Centre is much than conscionable an informational hub—it’s an integral portion of a larger strategy to link various agrarian tourism destinations wrong Sabah. Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, Chairman of nan Sabah Tourism Board, emphasized nan value of nan centre successful strengthening nan links betwixt awesome tourer destinations specified arsenic Kiulu, Kadamaian, and Kundasang, each of which are rich | successful civilization and earthy beauty.
“Many travellers passing done Pekan Nabalu connected their measurement to Kadamaian and Kundasang are unaware of nan unthinkable attractions conscionable a short region away. This centre will thief span that spread and promote visitors to research nan surrounding areas, including smaller villages, section nutrient experiences, and taste events,” said Joniston.
The centre serves not only arsenic an accusation constituent but besides arsenic a catalyst for encouraging sustainable tourism practices by promoting section experiences that straight use nan group surviving successful these agrarian areas. In doing so, nan inaugural supports nan maturation of community-based tourism (CoBT) crossed nan state, which has seen dependable maturation successful caller years.
Growth of Community-Based Tourism successful Sabah
According to information from nan Sabah Tourism Board, nan Community-Based Tourism (CoBT) assemblage continues to turn successful fame and economical impact. In 2023, community-based tourism generated RM6.66 cardinal successful revenue, and this fig accrued to RM7 cardinal successful 2024. The number of visitors to CoBT attractions besides grew from 300,000 to 310,000 wrong nan aforesaid period, while nan number of jobs created crossed 85 CoBT attractions successful 18 districts accrued from 755 to 850.
The constitution of caller accusation centres is expected to proceed this affirmative inclination by driving higher visitant numbers and fostering stronger relationships betwixt visitors and nan section communities. With enhanced entree to tourism information, visitors tin now much easy observe hidden gems wrong Sabah, supporting businesses and initiatives successful agrarian and distant areas.
Data-Driven Rural Tourism Development
One of nan cardinal features of nan caller accusation centre is its domiciled successful information postulation and digitalisation of tourism-related information. Kiulu, serving arsenic a aviator tract for nan digitalisation of agrarian tourism data, provides a exemplary for measuring visitant trends and calculating nan economical effect of tourism much accurately.
Through this initiative, nan Sabah Tourism Board (STB) tin stitchery valuable insights into tourer behaviour, way nan travel of visitors, and place patterns successful spending. This data-driven attack will let for amended planning, assets allocation, and tourism trading strategies to guarantee nan sustainable maturation of agrarian tourism crossed Sabah.
In 2025, Kiulu recorded 22,029 visitant arrivals, generating a full of RM616,382 successful tourism gross betwixt January and October. This information not only highlights nan occurrence of agrarian tourism successful nan region but besides demonstrates nan imaginable for further maturation erstwhile nan strategy is expanded to different agrarian destinations successful Sabah.
Promoting Sustainable Rural Development done Agriculture and Tourism
Another breathtaking improvement is nan integration of agriculture and tourism wrong nan agrarian tourism model. As portion of its sustainable agrarian improvement strategy, STB has already identified 51 agrotourism products crossed Sabah, pinch plans to further beforehand these offerings to some section and world tourists. Agrotourism—where visitors tin acquisition farming practices and sample section produce—presents a unsocial measurement to prosecute visitors while besides supporting nan section system and preserving taste traditions.
By promoting cultivation experiences, nan authorities intends to guarantee that agrarian tourism doesn’t conscionable use municipality visitors but besides enhances nan livelihoods of those successful agrarian communities. The relationship betwixt agriculture and tourism creates a much sustainable shape of recreation that supports some biology conservation and economical growth.
Expanding nan Role of Rural Tourism successful Sabah’s Economy
The opening of nan Nabalu Tourism Information Centre marks conscionable nan opening of a broader push to fortify agrarian tourism successful Sabah. The centre and its counterparts successful Kiulu will play a important domiciled successful helping Sabah pat into nan increasing request for authentic, immersive, and off-the-beaten-path recreation experiences.
For tourists, nan caller centre offers nan opportunity to research lesser-known destinations, uncover hidden taste gems, and support nan section economy. Whether it’s discovering accepted crafts successful agrarian villages, exploring section nutrient scenes, aliases enjoying eco-friendly experiences, Sabah’s agrarian tourism offers thing for everyone.
Moreover, nan maturation of agrarian tourism is expected to person a important effect connected nan region’s economy. As much visitors flock to Sabah’s agrarian areas, section businesses will spot accrued request for equipment and services, which will lead to much jobs and greater economical opportunities for section communities. This economical boost will widen beyond tourism to different sectors, specified arsenic transportation, retail, and hospitality, creating a affirmative ripple effect crossed nan region.
Future Prospects for Rural Tourism successful Sabah
The early prospects for agrarian tourism successful Sabah are positive. Sabah is establishing itself arsenic a forerunner for sustainable and immersive recreation arsenic tourism accusation centers are being constructed, data-led tourism is being built, and agriculture is incorporated into nan recreation experience.
With authorities backing, much visitors will beryllium inclined to task to nan distant parts of Sabah, promoting nan economical and societal improvement of nan area. This equilibrium of different tourism facets—cultural, natural, and organization participation—will guarantee nan agrarian parts of Sabah will proceed to prosper for a agelong time.