KOTA KINABALU: The international birding community is keen to collaborate with Sabah following the state's participation in the Global BirdFair 2024 in Rutland, United Kingdom. BirdFair founder and main organiser Tim Appleton said that based on the feedback he received, Sabah has the potential to emerge as a leading global birding destination. "I'm keen to work with the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) to develop Sabah's potential as a global birding destination," he said during a brief meeting with state Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai who led the Sabah delegation to the BirdFair from Friday to Sunday (July 12 to 14).

Bangkuai, the STB chairman, led a delegation that included the Sabah Bird Watchers Association (SBWA), Borneo Nature Tours, Tabin Wildlife Resorts, 1 Stop Borneo Wildlife and Borneo Eco Tours. Appleton, known as the godfather of bird fairs, indicated an interest in a familiarisation trip for a group of UK and European journalists and birding travel experts to Sabah to help promote the state's important birding areas. According to a statement by STB on Monday (July 15), the launch of the Sabah Birding Routes guide map has been well-received, with key figures in the birding world highlighting its potential to boost eco-tourism and conservation efforts.

Alain Pasqua from the Philippines highlighted Sabah's leadership in regional bird conservation, emphasising its role in fostering global birding partnerships. "Sabah has always .