There is a special sense of relaxed freedom in the northern Bornean State of Sabah. You feel it as soon as your feet hit the ground. But the people behind the place are talking serious business, promising to soon make Sabah a destination powerhouse for a world of conference-goers.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew recently described the newly formed Sabah Convention Bureau as a “game changer”. And the bureau has seconded one of Malaysia’s biggest tourism game players to ensure the promises are not left empty. I have known the bureau’s new chief executive officer, Noredah Othman, for more than two decades, and have not come close to identifying a more passionate champion of Sabah.
The former Sabah Tourism Board boss is adamant about taking the State to the world in her new role. Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion. The sparkling, state-of-the-art Sabah International Convention Centre was completed in 2020 just as the global coronavirus pandemic hit.
Now, Noredah says, the local industry is hell-bent on making up for lost time. The Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry has already set a bold target of three million tourist arrivals this year through existing tourism packages. And Ms Liew recently said the new bureau had been initiated to position Sabah as a premier business events destination in Malaysia and the Asia Pacific region.
“We’re trying to expand the business events market fo.
