Joniston greetings Tawau tourism players.
Joniston…A timely step towards driving more structured and impactful tourism efforts in the district.
TAWAU : – Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai has commended tourism stakeholders here for taking the initiative to form a dedicated Tawau Tourism Working Group.
Joniston, who also chairs the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), described such an initiative as a timely step towards driving more structured and impactful tourism efforts in the district.
“This shows there is energy and drive within the industry. A focused and functional working group will be a good platform to push new ideas, close gaps, and advocate for the kind of support that tourism in Tawau deserves,” he said during an engagement session with stakeholders here.
Organised by STB, the engagement session gathered representatives from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), Royal Malaysian Customs Department, Immigration Department, Tawau airport, and key tourism players in Tawau.
At the same time, Joniston emphasised that the involvement of local authorities is equally crucial, as their role complements grassroots tourism initiatives, especially efforts to develop rural areas and ensure alignment with district-level planning.
He stressed local authorities and District Tourism Action Committees need to be in the thick of tourism-related development, given their responsibilities in local planning, development, and socio-economic growth.
“Their participation is not just expected but necessary, as tourism is one of the key pillars under the Sabah Maju Jaya development agenda, and it cannot thrive without shared responsibility,” he said.
Joniston reaffirmed that the Sabah Tourism Board remains committed to supporting grassroots initiatives to strengthen tourism development at the district level.
Present were STB chief executive officer Julinus Jeffrey Jimit, Sabah MOTAC director Ibrahim Othman, and Tourism Malaysia Sabah director Haryanty Abu Bakar, among others.
During the engagement session, Julinus shared ongoing initiatives, key strategies, and future directions in line with the Explore Sabah campaign.