Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia Danielle Heinecke showing Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment Datuk Joniston Bangkuai and Sabah Tourism Board chief executive officer Julinus Jeffrey Jimit photos of her family vacation in Sabah.
Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment Datuk Joniston Bangkuai presenting souvenir to Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia Danielle Heinecke.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Sabah Tourism Board (STB), led by Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, engaged with Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia Danielle Heinecke on tourism-related matters.
During Wednesday’s meeting, Heinecke highlighted the interest in Borneo among Australians, who see the island as an exotic and intriguing destination.
She pointed out that Sabah, in particular, has the potential to appeal to Australians who seek unique travel experiences centred around nature, culture, and adventure.
One of Heinecke’s suggestions was possibly fostering ties between the Sabah tourism agency and Australian universities.
She encouraged the idea of student exchange programmes or short-term internships, where Australian students could gain firsthand experience of Sabah’s culture, environment, and community-based tourism initiatives.
The discussion also touched on travel safety, particularly regarding the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone).
In response, Joniston acknowledged the importance of addressing travel safety concerns and assured Heinecke that STB would provide relevant data and statistics needed for them to support a review of their current travel advisory.
This information would include the number of Australians visiting the ESSZone and updates on any security incidents in the area.
“We want to ensure that visitors feel safe and informed when exploring all that Sabah has to offer,” Joniston stated.
The engagement, also attended by STB chief executive officer Julinus Jimit, touched on the possibility of establishing direct flights between Australia and Sabah.
Julinus said he has been in constant touch with the Eastern Sabah Security Command to get updates on security in tourism spots on the State’s east coast.
The deliberation concluded with both sides agreeing to work together to promote travel between Sabah and Australia.
