Map creates better awareness about Penampang tourism destinations, products
PENAMPANG: The Penampang Tourism Association (PTA) has created an interactive social media platform to promote tourism destinations in the district.
Its chairman, Benjamin Golimbi, said that they engaged with a content creator to make the interactive social media platform called Penampang Tourism Map in 2023 and the response from users, particularly the younger generation, has been very positive.
“The map was able to create better awareness about the tourism products we have in Penampang. We saw an increase in the number of young locals flocking to tourism sites,” he said.
Benjamin also informed that changes to the system were made last year which led to changing the QR code because the public were uncomfortable with scanning QR codes in view of the many scams going around.
“PTA took the initiative to engage with content creator to reinvent a more interactive social media platform,” he said.
Among the tourism attractions in Penampang are the two Sabah Parks sub-stations in Inobong and Buayan, Kibunut (with five operators), Tolungan River Side, Taman Tagal Tinopikon, Watu Gondiran, Persatuan Tagal Babagon, Horse Hill (Kg Ramayah) and, Iron Park (Inobong).
He also mentioned that tourism is such a dynamic industry that one needs to stay abreast with not only technology but also tourism trends.
“In general for example, the Chinese from mainland prefer to have their photos taken at a well-known tourism hot spot and that’s all without interest in the actual place they visited,” he said at the Sabah Economic Advisory Council (SEAC) luncheon meeting with PTA held at ITCC near here on Saturday.
Benjamin also shared some of the major challenges facing tourism associations like PTA and FeRTAS where he is the deputy president.
“Big challenge for most tourism associations in Sabah is none other than funds. While the government is giving us huge responsibility to help accelerate tourism growth in each district, we request that our association be given an annual budget of at least RM2 million for us to have a proper office, executive secretary and all normal office facilities. We also need to be allocated with a four-wheel drive vehicle to be used to visit regularly all the tourist attractions registered and not registered under the association,” he said.
Meanwhile, ITCC Group general manager Alexander Hugo Malakun said that one of the upcoming hotels in Penampang, ITCC Hotel, would be opening its doors next year.
“The ITCC Hotel will have 180 rooms and will create numerous direct and indirect job opportunities contributing to local employment and economic growth,” he said at the SEAC.
Also present at the event were chairman of SEAC, Tan Sri David Chu and Datuk Seri Panglima Clarence B. Malakun.