Monday, March 19, 2018

First homestay in KotaKinabalu launched


KOTA KINABALU: Desa Cinta Kobuni Homestay at Kampung Kobuni, the first homestay in the city, was officially launched yesterday.

The homestay was created under the National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS) initiative carried out by Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) and other agencies to develop community based tourism.

Located about seven minutes from Inanam town, Kampung Kobuni has 291 villagers from 72 households. The village offers 19 homestay premises for visitors.

Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Edward Yong Oui Fah hoped that Kampung Kobuni, the first community based tourism NBOS programme implemented in Kota Kinabalu, would serve as a catalyst to its surroundings.

“I hope more homestays will be created in the city apart from developing new potential tourism products in rural areas to be promoted through the NBOS programme,” he said when officiating at the launching of Desa Cinta Kobuni Homestay.

He said Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Haji Aman in his State Budget 2018 speech had emphasized on strengthening the tourism market in Sabah by focusing on rural tourism.

He said Musa also spoke about developing village entrepreneurs, village tourism, entrepreneurship training, micro credit financing and enhancing the one district one product programme to increase the income of rural folks.

In the budget, Yong said the government had allocated RM127.18 million to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment and RM152.09 million to the Ministry of Rural Development for this purpose.

“We should seize the opportunities and together enjoy the economic development in the State,” he urged.

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