SABAH TOURISM MASTER PLAN

Sabah Tourism Master Plan is guiding document for Tourism Development which endorsed and accepted by the Sabah State Government in 1996 for the period 1995 - 2010. The Plan establishes policy and development strategies are to realize the tourism potential of Sabah in line with national tourism policy objectives. The nature - based attractions Sabah's current product strength lies in wide ranging natural endowments extending from land to marine. The state is being developed and positioned as a premier nature - based destination for a critical mass of higher - paying visitors.

The Masterplan has identified the following five key components required for the development of Sabah's tourism industry:

I. Development of tourism products: Create new or reconstruct existing products which by the creation and construction of physical plant or the packaging of particular experience added into tourism products and services.

II. Marketing: Developing new range of activities to ensure that products meet visitor expectation and needs beside delivered it at a profit level to the tourism provider.

III. Management and operations: Once developed, tourist products need to be managed, operated and maintained so as to provide appropriate levels of service and not degrade the resource base which the provision of services for sustainable maintenance of the resources.

IV. Access: In order to link products with markets an efficient transport network and system must be put in place and maintained and an efficient transport network by air, land and sea to bring the visitors.

V. Contribution to socio-economic development: The host society and general economy must benefit which contribution to the broader development of the host society and economy as the development is defined.

The strategies come together in generally development concept which builds on the First Sabah Tourism Masterplan. The First Sabah Tourism Masterplan advocated a development concept based on the promotion of Sabah and Sarawak together and the marketing of Kota Kinabalu and Kuching as a visitor destination package. For Sabah, this meant that most activity would take place in Kota Kinabalu. The new Masterplan is recommending a new three zone development concept.

This concept seeks to balance development of an attractions-led East Zone with the continuing development of the West Zone including large scale coastal resort development on west coast beaches. Kota Kinabalu remains the State's primary gateway and central hub to both East and West Zones. Existing air linkages provide spokes from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Tawau which function as secondary hubs to scattered Eastern tourism sites. The creation of circuits to the north and south of the West Zone will facilitate the growth of local tourism and take pressure off key Western attractions such as Mount Kinabalu which located in Ranau district that also will be the interior zone that devoted to adventurous tourism.