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27th January, 2008
PENAMPANG: Many new hotels are being built to provide some 4,000 rooms for holiday makers.
And with the launch of the Sabah Development Corridor, the state would see more hotels constructed.
Currently the state still needs some 6,000 rooms to meet the increasing number of visitors making Sabah their holiday destination.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said:” Considering that we are receiving a big number of tourists, accommodations will be an inevitable problem. If we look at the bright side, it is not a bad thing after all as it simply indicates the progress of our tourism industry.”
As of end of 2007, there were 294 hotels in Sabah compared to 279 in 2004 and “I am pleased to tell you that there are many more new hotels coming up in the near future”.
Opening the new Bundusan Hotel here yesterday, Masidi said the hotel – the 295th hotel in the state – is situated in a great location and the first one in the area.
“It is strategic, within walking distance from pharmacy, clinics, restaurants and coffee shops. Tourists staying here would not find any inconvenience in accessing the facilities and services around here.
“The location is also ideal for tourists who have their own transport. Bruneians or West Malaysians will not mind staying in a hotel outside Kota Kinabalu’s central business district as they want to be away from the hustle and bustle of the city,” he said.
Besides that, Masidi also said the Kak Nong Restaurant, the recipient of the best Kopitiam Award last November at the Sabah Tourism Awards, is located on the ground floor of the hotel.
Masidi said although Sabah’s tourism industry is booming, there is still room for improvement.
He said hotels should aim to provide high quality services.
The state government and private sector, he added, would work closely to woo more tourists this year.
Under the SDC, Masidi said the east coast would be developed for tourism but the natural beauty of the areas would be preserved.
“We must ensure that the eco-tourism of places of attraction like the Maliau Basin, Danum Valley and Gomantung Cave will not be affected in the wake of development,” he said.
The Bundusan Hotel, headed by managing director Wong Tet Tshung, has 50 rooms and the rates are from RM88 to RM168 per room.
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