KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Community Based Tourism Fair 2024 (CBTF), which promotes the state's authentic countryside experiences, will be promoted outside the state for the first time.

It is scheduled to be held at the IOI City Mall in Putrajaya in October, said Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai,

He added it was time for local community based operators to venture out of their comfort zone and venture into bigger markets.

"This event offers tour operators and rural tourism product operators to get together and discuss how to better package rural destinations for new markets," he said at the handing over of the screen panel and 2024 Kiulu Tourism Association Appreciation programme in Kiulu, on Monday (April 15), which was attended by 26 community based tourism operators and 40 entrepreneurs.

The state Assistant Tourism, Environment and Culture Minister also said that a mentor-mentee programme would be introduced in Kiulu, which would provide a platform for successful tourism operators to share their success stories.

The Kiuliu assemblyman also announced that three Sabah rural operators have been shortlisted for this year's Asean Tourism Standard Accreditation.

The three operators are Murug-Turug Eco Tourism, Lingga Eco Tourism and Bambangan Lama Eco Tourism.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/04/15/sabah-to-hold-community-based-tourism-fair-at-putrajaya-mall