KUDAT: Kudat, which has similar charms and appeals as Indonesia's tourism hotspot of Bali, could draw even more foreign tourists if it is further developed.
Dubbed the "Bali of Borneo", the northern town in Sabah holds great rural tourism potential due to its beautiful nature and islands with unique stories.
Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said Bali is well-known among foreign tourists for its culture and surfing spots.
"Kudat has all those too, with pristine beaches, crystal-clear water and surfer-friendly waves. We share the same characteristics.
"However, it is also up to the community to popularise Kudat and work to highlight the uniqueness of this area," he said at the launch of the Tajau Laut Rural Community Tourism Association, here today.
Also present were Federation of Rural Tourism Association Sabah president Walter Kandayon; Tajau Laut village chief Lamat Alip; Village Development and Security Committee chief Abdul Salleh; and Tajau Laut Rural Community Tourism Association president Junaidi Awang Bulat.
Joniston said his ministry and the Sabah Tourism Board are ever ready to assist the community with promoting Kudat's tourism products.
"At the same time, the local community must equip themselves with knowledge on interesting activities and destinations that can be introduced to tourists when they come here.
"I am indeed proud to see the Tajau Laut community working together in unity to develop tourism activities. I can see that the Tajau Laut Rural Community Tourism Association can be an example for other villages in Kudat to follow.
"Such cooperation is very important, especially when tourists come to see and learn for themselves how the village community creates tourism activities in their respective areas," he said.
Joniston, who is also Sabah Tourism Board chairman, said Kudat has also benefited from the state government's special allocation meant to assist tourism operators affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
For Kudat, he said, 16 operators had successfully applied for the grant totalling RM305,930, with the Tajau Laut Guesthouse being among recipients.
The Tajau Laut Rural Community Tourism Association was established a year ago to encourage villagers to participate in transforming Kampung Tajau Laut into a promising tourism product.
Currently, the village has only one tourist accommodation, the Tajau Laut Guesthouse, operated by Junaidi.
Tourists and visitors can enjoy snorkelling, kayaking, fishing, coral conservation, and cooking, among others at the village.
Meanwhile, Lamat said the setting up of an association has bolstered the villagers' sense of community and teamwork, allowing them to carry out a wide range of activities.
"There have been agencies and other associations running programmes here as well, and hopefully this will boost the potential of Kampung Tajau Laut," he said.
He also encouraged the association to recruit more villagers as members to ensure that no one is left out of tourism opportunities and efforts to empower them.