More Asians flock to Sabah for eco tours

Karen Yue (2010-01-29)

SABAH eco tours, long favoured by Europeans, are winning over new Asian fans.

Borneo Eco Tour is developing shorter programmes suited for Singapore and Kuala Lumpur residents after seeing arrivals from these markets pick up. Sales and reservations manager Agnes Lawrence said Jetstar Asia's daily flights to Sabah from December 2, 2009, have boosted numbers from Singapore, particularly from the FIT and school-groups market.

The 31-room Sabah Rainforest Lodge, the only property in Sabah's Danum Valley conservation area, has also seen its total guest numbers grow from 2,000 in 2003 to more than 5,000 in the first 10 months of last year.

The lodge closed for renovations last November and will reopen next month with a 60-seat conference room to tap corporate groups. George Hong, tourism division group manager of the lodge's owner-operator Yayasan Sabah Group, said nature tours to the conservation area are growing in popularity among younger Singapore travellers.

“Presently, Japan is still our largest Asian market. Kyoto sponsors 50 students from a different school each year for an eco tour to the rainforest,” he said.