BIO-TOURISM - SO WHAT'S NEW

It is not often you hear a good idea from the Ministry of Tourism, but this one is worth the mention.

Bio-tourism will be developed as another strategy to woo foreign tourists to Sarawak and Sabah. This was disclosed by Tourism Deputy Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos at the recent Gawai Dayak's open house in Kota Padawan.

He said that one very good example of a bio-tourism product was the orang utan in Semonggok. “People flocking to see the orang utan which  is not eco-tourism. Orang utan is a part of the state’s biodiversity,”  

He noted that eco-tourism could comprise a visit to an pristine forest which had not been disturbed by humans and no development. He said in Malaysia, people promoted and marketed eco-tourism differently. “That is why based on statistics that I have looked into, only 3% of tourists visited eco-sites or eco-system because what they visited were actually bio-tourism sites”.  

He said it was more appropriate to adopt and develop bio-tourism because when tourists came, they were on holiday and did not want to be troubled by walking in a virgin forest or jungle.  

“They want to have comfort and so they want to walk in areas that have footpaths and where they can bring their cameras and wear good clothes. When you provide these facilities, it is not eco-tourism but bio-tourism. They come to see just one thing in nature,” he said.  

Dr Dawos said the Australian eco-tourism society was going to pick the idea of bio-tourism as well. He said a representative from the society had come to see him to extend a personal invitation to present a paper on eco-tourism in Queensland in November.  

“I mentioned bio-tourism and he (the representative) showed great interest and wanted to pick up the idea. I have also discussed bio-tourism with Sabah Tourism Board and Sabah Tourism Malaysia director and right away they said they would adopt it, saying it was a very good idea and very good strategy,” he said.

So let us have a great big conference to discuss which is which.