Sabah Tourism Federation

The STF also encompasses 10 tourism and hospitality associations from around Sabah. Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Pang Yuk Ming also witnessed this ceremony. The line-up of STF includes leaders of local tourism and hospitality associations who are;

Sabah Tourism Federation executive board members;

♦ Ritchie Lee (Sabah Backpacker Operators Association president)
♦ Djuanis Mogirong (Persatuan Homestay Sabah president)
♦ Dabalun bin Hj Balau (Persatuan Pemandu Pelancongan Bumiputra Negeri Sabah president)
♦ Robert Chong (Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents Sabah Chapter chairman).

The main objective of the federation would be to promote and protect members’ interests, particularly the interests of the tourism industry in Sabah. The federation will also act as a consultative body and representative in all matters affecting the conduct and development of the tourism industry in Sabah.

The president said STF would coordinate the rationalization of the various plans, programs, and activities undertaken by the various industry sectors, the government, and the private sector.

The STF will also initiate and assist in formulating policies concerning promoting and developing tourism and tourism standards for the industry in Sabah through legislation setting or safeguards.

He added that the federation would also assist in promoting domestic and international tourism and upgrading tourism infrastructure and services for the benefit of both members and tourists.

Meanwhile, the assistant Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister said that his ministry would work closely with the federation and that he believed the formation of STF could reduce a lot of paperwork and red tape in the future.

He said the government welcomed the initiative of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the tourism industry to set up a federation because it would assist the government in pushing forward the tourism agenda in Sabah. Also, all the Tourism bodies in Sabah are now under the STF Umbrella.

Conclusion

The minister added that the formation of the Sabah Tourism Federation would ease the process of consultation or reaching a consensus, as the government would only have to communicate with an entity represented by the heads of respective tourism and hospitality associations. Cede Prudente of North Borneo Safari in Sandakan is credited with and supplied the Sabah Tourism Federation’s main image.