Sabah Most Wanted

Social media to promote Sabah food to the world

KOTA KINABALU: The Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry will use the social media to promote Sabah’s local food to the world this May.
Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Pang Yuk Ming said in tandem with the current technological development, the ministry, through the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), had intensified Sabah tourism promotions through the online world.
“For the domestic market, STB will use the services of well-known blogger David Hogan Junior to run a social media campaign for ten months starting in May to promote Sabah through its local food using social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook,” said Pang at the 14th Sabah State Legislative sitting yesterday.
He revealed this in response to Banggi assemblyman Abdul Mijul Unaini’s question on the ministry’s plans to ensure the tourism industry’s continued contribution towards the state revenue.
According to Pang, STB had also established an online presence in China through the same strategy. Its Sina Weibo account currently has more than 98,000 followers, while its STB WeChat account has more than 5,000 followers.
The assistant minister said STB would also work with China’s influential mobile phone application company, Baidu.com, which with 45 million users is the largest search engine in the country.
In addition, STB will also carry out joint campaigns on the social media with Ctrip.com, China’s largest online travel booking company, which has some 141 million members.
“To ensure the state’s tourism sector remains competitive in the future, the cooperation of all parties is required.
“Therefore, I call on all tourism operators and local authorities to emphasize on sustainable development and ensure cleanliness to ensure the existing products, especially those based on the natural environment, are maintained and preserved,” emphasized Pang.
STB is also using the electronic media platforms such as television as a medium to promote Sabah, said the assistant minister.
For the Singapore market, STB had helped MediaCorp to carry out the filming of 30-episode drama series in Sabah.
The series is currently being broadcast on Singapore’s Channel 8 and Astro (324 and 307), which will air till the end of April.
“As more than 80 percent of the drama filming location was in Sabah, this effort will indirectly increase awareness and interest of the audience,” said Pang.