THE Sabah Tourism Board (SABTB) is promoting Kota Kinabalu as a major destination for the Filipino MICE market.

        Abdul Rahim Haron, assistant director of the Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board, said, “The meetings, incentives, conferences and events, or MICE market, is the life blood of global tourism. The Philippines, with its active business and travel sectors, is a very good market to explore.”

        Some 140 travel agencies attended the SABTB presentation at the Shangri-la Makati last August 7, 2008, giving local travel agents a glimpse of what the Bornean destination has to offer in terms of travel and leisure.

        Datuk Sari Suhut, SABTB vice chairman, said, “Kota Kinabalu is developing into a premier business and holiday destination. It is away from the typhoon and earthquake belts and it has world-class event venues that suit the MICE market well. Kota Kinabalu has now become even more accessible with the entry of airlines with huge regional network like Cebu Pacific.”

        “Cebu Pacific’s regular service from Manila to Kota Kinabalu directly puts Sabah in the region’s route map; linking Sabah to the rest of the world. We hope that this will bring closer economic, cultural and tourism ties between Malaysia and the Philippines,” Suhut added.

         Cebu Pacific operates twice-weekly flights to Kota Kinabalu and, coincidentally, is offering a seat sale of P388 one-way for its Manila-Kota Kinabalu service that will run from August 11-17 and is good for travel from September 1 to December 15, 2008.

        Meanwhile, Gordon Yap, STB deputy general manager, stated, “Aside from the MICE market, Kota Kinabalu is a great golfing and nature lovers’ destination. It has four championship golf courses, a good mix of nature and city, and offers a wide array of indoor and outdoor activities. Of course, Sabah also has the great Mt. Kinabalu as an attraction.”

        Mt. Kinabalu, one of the highest mountains in Southeast Asia, is a huge granite dome with a height of 4,095 meters (13,435 ft) at its summit known as Low’s Peak.

        Further, Haron added, “We host and organize a number of world class competitions and events, not to mention the bargains at great Malaysian sale seasons, to attract more tourists to experience and enjoy Sabah and Kota Kinabalu.”

        “The outbound market also has great potential because the Philippines is a viable alternative to Europe in terms of centuries-old Catholic churches, which interests many Sabahan Catholics; and Manila offers great business and shopping opportunities,” Yap explained.