TAWAU, Feb 26 — Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry has expressed hope that the state tourism industry players be given the priority to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Its minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said Sabah was among the states with the highest international tourist arrivals but the pandemic had forced the industry players to cease their operations.
“These people are important for the sector and we really hope that they will be vaccinated earlier,” he told reporters after visiting the Tawau Hills Park here, today.
He said the national immunisation programme could help revive the tourism sector which has been badly affected by the pandemic and the vaccine arrival was the starting point for the affected sectors to rise again.
Commenting on his visit, Jafry said the ministry was briefed on the tourism products available at the Tawau Hills Park as well as the forest conservation efforts in the area.
He added that the park, which is supervised by the Sabah Parks, has been well managed and the ministry was satisfied that all tasks had been completed earlier and according to the guidelines.
Jafry said the ministry also planned to build an observation tower at the Tawau Hills Park which would allow tourists to see the beautiful panorama up to the Tawau city.
