KOTA KINABALU: The Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre has emerged as Sabah’s most visited attraction post-pandemic, with visitor numbers rising nearly 50% from 2022 to 2024.
Sabah Tourism Board (STB) senior marketing manager Josephine Chai said the centre recorded 89,471 visitors in 2022, surging to 134,958 in 2023 and 136,225 in 2024.
Chai shared these figures during her presentation at the STB dinner and dialogue session with Sandakan’s tourism industry players on Saturday (Feb 8).
“Sepilok remains a major draw for both local and international visitors, reflecting Sabah’s appeal as an eco-tourism destination,” she said.
Following closely behind is the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, which recorded 78,963 visitors in 2024, up from 75,220 the previous year.
Meanwhile, a campaign promoting reusable bags over single-use plastics has now reached Sabah’s eastern Kinabatangan and Sandakan districts, areas known for their rich biodiversity, including Bornean pygmy elephants and proboscis monkeys.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew said the initiative aims to curb plastic waste and encourage sustainable shopping habits across Sabah.
“This campaign is part of the government’s commitment to reducing environmental pollution caused by plastic waste. By promoting the use of reusable bags, we hope to foster greater environmental responsibility among Sabahans,” she said at the event.
Liew presented 500 reusable bags each to Sandakan Municipal Council deputy president Wilson @ Terence Thomas and Kinabatangan assistant district officer (development) Mohammad Halidun Salleh.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry with the Environment Protection Department, supports the government’s broader efforts to reduce single-use plastics.
Also present at the event were the ministry’s permanent secretary Datuk Josie Lai, deputy permanent secretary Mary Malangking, Sabah Parks director Dr Maklarin Lakim, Sabah Wildlife Department director Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar, the Responsible Elephant Conservation Trust (Respect) chairman Alexander Yee Kok Tsen, and Sandakan Tourism Association president Teo Chee Kim.
