KOTA KINABALU: A pilot project using digital data capture has been launched in Kiulu, Sabah, to improve tourist arrival records in rural areas and strengthen the rural tourism sector.
Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the initiative aims to improve data collection, analysis and utilisation to support sustainable rural tourism development.
“Accurate data is crucial to understanding the real state of rural and community-based tourism and formulating effective strategies,” he said at the launch of the rural tourism data collection application at the Kiulu Tourism Information Centre yesterday.
Bangkuai, who also chairs the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), said the project aligns with the government’s push to integrate technology into rural tourism, ensuring a more comprehensive record of tourist arrivals.
He noted that from January to November last year, 85 community-based tourism operators across 18 districts had submitted their data to STB.
Records indicate that 269,154 visitors were reported within this period, generating over RM6.5mil in revenue.
However, the actual figure could be higher as many areas still lack a proper data collection system, he added.
“With better insights into tourist patterns, we can refine promotional strategies and long-term planning,” said Bangkuai, who is also Kiulu assemblyman.
The project, a collaboration between STB and the Kiulu Tourism Association, was developed by Datablu, a local tech company.
Datablu director Dharmik Sheth said that to his knowledge, this is the first application specifically designed for rural tourism data collection.
“Kiulu, and Sabah as a whole, could become a model for others in leveraging data-driven tourism development,” he said.
The application features automated e-receipt generation and systematic activity management, enabling tourism operators to manage their businesses more efficiently.
