KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is making a significant impact at the Global Bird Fair 2025 with the signing of a landmark memorandum of understanding between the Sabah Bird Watchers Association (SBWA) and the World Pheasant Association (WPA).
This is a step forward in positioning the state as a premier birdwatching destination.
The MOU, signed following SBWA’s debut at last year’s fair, lays the foundation for scientific collaboration, bird conservation efforts, and the potential hosting of international birding events in Sabah.
Leading the delegation is Sabah Tourism Board (STB) deputy chairman Datuk Tan Kok Liang, joined by STB officers and nature tourism advocates.
Also representing Sabah are key eco-tourism players such as Tabin Wildlife Resort, Borneo Trails, Borneo Rainforest Lodge, Borneo Eco Tours and 1 Stop Borneo, along with SBWA and the Penampang Tourism Association.
Tan then added in a statement issued on Sunday (July 13) that the partnership highlights the tangible benefits of engaging in global platforms like the Global Bird Fair.
“This MOU reflects Sabah’s serious commitment to biodiversity conservation and strengthens our position as a nature-based tourism hub.
We are proud to support SBWA’s growing international presence and look forward to the long-term impact of this collaboration,” he said.
Special appreciation was extended to naturalist Quentin Phillipps for facilitating the introduction and to WPA vice president John Corder, who visited Sabah earlier this year to further engagement.
With over 10,000 visitors annually and six million registered birdwatchers in the United Kingdom alone, the fair presents a major niche market opportunity for Sabah.
Royal Brunei Airlines joins STB at Stand S38 in the Swallow Marquee, symbolising a strategic effort to improve flight connectivity for birdwatchers travelling to Sabah.
STB chief executive officer Julinus Jeffrey Jimit described birdwatching as one of Sabah’s hidden gems.
“With over 680 bird species and high endemism, Sabah offers a rare experience for birders. It is not just birdwatching, it is immersion in one of the planet’s richest biodiversity hotspots.
“Through our collaboration with Royal Brunei Airlines, we are making Sabah more accessible to eco-travellers from the UK, Europe, and beyond. Naturally Inspiring, Beyond Ordinary, where nature meets adventure.
“Sabah is ready. Our partners are passionate, our communities are engaged, and our birds are waiting,” Jimit added.
