China firm keen to invest in Sabah agro-tourism sector

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Liew (third from right) with the delegation. From left : Chen, Yong, Zhu, Maji and Hu.

KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew has welcomed a China-based company’s interest in developing and investing in the agro-tourism sector in Sabah. She said agro-tourism is a concept of tourism that is rapidly gaining popularity in Malaysia as it offers tourists a variety of activities relating to the agriculture sector. “Agro-tourism is also known as farm tourism. It involves any activity that brings visitors to an animal farm where they can feed the animals or to a vegetable farm where they can harvest the vegetables or to an orchard where they can pick fruits. This is where tourists can gain first-hand experience of agricultural life,” she said after a courtesy call by a five-member delegation from Silk Road International Property Development Group Sdn Bhd on Tuesday.

Liew, who is also Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, said agro-tourism can be added to Sabah’s list of tourism products such as eco-tourism, adventure tourism, cultural tourism, medical tourism, golf tourism, historical tourism and heritage tourism.

The potential Chinese investors from Silk Road International are Group Chairman Zhu Yin Hua, Prof Maji of the China Agriculture University, Executive Director cum Chief Operating Officer, Chen Jian Bo, and Hu Wen Hui, accompanied by Sabah-based Prof Dato’ Dr Wilson Yong who is also Vice-Chairman of the Group. Zhu, who led the delegation, expressed the company’s intention to explore opportunities in the agro-tourism sector in Sabah, given the importance of agriculture in the Malaysian economy.

“By capitalising on what Sabah’s agriculture sector has to offer, we can develop agro-tourism as an additional tourist attraction here. We can take tourists to farm areas for educational and recreational purposes,” he said.

Meanwhile, Prof Dr Yong said the Group is also keen on investing in other proposed night markets in the city similar to the Api-Api Night Food Market which was launched by the minister before the end of last year.