Sabah and its tourism

The festive season has descended upon us again and as always I am left thinking that the year has gone by way too fast.
On top of that, this Christmas my family and I have decided to stay in London. We're not use to being subjected to the miserable weather and cold dark nights at this time of year - usually we escape to an exotic destination, more often than not, Malaysia. However, this year we decided (with a little help from the credit crunch) that Christmas spent at home would be fun and enjoyable. Yet as my friends jet off to warmer climates, I'm feeling envious of their fun and frolics abroad, and am left sitting in my study reminiscing about past trips to KK.

My father grew up in Sabah's capital and much has changed since his younger years. The town has expanded so much, it's considered a city now (although anyone from London would describe it as a town at most, but I guess Londoners have a warped view of scale). The family shop used to sit a stone's throw away from the water's edge with sand creeping up to the shop door, but now it sits three streets inland; its once breathtaking view of the bay and horizon blocked now by towers and a shopping centre.

Even as a child, I remember seeing a fair few tourists meandering through the town: it was particularly popular with backpackers and those seeking a quiet retreat (before Thailand made and Bali made its mark). But now there are many more tourists seeking a relaxing beach holiday with a few extras, such as diving off Sipadan Island, or visiting the orangutan reserve at Sepilok. Or even climbing Mount Kinabalu or watching turtles hatch on Turtle Island. In Danum Valley there is an Eco retreat which is situated right in the heart of the jungle (it takes 3 hours to get there on a private road from the nearest airport) which accommodates tourists seeking adventure via jungle trekking, tree top climbing, and now, due to popularity, bird watching tours.

These attractions specifically monitor the conservation and preservation of wildlife and rain forest which is much more than some tourist destinations have ever done or intend to do. Sabah Tourism have realised the potential of its rare beauties and attractions and rather than exploit them to earn as much profit as possible, a lot of planning and care has been taken to ensure these attractions are for the better rather than the worse.

Sabah has been slowly growing as a tourism destination and it is perhaps because of its late start that it has been able to watch its competition and learn from their successes and failures. I believe that Sabah has a lot more to offer than other beach destinations, even that of mainland Malaysia and am grateful that KK has not become the new Bali or Thailand where tourists have rushed to soak up sun sea ans sand and in turn spoilt the natural culture and landscape and lifestyle.

Thankfully, Sabah has distanced itself from that type of tourism marketing and exploitation, but for how long will this last? Will Sabah be forced to entice these mass tourists in order to compete in the Asian market? Or will it stick to its guns, providing only for those who really appreciate real culture and conservation? The future of tourism in Sabah currently sounds like an interesting topic to elaborate on, and this could be my initial idea for my dissertation. My thoughts continue...at a later date...Merry Christmas everyone! : )

Dissertation - where to begin...

So...Already we must begin to think about our dissertation and several ideas are runnig through my head, although one thing remains constant: where I want to write about.

Coming from a mixed family, I have spent quite alot of my 21 years living and visiting Malaysia, in particular, the island of Borneo and the state Sabah.
I have seen my Dad's hometown, Kota Kinabalu or KK to locals, grow from a small capital town to a thriving coastal resort. I visit at least once every two years, and there is always a new construction of some sort going on in or around the city, be it a new 5 star hotel or a grand shopping centre.

I am fascinated by this place which is completely different to my westernised lifestyle in London and I always love my return visits to KK, a place I also call my home.

I am still deciding what area of KK and the state I want to investigate.
The state is now very popular for ecotourism, cultural tourism and a quieter alternative to places like Thailand and Bali, but with beaches and locals who are, in my opinion, equal if not better than those you find in the busy tourist destinations (perhaps I'm slightly biased)...

So do I explore the cultural aspect of Sabah, the eco tourism industry that's attracted so many tourists over the years? Or do I investigate the impact tourism has had on the locals with this ever expanding tourist destination? So many aspects to look at....