KOTA KINABALU, MALAYSIA – Five Taiwanese universities have joined forces with four Sabah-based tourism associations to promote sustainable, community-driven agro-tourism in the Malaysian state. The groundbreaking partnership was formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), aimed at leveraging education, industry collaboration, and community engagement to drive long-term, values-based tourism initiatives.
The collaboration brings together the Malaysia Talent Education and Industry-Academia Collaboration Association, along with Dayeh University, National Chi Nan University, Nan Kai University of Technology, Lee-Ming Institute of Technology, and the Taiwan Agro and Rural Tourism Association. On the Sabah side, the Kiulu Tourism Association, Tambunan Tourism Association, Sabah Tenom Coffee Entrepreneurs Association, and the Tambatuon Village Women’s Community Association in Kota Belud have signed on to the initiative.
Facilitating the partnership is the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), which sees the collaboration as a key driver of its broader efforts to develop inclusive and sustainable tourism models. STB chairman and assistant minister of tourism, culture and environment, Joniston Bangkuai, highlighted the alignment between the project and Sabah’s Maju Jaya development blueprint, which identifies agriculture and tourism as crucial economic pillars.
“Agro-tourism plays a vital role in enhancing visitor experiences while directly empowering rural communities,” Bangkuai explained. “STB has already identified 51 agro-tourism products across Sabah and is piloting a digital data platform in Kiulu to guide our rural tourism strategies.”
The partnership aims to promote knowledge exchange, community engagement, and academic-industry cooperation, with a view to strengthening capacity-building among local stakeholders. By tapping into the educational and experiential expertise of the Taiwanese institutions, the initiative is poised to deliver long-term, sustainable benefits for Sabah’s rural tourism ecosystem.
