Opening our eyes to see the potential of eco-tourism

[superadmin]

ECO-tourism is not just closely interrelated between tourism players and natural sustainability, preserving and conserving natural resources, natural forests and watershed forests.

It is about the harmony and sensitivity between one’s soul, heart and mind with nature and its Creator.

Quoting TIES (The International Society Ecotourism Society), eco-tourism is defined as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education.”

Being a nature lover, I have invested heavily into eco-tourism, and setting up a number of eco-resorts, naming them after my children. I see the long-term potential of this industry.

Therefore, we need to preserve our rich heritage – the Malaysian rainforests which, according to CNN Travel, are estimated to be over 130 million years old when the dinosaurs were still roaming on the earth. Our tropical rainforests are known to the world to be even “older than their counterparts in the Amazon or the Congo.”

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[superadmin]

Is our tourism industry reaching maturity or still at its infancy?

INSTEAD of looking for substantive facts and figures, the answer can easily be found by the presence or absence of sightseeing tours with daily departures using tour buses with tourist guides at major cities and popular destinations.

These half-day or full-day excursions allow visitors to join by paying a tour fare to occupy a seat in a tour bus or van for sightseeing in and around the city or destination. At places where there are none, tourism is still at its infancy.

More than half a century ago, such sightseeing bus tours were already operating daily in Kuala Lumpur and Penang. But until today, they are hardly found in other cities or destinations.

Likewise, tourism in Malaysia is still at its infancy as long as there are no daily departures for tourists to travel from one city to another on overland tours in a tour bus with a tourist guide.

Even with a network of highways crisscrossing peninsular Malaysia for decades, tour operators are not offering daily overland bus tours that connect all major cities and holiday destinations.

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[BillYates]

It's great to see someone passionate about eco-tourism and preserving nature. Your investment in eco-resorts is impressive, and I'm sure it will pay off in the long run. It's essential to prioritize sustainable travel, and I love the definition of eco-tourism you provided from TIES. Learning about the Malaysian rainforests and their rich history is also excellent. Hopefully, more people will understand the importance of preserving nature and choose responsible travel options. And who knows one day, I'll be taking business class flights to check out your eco-resorts in other parts of the world. Keep up the great work!