What’s in name? Plenty, if you are the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) with a wish to increase recognition of your country’s place in the world.
While 'Sabah – The Land Below the Wind' has served the state well as a destination marketing slogan, it didn’t cut through with many international travellers, according to Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, Christina Liew.
"People in many parts of the world haven't heard about Sabah, despite decades of promoting 'Land Below the Wind' to the outside world, let alone know about our diverse natural attractions and iconic wildlife,” the minister said when launching Sabah’s new destination rebranding at ITB Berlin this week.
We are aware that at the mention of Borneo or North Borneo, it rings a bell... we are determined to rebrand this tourist destination with 'Feel Sabah, North Borneo' to create a new identity in the travel marketplace– Christina Liew, Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister
The new branding, 'Feel Sabah, North Borneo', better identifies where the state is located and provides a strong link to Sabah’s pre-independence past.
Minister Liew said it was “most apt” to adopt the new promotional theme for sentimental and historical reasons.
"The name 'North Borneo' sounds exotic and evokes nostalgic feelings of yearning for this destination. It is also of historical significance as the state was then known as 'North Borneo' prior to gaining our Independence in 1963.
"We are aware that at the mention of Borneo or North Borneo, it rings a bell. Europeans in particular associate Sabah with Borneo. Hence, we are determined to rebrand this tourist destination with 'Feel Sabah, North Borneo' to create a new identity in the travel marketplace," Liew said at the lTB Berlin launch.
The Minister added that plans are afoot to explore prospects of luring tourists from new tourism markets in America, Australia, Japan and India via tourism roadshows by STB.
Borneo Eco Tours, Borneo Nature Tours, Borneo Trails, Rustic Borneo, Sapelo Tropical Wildlife Adventure and Tabin Wildlife Reserve from Sabah are participating in ITB Berlin 2023.