Kenji Yeo, the CEO of Amazing Borneo Tours & Events Sdn Bhd and founder of SabahTravel.com, recently shared his insights on Sabah's tourism at the Sabah Economic Advisory Council (SEAC) Meet and Greet Dialogue Session.

Kenji Yeo

The event was held at Menara Kinabalu on 17 January 2023, with over 100 successful young business and industry leaders from diverse fields like architecture, construction, healthcare, agriculture, and renewable energy attending. Kenji was one of the industry leaders representing the tourism industry.

Grooming Future Leaders and Building a Robust Economy in Sabah

SEAC member Datuk John Lo provided insights into the State Government's current and future plans for shaping a robust future economy for Sabah. These plans include restructuring key industries like oil and gas and downstream manufacturing.

Datuk Lo emphasized the importance of developing policies to nurture young Sabahan economic leaders who play a vital role in the successful implementation of the government's long-term economic aspirations.

Recognizing this need, the Sabah Young Business and Industry Leaders (SYBIL) network was established under the leadership of Ar. James Wong Kein Peng. SYBIL aims to mobilize young economic leaders to collaborate with the Government and achieve shared goals.

Ar. James Wong (left) and Datuk John Lo (Credit: Daily Express)

James Wong highlighted the significance of such a platform in empowering bright young business and industry leaders who are already steering successful organizations. It provides them with a platform to voice their innovative ideas and contribute to building a stronger future economy for Sabah.

Kenji Yeo and SabahTravel.com

Among the SYBIL industry leaders present was Kenji, who emphasized the need for a consolidated platform in Sabah to allow potential visitors to book accommodations, car rentals, and other travel arrangements seamlessly in one place. 

With his extensive experience in the inbound tourism industry, Kenji has been actively developing SabahTravel.com, Sabah's first B2B2C multi-tour operator platform, to address this need and showcase Sabah's tour and service operators to the global market.

Kenji envisions SabahTravel.com as a "Shopee for tourism," where all operators can list their offerings on the website. This collaborative approach not only benefits travellers but also strengthens the tourism industry overall.

His dedication to Sabah is evident in the four years and over RM9 million invested in developing SabahTravel.com. He views this platform as a valuable contribution to Sabah's growth and prosperity.

SYBIL a Platform for Growth and Shared Success

Kenji further appreciates the opportunities provided by the SYBIL platform. He sees it as a space for understanding other industries and exchanging valuable data and research findings that can equip each industry to tackle its unique challenges.

The SEAC's Meet and Greet Dialogue Session with young business leaders marks a significant step towards building a vibrant and future-proof economy for Sabah. The establishment of the SYBIL network and the collaborative spirit exemplified by leaders like Kenji serve as testaments to the potential of young minds and innovative ideas in shaping Sabah's success story.

Featured image credit: Daily Express