Sabah has been chosen to host the World Tourism Conference (WTC2022) in Kota Kinabalu from November 28 to 30.With the theme “Tourism Futures Reimagined”, WTC 2020 is targeting a total of 700 international and local delegates, including tourism ministers, senior government officials, academics and tourism industry figures from around the world, said Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.

She said this during a courtesy call on Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor at his office in Menara Kinabalu, on Wednesday.

Hajiji welcomed the honour to play host to the international conference and expressed hope that the WTC 2022 will boost the recovery of the tourism industry in the state.

According to Nancy, the organization of WTC 2022 will be carried out in a strategic collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), the Sabah State Government and the Sabah Tourism Board.

WTC, she said, is an exclusive conference organized by Malaysia in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization which is held every three years she said, adding that this is a follow-up to the success of the organization of previous WTC series.

“Since the organization of the WTC in the city of Kota Kinabalu more than 12 years ago, the selection of Sabah as the host for the second time is a sign of recognition of the commitment and leadership of the state government which has always led the development of the tourism sector to successfully position Sabah as a major tourist destination on the world stage,” she said.Also present during the courtesy call were State Secretary Datuk Seri Panglima Safar Untong, Deputy Secretary General (Tourism) of MOTAC, Mohd Zamri May Zain and senior officers of MOTAC.