/// EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
The Pioneer of Leisure
and Tourism Property in Sabah
Exclusive Interview with Robert Lo
Education for human resources is the key to
tourisms future in Sabah
S
ipadan-Mabul Resort Chief Executive Officer Robert Lo was
previously working in the banking industry in Hong Kong. He decided
to come back to Sabah for a holiday and it was during his visit to
Sipadan that he fell in love with the gorgeous island and its crystal clear
waters.
Lo toyed with the idea of starting his own resort in Sipadan and strongly
believed that he could make the business a success if he managed to
acquire a plot of land on the island. Entering a new industry was a huge
learning process but Lo stayed confident throughout the ups and downs.
He said, “Sabah is naturally blessed with world-class islands and tropical
rainforests. We have a lot to offer to tourists, but we have to further
develop our tourism industry. We have to learn from other countries and
understand why they are doing well so that we can improve and become
better.”
According to Lo the root problem lies in service. Regardless of how
wealthy Sabah is in terms of pristine nature, the state cannot grow if our
human resources do not improve. And in his opinion, education is the
key.
He said, “We need to provide a lot of training for our people especially
in terms of mastering language and learning about how to effectively
operate a tourism business. If we want to progress we have so much to
do..
He added: “The problem with some players in the industry is that they
view this solely as a money making business and they don’t really care
about their customers. When we do something, our hearts must be in it.
We need to provide the best for our customers and have proper quality
control to ensure the wellbeing of our guests. It’s a lot of work, but we
have to be professionals..
The tourism industry is extremely important to Sabah and its economy.
This sector has transformed significantly over the past decade to meet
growing demand. In 2013, tourism grew tremendously and the grand total
nett arrivals recorded a double digit growth compared to 2012.
The North Asia market, namely China and Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan
and Taiwan was the largest source of international arrivals, accounting
for 51.2% of total international arrivals to Sabah. And according to Lo,
his business wasn’t really affected by the kidnapping in Semporna that
happened last November.
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