Since it reopened to climbers on Dec 1, Mount Kinabalu has been attracting a steady stream of bookings.
It’s so good that climbing schedules are fully booked from March right up to the year end, The Rakyat Post’s Sandra Sokial reports.
Closed off for seven months since the deadly June 5 earthquake which killed 18 people, Mount Kinabalu’s appeal seems to appear intact.
“I was told by Sabah Parks director Dr Jamili Nais about the overwhelming bookings, with more foreigners than locals, and I am happy that we are back in business,” TRP quoted Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun as saying.
“Last year, there were many predictions (that) it’s going to be a long haul to get back where we were. But climbing activities restarted on Dec 1 last year and today with the via-ferrata ( (fixed steel cable climbing route) relaunch, we have restored confidence of climbers especially regarding safety on Mount Kinabalu,” he was quoted further.
Masidi added that mountain experts from Canada, Japan and the United States have offered their expertise in the restoration of the Mount Kinabalu climbing routes as well as finding new routes.
“Even a Singapore company (Mountain Torq) is bringing back primary school pupils and other climbers from Singapore to climb Mount Kinabalu, and many are keen,” the portal quoted him as saying.
