Sabah Tourism Board unveils new branding

Sabah Tourism Board (STB) has unveiled its new branding, Enchanting Sabah, conceptualised by its communication and digital division. New promotional collaterals will be churned out throughout the year to compliment and substantiate its marketing efforts.

STB said the selected colours are representative of the main unique elements in Sabah. Blue represents the clear blue skies, fresh air and islands; orange represents the warmth of the Sabahans and culture; green represents nature; yellow-brown represents wildlife; and teal represents Sabah's underwater biodiversity. 

The rebranding process began internally when STB asked employees to create a logo that can best represent the state. The process took about six months from conceptualising to deciding on the new logo. STB's main intention for the logo was for it to be clean and straightforward, accompanied by a statement to identify the location. It also chose the word "Enchanting" because Sabah as a destination is appealing, delightful, charming.

STB GM Noredah Othman said the move to create brand sentiment will help the public recognise a Sabah advert when placed either in mainstream media or online. "Consistent branding helps with visibility in the sphere of marketing and advertising. Sabah Tourism constantly finds cost-effective yet impactful marketing activities in order to achieve our destination promotion," she added.

Meanwhile, Christina Liew, deputy chief minister cum Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah, said STB has been a very independent team marketing Sabah for the past 30 years, "making them one of the first National Tourism Organizations to promote tourism". Liew added that it will also promote Sabah in tandem with the Visit Malaysia 2020 campaign.

Separately, Shopee recently expanded its presence in East Malaysia with the launch of its Sabah-dedicated online store called S-Mart Sabah. The move aims to serve the local market with greater convenience and help reduce cost of living on daily essentials for Sabahans. At the same time, Shopee also tied up with Pos Laju as its third-party logistics partner for S-Mart Sabah. Sabah also launched its own e-wallet, Sabah Pay, developed and managed by Sabah Credit Corporation.