Make A Difference

Malaysia is a beautiful country, with our own natural resources, acres and acres of land, complete with nature's most exotic creatures and plants. What can we do to preserve these for the future generations? Wild Asia has been promoting conservation since 1998. This year, their campaign is entitled Responsible Tourism Initiative.

As a global industry, tourism provides one out of every 12 jobs in the world. If done right, tourism can preserve the natural and cultural heritage and resources of a country and strengthen local communities. However, we instead have overdevelopment, destruction of forests, marginalisation of local communities and unsustainable waste management.

One of our own destinations, Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa in Kota Kinabalu, was nominated in the 'large-size accommodation' category. Tanjung Aru sponsors local schools and guarantee a range of innovative environmental activities that promote conservation. As responsible journalists, we urge everyone to be a part of this movement. To make a difference, log onto www.wildasia.org to play a part.

Text Angelene Tang Photo Wild Asia