FINAL VERSION FOR APPROVAL - Sdn Bhd - WWF Malaysia

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Gunung Stong State Park Preliminary Management Plan Likewise, resorts are not viable in areas with low visitor volumes, and lessons in resort development from Tg. Mentong and Kuala Koh at Taman Negara, Kenong Rimba Park, Pedu Lake and Pulau Payar Marine Park should be learnt, and not replicated. As a cautionary note, the bigger (and more expensive the resort), the higher will be the upkeep, maintenance and operating costs, and the higher will be the break-even point. Visitors to GSSP lack the critical mass needed to make resorts a viable business option. The current majority of visitors to GSSP are the hardy hikers and campers (eco- and nature tourists) who accept the miseries and discomfort of the outdoors as part of the nature experience, and they are fitter than the average leisure/mass tourist. Almost all visitors to GSSP stay at the Baha Camp, either camping or spending their nights at the very basic huts. They look with disdain at upscale resort accommodation. There is a rest house at Dabong, operated by the Majlis Daerah Kuala Krai Selatan (MDKKS), with 3 rooms equipped with ceiling fans (RM30 per night), and one airconditioned room (RM40 per night). There is also a bungalow available at a rate of RM80 per night. As in the case of the resort, guests staying at the rest house are very rare, and even then most are not visitors to GSSP. A recent homestay operated by the local JKKK at Bt. Jering, some 5 km away, is expected to share the same fate, due to its unenvious location, away from the tourist zone. Photo 4.3: Stong Resort Office WWF-Malaysia/ N. M. Maseri 4.5 Tour Operators Five tour and guesthouse operators organised tours to GSSP: KESEDAR Travels Sdn. Bhd., KB Backpacker Holidays Sdn. Bhd., KB2 Guesthouse, Lonesome Traveller, and Cerana Guesthouse, with the most active being KESEDAR Travels Sdn. Bhd., and KB Backpacker Holidays Sdn. Bhd. These operators organise 3-day/2-night packages to GSSP, priced at RM220-250 per person, with the BAT as ground operators. The tours consist of a morning bus trip to Kuala Krai, followed by a riverboat trip to Dabong, then to GSSP, where visitors stay at Baha Camp with food prepared by their guides. The second day consists of a trip to the last waterfall, and after lunch, visitors return to their huts at Baha Camp. On the third day, visitors go to Dabong for a spot of caving before returning on the 2.00 pm local train back to Kota Bharu. 58
Gunung Stong State Park Preliminary Management Plan KESEDAR Travel Sdn. Bhd. and KB Backpacker Holidays Sdn. Bhd. operate websites promoting their destinations, with KESEDAR Travel specialising in white-water rafting down the Nenggiri River, visits to Orang Asli communities, and rock-climbing courses at their Taman Etnobotani. A significant revenue source for KESEDAR Travel is currently the use of their Taman Etnobotani for the National Service programme, with tourism becoming less significant (pers. comm., Haji Zawawi, KESEDAR Travel, 2005). KB Backpacker Holidays are relying more on Perhentian Island-Taman Negara-Cameron Highlands transfers and island trips (P. Perhentian, P. Redang) rather than packages to GSSP, due to declining numbers of foreign tourists staying in Kota Bharu (pers. comm. Mayee, KB Backpaker Holidays Sdn. Bhd.) Cerana Guesthouse, like KB2 Guesthouse, offers the packages to their guests, who are mostly returning from P. Perhentian. Compared to 1992, the numbers of foreigners to GSSP has dwindled, and the frequency of guiding is now reduced to twice a month (pers.comm. Pak Chu, 2005). Tour packages to GSSP, however, only provide side incomes for these guesthouse operators. 59
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