Profile

Mr Albert Teo Chin Kion

A graduate in Economics (Honours) from the University of London in 1977, Albert Teo has been in the tourism industry for the last thirty nine years since 1977. In October 2006, he was appointed Adjunct Lecturer by Edith Cowan University ECU, Australia, for his contribution to the ecotourism industry, and in 2012, conferred a Fellow of the University for his work with the university as well as his philanthropy, community and social work. In March 2016 he was appointed an Adjunct Professor of University Malaysia Sabah UMS.

A keen photographer, he has also trekked over 1000km in Borneo, as well as published ten books; some of these include the best-selling "Sabah - Land of the Sacred Mountain", "Journey through Borneo", "Saving Paradise - The Story of Sukau Rainforest Lodge" co-authored with Carol Patterson, and the latest book "A Souvenir of Sabah Malaysian Borneo". The lodge which opened in 1995 became a charter member of National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World. Sukau Rainforest Lodge.

His companies, Borneo Eco Tours and Sukau Rainforest Lodge, have won numerous international ecotourism awards. Borneo Eco Tours has won the 2019 PATA Gold Award for the Corporate Social Responsibility Category, the 2019 MATTA Award for Best Tour Operator in Responsible Tourism, the 2012 SKAL International Sustainable Development in Tourism Award for Tour Operators and the 2014 Wild Asia Responsible Awards - Best in Community Engagement and Development, just to name a few. Awards.

Sukau Rainforest Lodge is branded as one of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World and is certified with the TraveLife Gold Certification. The ecolodge has recently won the 2019 Boutique Hotel Award as Asia’s Most Eco-Friendly Hotel, the 2016 Malaysia Tourism Award 2016 For Best Hotel Services (3 Star & Below), and the 2015 PATA InSpire Award for Best Independent Accommodation among others. Awards.

In 2013, Borneo Eco Tours’ philanthropic arm BEST Society, received the UNWTO Ulysses Award for excellence and innovation in tourism in the NGO category in Madrid, Spain. Awards.

Albert Teo has organized five highly successful international ecotourism conferences in Malaysia including: the World Ecotourism Conference and Field Seminars in 1999, the first Asia Pacific Ecotourism Conference (APECO) in 2002, and the Borneo Ecotourism Conference (BEC) in 2005. He co-convened the Borneo Tourism Conference (BTC) in 2007, held in Kuching, with Professor Ross Dowling of Edith Cowan University, Australia in September 2007. He also convened his second and the 8th Asian Pacific Ecotourism Conference (APECO) on 16-18th of October 2014, in Kota Kinabalu.

Albert has served in various capacity in the tourism industry including: Sabah Chapter Chairman of Malaysian Association of Tours and Travel Agents (MATTA) 1996/2001; Chairman of the Sabah Tourist Association 1985/86; Board of Advisors to The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) 2010/15, USA; Marketing Committee, Sabah Tourism Board 1996/2017. Albert was also a member of the finalist selection committee for the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) for five years. Albert is presently Charter Member / Vice Chair of Asian Ecotourism Network AEN and board member of Global Ecotourism Network GEN.

Albert is presently focusing his energy on developing social entrepreneurship through his community/environment foundation, Borneo Ecotourism Solutions and Technologies, or BEST Society. His latest project is an integrated community based ecotourism project named Kiulu Farmstay.