In the news

Jafry (centre) receiving a souvenir from Izham (right), while Joniston looks on.

KOTA KINABALU: Bookings for flights to the state capital have picked up following the Sabah government’s decision to do away with the Covid-19 swab test requirement from next month, says Malaysia Airlines.

Its group chief executive officer Captain Izham Ismail revealed that sales for the Kota Kinabalu route came out on top for the airline during the recently-concluded Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) fair in Kuala Lumpur.

In a statement on Tuesday (Nov 23), he also said the airline would resume the Penang-Kota Kinabalu route from Dec 1 as there was demand for it.

"Sabah continues to be an important hub for us, and the airline has also increased its weekly flight frequency to Kota Kinabalu from 68 to 75 flights from November to December.

"With the reopening of international borders expected next year, Malaysia Airlines is also prepared to fly international visitors into the country and bring them to Sabah," he added.

Izham conveyed this during a meeting with Sabah tourism delegates led by state Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin at the Malaysia Airlines Academy in Petaling Jaya, Selangor on Monday (Nov 22).

Also present were Jafry’s Assistant Minister and Sabah Tourism Board (STB) chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai and STB chief executive officer Noredah Othman.

Meanwhile, Jafry said the positive response to flight purchases indicated that tourism was seeing a revival and many Malaysians were eager to visit Sabah.

"Our ministry and STB are always willing to collaborate with Malaysia Airlines to re-establish both direct domestic and international flights into Sabah.

"We aim to see visitor arrivals pick up after a long hiatus, and this cannot be accomplished without the help of airline companies," he said.

The meeting with Malaysia Airlines was part of STB's continuous engagement with airline companies.

Last week Joniston led the STB team to engage with AirAsia CEO Riad Asmat on the budget carrier’s future plans for Sabah.

The STB team is also planning to meet with Malindo Air management soon.

KOTA KINABALU (Dec 2): The Sabah Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Environment (KePKAS) is always committed to developing the Kinabalu World Heritage Site as a world-class tourism and cultural destination. Its assistant minister, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, said such a commitment was the State Government’s efforts to build community identity based on the national heritage and culture. He said the people of Sabah, especially the residents in the vicinity of the Kinabalu World Heritage Site, should be proud of the diversity of flora, fauna, culture and geology found within the area. “The State Government through KePKAS always strives to develop infrastructure related to tourism, the community culture and the preservation of our treasures for all this can grow in harmony and accordance with government policy. “To ensure the Kinabalu World Heritage Site is well cared for in the future, the government has approved the Kinabalu Geopark Area being proclaimed a National Geopark and is in the process of gaining the UNESCO Global Geopark status, which is scheduled to happen in 2022,” he said. (more…)

KOTA KINABALU: A documentary on Saudin Labotao, believed to be the first native Murut to ever travel to New York in 1936, is expected to be the next tourism draw for Sabah. Saudin's humble experience was chronicled in Agnes Keith's book Land Below The Wind. His comical narrative has caught the interest of Rye Production Sdn Bhd producer Noreini Rahman who in turn spent four years researching materials on him. Noreini and her production team pitched the story to the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) and the History Channel.

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KOTA KINABALU: Rural tourism players are hoping the Sabah New Deal (SND) grant would be continued next year as many still require financial support to improve their facilities. They made known their hope to Sabah Tourism, Culture, and Environment Assistant Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai during his visit to Kota Marudu and Pitas to check on the facility improvement status of tourism spots under the SND grant. He said the special financial assistance had benefitted 500 tourist spot operators who were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. As such, Joniston, who is also Sabah Tourism Board (STB) chairman, was confident that the state government would continue to emphasise on tourism, particularly rural tourism sector, in the 2022 state budget. “I hope that when the Chief Minister presents the state budget on Dec 3, there will be similar grant. “There are still many operators that need financial boost to improve and build basic facilities and they are hoping that the Chief Minister, who is also the Finance Minister, will provide an allocation bigger than RM10 million,” he said.

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KOTA KINABALU: Community-based tourism has been identified as a way of bringing people in Sabah’s poverty-stricken Pitas district out of their plight. State Assistant Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said Pitas has a lot of untapped tourism potential. “It has been called the poorest district, but to me, it is rich in nature, and Pitas' beauty can attract visitors. "There are already several homestays operating, and many have come to stay, helping the community. “We want to see tourism as a way to bring Pitas folk out of poverty, and this is a way to boost the economy (there)," he said after launching the Walai Ondoton Pitas Homestay floating rest house in Kampung Kuyuh here on Friday (Nov 26).

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