More tourist arrivals in Sabah this year so far

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah recorded a 12.2 per cent increase in tourist arrivals for the first two months this year compared to same period last year. State Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Pang Yuk Ming said 531,585 visitors including 198,665 foreigners came to the state this year. “Meanwhile, the ministry had identified Pakistan as a new market (to promote Sabah Tourism). “Recently, Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment minister Datuk Kamarlin Ombi had led a Sabah delegation to Pakistan in conjunction with the launch of Malindo’s direct flight from Kuala Lumpur to Lahore,” he said in the state assembly sitting here. Pang was responding to a question from Abdul Mijul Unaini (BN- Banggi) on the ministry’s plan to ensure the survival of the state’s tourism industry in the future. The ministry via the Sabah Tourism Board, he added, was collaborating with Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad (MAHB) to encourage airlines to introduce more direct scheduled or chartered flights to Sabah. “About RM10million has been allocated by MAHB to execute the collaboration for the period of 2016 and 2017. “Through previous efforts (on improving airborne connectivity), there are 146 airlines with 24,038 seat capacity per week that connect Sabah with 16 destinations.” Those destinations are Brunei, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Jakarta, Tarakan, Bali, Manila, Tokyo, Perth, Singapore, Seoul and Taipei. The ministry also promotes the state via social media including China’s popular platforms such as Sina Weibo, www.Baidu.com and Ctrip.com. For the domestic market, the board will engage blogger David Hogan Junior for ten months starting May to promote local cuisine in Sabah.

Source : New Straits Times