All information of tourism sabah

25Feb

More tourists heading to Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah last year received the highest tourism receipts in its history – at RM8.342bil – and a record-high 3.879 million arrivals. Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew (pic) said figures showed that from January to December, total arrivals grew by 5.3% while tourism receipts increased by 6.6% compared with the figures in 2017.
The total gross international arrivals recorded a double-digit increase of 10.2% while domestic arrivals increased by 2.8%, said Liew, quoting statistics compiled by the Sabah Tourism Board under her Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry. Liew said China surpassed the half million mark with a total of 593,623 visitors to Sabah last year. As of December last year, Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) received 125 direct flights from China per week, she said. The second highest source of arrivals was still South Korea with an increase of 8.5% or a total of 337,100 visitors while the Singapore market grew by 9.1% last year, she added. “I am very pleased with our performance in 2018. It was a very good year for Sabah. As of today, we are now connected to 26 international destinations by 12 foreign carriers. “We will be emphasising more domestic tourism since we have opened up many new tourism areas in the state’s interior and the east coast,” she said yesterday. Liew also said there were currently 444 flights connecting Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Labuan to Sabah, with a seat capacity of close to 75,000 weekly, which reflected the potential for pushing domestic tourism further. Last year, Liew noted that 19 more new direct international flights commenced services to Sabah, including the reinstatement of the Kota Kinabalu–Bangkok flight by Thai AirAsia. Besides the direct flights, the rest of the services connected Sabah to international cities such as Beijing, Xiamen, Fuzhou (Xiamen Air), Singapore and Wuhan (Malindo Air), Shenzhen (China Southern Airlines, AirAsia), Macau and Kunming (AirAsia) and Muan (Jeju Air). Tawau, too, is expanding its connectivity with a direct flight to Kuching. Last year was also significant for charter flights as Sabah airports (KKIA and Sandakan) welcomed a total of 343 non-scheduled flights compared with 215 the year before, she said, adding that the charter flights brought passengers from China, South Korea and Japan. Source: The Star Online
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25Feb

Iconic three-decade Mt Kinabalu climbathon comes to an end

KOTA KINABALU: The iconic Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon, dubbed as Malaysia's toughest mountain race, will finally bring its curtains down after a 30-year run. Event race director, Zachary Mobijohn said the move to discontinue the prestigious race was decided as the objective of promoting Mount Kinabalu had been achieved. “Initially, the original purpose of organising the race was as a marketing tool to promote Mount Kinabalu. “We had achieved the objective and the mountain is being over promoted now,” he said, adding any event would definitely have a start and an end. Zachary added that the discontinuation of the Climbathon, is also aimed at preserving Mount Kinabalu’s status as United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage. “Mount Kinabalu has its own carrying capacity or the maximum number of persons that can be at the mountain at one time. “There are also minimal development that can be done at the site,” he said, adding such controls would help to maintain the natural state of Sabah’s iconic landmark in long terms. On reactions over the cessation of the Climbathon, he said many of the race’s affiliations such as the Sabah Parks, International Skyrunning Federation and World Mountain Running Association among others have been informed about the decision. “Some of them were sad due to the discontinuation, but they do understand,” he said, adding the organiser would focus on other promotional events. The 30th Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon,which was held on Oct 15, 2017, saw Sabahan Safrey Sumping emerged champion when he clocked in at 2.18.28 for a shortened race route from Kinabalu Park to Panalaban, which stands 3,272 metres above sea level. The Climbathon saw 116 runners from 18 countries and locally vying for honours in Kundasang with temperature of 7 degrees Celsius at Panalaban. Source: New Straits Times
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19Feb

Sabah tourism sets new record in 2018, with China tourists leading charge

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s tourism has set a new record in 2018 with the highest tourism receipts ever at RM8.342bil on the back of a record-high 3.879 million arrivals. Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew said figures showed that from January to December, overall arrivals grew by 5.3% while tourism receipts increased by 6.6% compared with 2017 (RM7.83 billion).”
Overall gross international arrivals recorded a double-digit increase of 10.2%, while domestic arrivals increased by 2.8%,” said Liew, quoting statistics compiled by the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) under her Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry. Liew said the top market source was China, which surpassed the half million mark in tourist arrivals with a total of 593,623 Chinese tourists visiting Sabah in 2018.
As of December 2018, direct flights from China to Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA),totalled up to 125 flights per week, she said. The second highest arrivals was still South Korea with an increase of 8.5% or a total of 337,100 visitors, while the Singapore market grew by 9.1%, she added. “I'm very pleased with our performance in 2018. It was a very good year for Sabah. As of today, we are now connected to 26 international destinations by 12 foreign carriers," said Liew. “We will be emphasising more on domestic tourism into Sabah since we have opened up many new tourism areas in the state’s interior and the east coast,” she said on Tuesday (Feb 19). Liew also said that there were currently 444 flights connecting Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Labuan to Sabah with a seat capacity of close to 75,000 weekly, which reflected potential of pushing domestic tourism further. Last year, Liew said 19 more new direct international flights commenced services to Sabah, including the reinstatement of the Kota Kinabalu-Bangkok flight by Thai AirAsia. “The rest of the services connected Sabah to international cities such as Beijing, Xiamen, Fuzhou (Xiamen Air), Singapore and Wuhan (Malindo Air), Shenzhen (China Southern Airlines, AirAsia), Macau and Kunming (AirAsia) and Muan (Jeju Air). "Tawau too is expanding its connectivity with a direct flight to Kuching. “2018 was also a significant year for charter flights as Sabah airports (KKIA and Sandakan) welcomed a total of 343 non-scheduled flights compared with 215 the year before,” she said, adding the charter flights brought passengers from China, South Korea and Japan.
Source: The Star Online
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19Feb

Suitable approach to bring tourists to Tawau

TAWAU: A suitable approach will be taken to bring more tourists, especially from China, to this district, said State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew (pic). According to her, who is also the Tawau MP, the matter has become her priority in an effort to further boost the economy in the district for the benefit of its population. “I will indeed work harder to ensure more tourists, especially from China, visit the east coast area (of Sabah) to spend one or two nights in Tawau,” she said at the Chinese New Year celebration of Tawau constituency, here, Sunday night.   Hence, she added tourism agencies and tour operators of the State were urged to play a role and work together in order to realise this wish. According to her, this district has interesting tourist attractions, handicraft and cultural products and a wide selection of seafood. Speaking on the event, Liew said the Chinese New Year that was celebrated across the country is among the events that could help to unite the nation of different races and religions. “Malaysia, in particular Sabah, has many celebrations according to local beliefs and celebrated together, which also proves that we live in harmony,” she added. - Bernama Source: Daily Express
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18Feb

Govt-NGO initiative to protect pangolins

KOTA KINABALU: The State Government through the Sabah Wildlife Department is working on a proposed Memorandum of Understanding with an animal welfare non-governmental organisation to protect pangolins in Sabah. Deputy Chief Minister cum State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said the State Government via the Department is consistently taking steps to preserve protected animals in the State, including pangolins. She said this after officiating a Sabah – World Pangolin Day Gala Dinner in conjunction with the pangolin conservation awareness campaign held at the Hilton Hotel, here, Saturday.   The event was sponsored by Malaysian-born philanthropist, Peter Chan, who now resides in the United States, and is passionate about lending a helping hand to Sabah’s wildlife conservation programmes. “Our effort in protecting the pangolin will not stop here. The observance of the World Pangolin Day is set to pave the way for bigger things to crystallise,” said Liew. “Suffice for me to say that we are still at the discussion stage over Chan’s Pangolin Conservation Initiative. “If everything goes as planned, we should be seeing the establishment of the much-anticipated Sabah Pangolin Sanctuary and Research Institute or as Chan calls it, Sapsari,” she said.   Liew explained that they still have to go through the legal procedures and the drafts on the terms and conditions of the Memorandum of Understanding. “This will then have to go to the Attorney-General Office, before I can present it to the Cabinet for the government to decide, it will be a process that takes some time, but we have to do it as soon as we can,” she said. She also urged the relevant authorities to raid eateries serving pangolin meat to tourists and welcomes tip-off from the public on such activities. Over the years, numerous steps have been by the State Government including to set up a policy to protect wildlife and their natural habitat.   The government has even listed pangolins as a fully protected animal under the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 and raised the maximum fine to RM250,000 or a minimum imprisonment term of up to five years or both. Laws has been set in place yet just last week, RM8.4 million worth of pangolins were seized by the authorities during a raid at a warehouse in Tamparuli, a town located barely an hours’ drive from the State capital. It was learnt that rescued pangolins that initially survived the ordeal were sent to the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, but it was no promptly established if all the pangolins made it alive. Immediately after that, another 23 pangolins were rescued during a road block operation at the Kemabong-Tenom Road. The live pangolins were found in nylon sacks in the rear bonnet of a car driven by a 40-year-old man from Lawas. This took place just days ahead as the State Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment prepares to launch the Sabah – World Pangolin Day which fell on Saturday (Feb 16). Meanwhile, Sabah Wildlife Department Director Augustine Tuuga said investigations are still underway following the seizure in Tamparuli, adding that there are procedures that they have to go through.  - Sherell Jeffrey Source: Daily Express
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