11Jan

MAS Airbus A350 conducts test flight to KKIA

KOTA KINABALU: A Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) Airbus A350 plane conducted its test flight from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) yesterday. Aimed at providing the pilots and cabin crew the experience of handling the new aircraft before it started its Kuala Lumpur to London service on Jan 15, the plane arrived at KKIA at 3.50 pm after departing from KLIA at 1.05 pm. Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun, Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, MAB’s Chief Commercial Officer Arved von zur Muehlen and more than 100 other passengers were on the flight. Speaking to reporters after arriving at the KKIA, von zur Muehlen said the new aircraft, which has 286 seats including four seats in the First Class, 35 in Business Class and 247 in Economy Class, is believed to be able to provide excellent experience and comfort to customers. He expressed gratitude for being able to fly the KUL-BKI route prior to commencing the KUL-LDN route. “We’re happy we can fly here and are very grateful for the support from Sabah Tourism Board to show our latest product. “The A350 is our latest flight as we are redoing our fleet, which is one of the youngest in Asia with only four years,” he said. Arved explained that the new A350 fleet would be replacing the A380, due to various factors. “The A350 XWB offers true long-range capability, operational efficiency with 25 per cent lower operating cost and exclusive passenger experience. “The A380 is a larger aircraft and for the size of the Malaysian market, its capacity is too much. “To fill the aircraft everyday is a bit of a challenge and the London route is competitive, so the A350 is better,” he said. Arved added that air quality will improve significantly in the A350 with a new air filter system, wide seats offering a high level of comfort for long-haul travel, in-seat entertainment and full connectivity, as well as full LED cabin lighting system, among others. All six ordered A350 aircrafts will be delivered by the second half of the year, said Arved, while the former A380 crafts will be used for pilgrimage chartered flights to Jeddah and Madinah.   Source: Borneo Post
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16Nov

World Travel Market 2017

YB Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Envrionment Sabah led the delegates of World Travel Market 2017 together with Pn. Suzaini Ghani, Deputy General Manager of Sabah Tourism Board and Mr. Daniel Roman, Assistant Marketing Manager for Sabah Tourism Board which was held at United Kingdom on 6-8 November 2017. YB Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun, Menteri Pelancongan, Kebudayaan dan Alam Sekitar Sabah mengetuai delegasi World Travel Market 2017 bersama-sama dengan Puan Suzaini Ghani, Timbalan Pengurus Besar Lembaga Pelancongan Sabah  dan En Daniel Roman, Pembantu Pengurus Pemasaran Lembaga Pelancongan Sabah yang telah diadakan di United Kingdom pada 6-8 November 2017.
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15Nov

Sabah government focuses on safety of tourists

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government will focus more on the tourism sector, especially the safety of tourists. Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Raymond Tan Shu Kiah said the booming tourism sector required operators, hoteliers and other industry players to put in place safety protocols to better protect tourists. “We take visitors to the mountains and islands, (because) those are our attractions, but they should not be compromised in terms of safety protocols. “Tourism is not only about where we take tourists to, but it also involves food and lodging,” he said, adding that transportation was a huge safety concern in the industry. Tan, who is also the state industrial development minister, said this after the launch of the two-day Fifth Borneo Occupational Safety and Health Conference and Exhibition (BOSH 2017) here today. He said all tour operators must put in place safety measures apart from making sure their businesses were doing well. “We will work with the small- and medium-sized enterprises in the tourism sector, with the collaboration of the National Occupational Safety and Health, to conduct training and provide certification in safety protocols to enhance the quality of services.” Present were NIOSH chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, executive director Ayop Salleh and state manager Mohd Hussin Abd Salam. Hussin said NIOSH was working closely with the Tourism and Culture Ministry and the state Tourism, Culture and Environment Department to tackle safety measures issues. “Some tourists are not particular about their safety, that is why NIOSH wants to engage industry players to cope with the influx of tourists into the state. Safety is important, especially in water activities such as diving and snorkelling, and transport such as water taxis. “More workshops will be held next year to assist hoteliers, operators and taxi operators to come up with procedures to suit their nature of business.”   Source: New Straits Times
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08Sep

KK to Jakarta direct by December

Kota Kinabalu: Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Rusdi Kirana has promised to resume direct flights between Kota Kinabalu and Jakarta by the end of this year. Rusdi, who is also the founder of Indonesia's largest privately run airline, Lion Air, said he is looking at starting with two flights a week and will decide to increase when demand grows. "We're serious about this. I've made a promise publicly," he said, after meeting with Indonesian community representatives at the Indonesian Consulate, Thursday. Previously, the route was serviced by AirAsia but airline ended it in January, this year and since then passengers from Sabah wanting to fly to the Indonesian capital have to transit in Kuala Lumpur. Rusdi said Lion Air will start the route before Christmas this year at low cost ticket prices. Part of his bigger business plan is to include a third destination, most likely in China, in order to ensure that flights servicing the sector will stay profitable. "We need to go beyond just KK-Jakarta. Maybe we can also include destinations like Taiwan, China or Hong Kong," he said, adding that he will bring the matter to Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun and his federal counterpart. Established in 1999, Lion Air is the second largest low-cost airline in Southeast Asia after AirAsia and the second largest airline of Indonesia, flying to more than 79 destinations in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia as well as charter routes to China, Hong Kong and Macau. As of January 2014, the airline served a total of 120 destinations, 100 domestic and 20 international. It was the first low cost airline in Indonesia. Rusdi is also a key stakeholder in Malindo Air. He said if the KK-Jakarta route grows, the next move is to explore the possibility of establishing direct flights from the state capital to other destinations in Indonesia, including Makassar. - Leonard Alaza and Brenda Chai Source: Daily Express
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24Jul

Sandakan Attracts Tourists with its History and Natural Heritage

EARLY morning flights from Kota Kinabalu to Sabah’s east coast town of Sandakan are usually full with many of the passengers comprising tourists. If they are lucky, they will have a breathtaking aerial view of Mount Kinabalu and the highlands surrounding it. That is just a taste of things to come because the Lower Kinabatangan region is the gateway to some of Sabah’s renowned natural attractions, including the proboscis monkey, Bornean pygmy elephants and the orang utan. Sepilok, about 30km from Sandakan town, is where the well-known orang utan rehabilitation centre is located. Here, the primates can be seen in their natural environment, a forest reserve. Sepilok is also home to the sun bear conservation centre as well as the rainforest discovery centre where visitors can literally walk between jungle treetops. For the more adventurous, an hour’s boat ride from Sandakan town to the Sulu Sea are three islands — Pulau Selinga, Pulau Bakungan Kecil and Pulau Gulisan — that collectively make up Sabah’s turtle islands. The turtles are said to land almost every night to lay their eggs on these islands. In fact, Malaysia’s first turtle hatchery was set up at Pulau Selingan in 1966. As the first administrative centre of North Borneo (the former name for Sabah),
Sandakan has a number of historical landmarks, some dating back to the late 1800s. Among them are Masjid Jamek and the Sam Sing Kung temple in the downtown area as well as the St Michael All Angels church nearby. Another historical landmark is the house where author Agnes Newton Keith lived prior to World War 2. Keith wrote about her experiences in her book, Land Below the Wind, that has since become a tagline for Sabah. Sandakan Kapitan Cina or community leader James Leong has witnessed the transformation of his town over the years. “Whatever the changes, Sandakan will always have that small-town feel. Here, everyone knows each other.” Source: TheStar
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