Tourists continue to flow into Sabah
By PAUL MU
KOTA KINABALU: Tourist arrivals to Sabah have increased by 5.27 per cent to 111,136 people in the first seven months of this year compared to the same period of last year.
Based on records from January to July, a total of 2,221,110 arrivals were registered against 2,109,974 last year.
According to Christopher Chan of Borneo Eco Vest Sdn Bhd, the July 2018 tourist arrivals were registered at 329,159, beating the same period last year, by 15,110 or 4.81 per cent. However, there was a slight drop compared to last month’s figure by 22,273 or 6.34 per cent.
International arrivals for July were recorded at 123,486 against Malaysian arrivals of 205,673 compared to 109,812 and 204,237 achieved in the corresponding month last year.
“This indicates an increase of 13,674 or 12.45 per cent and 1,436 or 0.7 per cent respectively,” said Chan who is also the advisor of Sabah Hotel Association yesterday.
The total international arrivals up till July 2018 were 801,919 against 691,784 last year indicating an increase of 110,135 or 15.92 per cent.
The total Malaysian arrivals till July 2018 stood at 1,419,191, which is marginally above by 1,001 or 0.07 per cent compared to last year, Chan said.
However, he said Southeast Asia arrivals continue to record a drop up till July 2018 with a total of 130,300 against 149,141 for the corresponding period last year, down by 18,841 or 12.63 per cent.
Arrivals from Brunei also declined with only 2,065, the lowest to date this year. The total arrivals from Jan till July stood at 30,493 against 47,354 over the same period last year with a big decrease of 16,861 or 35.615 per cent. Meanwhile, the total arrivals for the Northeast Asia up till July 2018 were recorded at 590,157 against 461,301 over the same period in 2017, an increase of 128,856 or 27.93 per cent, he said.
As of July 2018, the total arrivals were 93,424 against 74,926 for the corresponding month in 2017 and a total of 77,673 in June 2018.
“We are up against the same month last year by 18,498 or 23.8 per cent and last month by 15.751 or 20.28 per cent respectively.
China continues to top the arrivals from this region with a total of 358,428 compared to 250,055 for the same period in 2017 indicating an increase of 108,373 or 43.34 per cent. Arrivals for July 2018 were recorded at 58,325 against 41,955 achieved in the same month in 2017 and 45,603 during last month this year.
South Korea followed closely from Jan to July 2018 with 191,351 against 163,500 achieved over the same period last year indicating an increase of 27,851 or 17.03 per cent.
“Arrivals in July 2018 were recorded at 29,075 compared to 25,052 over the same month last year and 27,076 last month. This indicate an increase of 4,023 or 16.06 per cent over the last year same month and also up against last month by 1,999 or 7.38 per cent,” Chan noted.
Taiwan arrivals up till July 2018 were recorded at 30,916 compared to 35,962 over the same period of 2017, dropped by 5,045 or 14.02 per cent from the total arrival of 4,667 while last year was 6,151 declined by 1,484 or 24.13 per cent, but higher than last month figure of 4,333 by 334 or 7.71 per cent, he said.
“Arrivals from Japan still show no sign of recovery with a total of 9,461 arrival during the first half of this year compared to 11,784 for the same period of last year, down by 2,323 or 19.71 per cent,” Chan said.
For the Oceania market, he said a total of 15,433 were registered compared to 16,686 for the same period last year, declined by 1,253 or 7.51 per cent.
Arrivals from Australia was at 13,624 this year compared to 14,583 over the same period last year, down by 941 or 6.45 per cent while New Zealand recorded at 1,791 for the first seven months of 2018 compared to 2,103 for the same period last year, down by 312 or 14.84 per cent.
The contributions from the European market almost identical between this year and last year, totaling 41,290 against 42,156 with 866 people margin or 2.05 per cent, he said.
“However, the total arrivals in July last year stood at 7,725, the highest to date but still less than China’s only one month total arrivals.
“Arrivals from UK and Ireland are the single largest market from Europe comprising almost 50 per cent of the total while the rest of Europe are minor arrivals except for Germany which increased marginally,” Chan commended.
The North American market continues to show a positive growth with a total of 13,476 against 11,166 arrivals for the first seven months this year and last year, above by 2,310 or 20.69 per cent.
The arrivals from US and Canada respectively increased by 9,981 and 3,495 in 2018 against 7,893 and 3,272 in 2017 or respectively hike by 2,088 (26.45 per cent) and 223 (6.82 per cent), he said.
“The overall figures indicated that international arrivals of 801,919 comprises up to 36.10 per cent of the total arrivals to Sabah against Malaysian arrivals of 1,419,191 which is 63.90 per cent out of the total visitors of 2,221,110,” Chan concluded.
Source: New Sabah Times
