SABAH WELCOMES 2.41 MLN TOURISTS IN NINE MONTHS, RM5.62 BLN REVENUE GENERATED

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 20 (Bernama) -- Sabah has welcomed 2.41 million domestic and international tourists in the first nine months of this year, with visitors from China making up 39 per cent of the total, the state assembly was told today.

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said this represents a 28.3 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, generating tourism revenue of RM5.62 billion.

“This impressive growth is attributed to increased flight connectivity, with 98 per cent of arrivals via air travel. Sabah currently benefits from 377 weekly domestic flights offering 66,546 seats, linking the state to various regions across Malaysia.

“On the international front, Sabah is linked to 17 destinations through 126 weekly flights, with a total capacity of 23,394 seats,” she said while winding up the debate on the 2025 Supply Bill (Sabah Budget 2025) for her ministry.

She said AirAsia remains the leading airline for international travel, connecting Sabah to 15 global destinations.

Liew also announced that Sabah is set to receive four new direct international routes this month and next, further boosting its connectivity.

In preparation for Visit Malaysia Year 2026, her ministry, through the Sabah Tourism Board, has launched the “Explore Sabah” campaign, scheduled to run throughout next year.

“This campaign, unveiled during Sabah’s participation in the prestigious World Travel Mart in London from Nov 4-6, aims to highlight Sabah’s tourism offerings under three main themes: Culture, Adventure and Nature,” she said.

-- BERNAMA