Increase direct flights to boost tourism

KOTA KINABALU: More airlines will be invited to operate direct flights, including chartered, to help increase tourist arrivals to Sabah. Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said this is important as over 90% of tourists to Sabah arrive via air. The state has 112 direct flights weekly to 12 international destinations namely: Brunei, Hong Kong, Shenzen, Jakarta, Tokyo, Osaka, Singapore, Seoul, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Manila and Clark (Philippines).

“We received 28 chartered flights from January until October. My ministry will add more tourist destinations in Sabah,” he said in reply to a question by Datuk Liew Teck Chan in the state assembly here. Masidi was confident the weekly flights would be increased from 112 to 121 by June 2011 in line with Kota Kinabalu’s status as Malaysia Airlines eastern hub. He said Sabah Tourism Promotion Board would participate in 60 sales promotions, exhibitions and seminars at home and abroad next year. Some 414,783 tourists visited Sabah from January to September compared to the corresponding period last year.
– Bernama.