KOTA KINABALU, March 18 — Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Christina Liew will meet with AirAsia to seek an explanation for the suspension of a few flights from Kota Kinabalu to several overseas destinations, including China.
The affected destinations are from Kota Kinabalu to Hong Kong (reduced from 10 weekly flights to seven flights weekly effective March 30, 2025), from Kota Kinabalu to Kaohsiung (suspension effective April 7, 2025), Kota Kinabalu–Kunming (suspension effective May 7, 2025), Kota Kinabalu–Manado (suspension effective April 7,2025), Kota Kinabalu–Ningbo (suspension effective March 30, 2025), and Kota Kinabalu-Wuhan (suspension effective April 7, 2025).
Liew was speaking to reporters after launching the engagement session with Sabah tourism industry stakeholders at Hilton Hotel yesterday.
Earlier in her speech, she said that the Sabah tourism sector has shown remarkable recovery and growth in 2024.
She said as of the end of 2024, some 3.14 million visitors came to Sabah, exceeding the initial target of three million.
“This surge in arrivals generated approximately RM7.28 billion in tourism receipts, underscoring the sector’s vital contribution to Sabah’s economy.
“A significant factor contributing to this success has been our commitment to enhancing our air connectivity. Partnerships with airlines such as AirAsia and Royal Brunei Airlines have created new avenues for travel, increasing in both direct and transit arrivals. As we move forward, Sabah aims to attract 3.5 million tourists in 2025, with AirAsia alone committing to bringing five million passengers to Sabah through Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan and Tawau airports. This expansion signifies growing confidence in Sabah’s tourism potential,” she said.
Liew also said that Sabah Tourism remains committed to aligning with the Culture, Adventure and Nature (CAN) strategy, which highlights the very essence of what makes Sabah an essential travel destination.
“Our future initiatives include strengthening sustainable tourism, improving tourism infrastructure, and empowering community-based tourism (CoBT),” she said.
“In achieving these objectives, continuous support from the Federal government remains essential. The support from federal agencies has significantly enhanced our tourism initiatives and we are truly grateful for the numerous grants as well as incentives that have been crucial in maintaining the vitality of this sector.
These include the Geran Galakan Melancong (GAMELAN), Geran Sokongan Sektor Pelancongan (GSSP), Geran Sektor Penerbangan dan Carter (GSPC), and the Geran Sokongan Sektor Kebudayaan (GSSK), that have contributed to strengthening domestic alongside international tourism in Sabah,” she said.
Also present were Tourism Malaysia director general Datuk Manoharan Periasamy and Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai. — The Borneo Post
