KOTA KINABALU : – The Sabah Tourism, Culture, and Environment Ministry is currently drafting the Sabah Tourism Blueprint to guide the sustainable development and planning of the state’s tourism sector.
Assistant Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai shared that this comprehensive master plan
will provide a clear framework to reorganize Sabah’s tourism strategies and identify the needs and direction for future development in a more structured and sustainable way.
He said this in his ministry’s winding-up speech during the State Legislative Assembly sitting.
Joniston highlighted that several initiatives have been implemented by the ministry to rejuvenate the tourism sector post-pandemic.
As a result, visitor arrivals to Sabah saw an increase of 20.4% in 2024 compared to the previous year.
“For January 2025 alone, we welcomed 303,614 tourists with total tourism receipts reaching RM723.09 million, which is a 23% increase compared to January 2024,” he said.
To meet the target of 3.5 million tourist arrivals this year, Joniston stated that the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) will continue enhancing its promotional strategies through the Explore Sabah branding campaign, focusing on culture, adventure, and nature themes.
The campaign targets seven core markets namely the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, China, India, Southeast Asia, and domestic travellers.
According to Joniston, this year’s focus includes beach and nature experiences, diving, wildlife encounters, and wellness tourism, all curated to provide visitors with immersive, authentic experiences.
In terms of promotion, Joniston said Sabah will continue leveraging traditional platforms like domestic and international travel fairs while expanding its digital campaigns to reach global audiences.
He said niche tourism products such as birdwatching, educational tours, and wellness retreats are gaining popularity among international tourists, adding the Ministry continues to explore new markets like India, Russia, and Eastern Europe.
Regarding the suspension of several AirAsia flight routes, Joniston acknowledged that it was a business decision by the airline but assured that STB is actively reviewing its strategy with the airline under the five-year Memorandum of Understanding signed with AirAsia,
“We are in discussions with AirAsia to explore options for reviving the suspended routes. We are also engaging with other airlines such as Royal Brunei and Scoot, including proposals for aircraft upgrades to meet rising demand,” he added.
He explained that the five routes were suspended as AirAsia projected only around 75,000 passengers for the entire year, but the ministry is actively exploring new strategies to attract more visitors to Sabah.
“We also acknowledge suggestions like reinstating the Subang-Kota Kinabalu route, and we will convey this suggestion to AirAsia,” he said.
Datuk Darell Leiking (Warisan–Moyog) earlier raised the suggestion, highlighting the Subang direct route’s importance, particularly for Sabahan students.
