Making Sabah No. 1 domestic ‘must see’
Published on: Sunday, March 24, 2024
State Assistant Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai
Kuala Lumpur: Sabah presents Peninsular Malaysians a budget-friendly vacation option, given costlier international travel due to the weaker ringgit.
State Assistant Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said choosing Sabah as a holiday destination not only offers affordability but plays a crucial role in fostering national integration.
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“Travellers from peninsula not only get to explore a new destination within Malaysia but engage in cultural exchange with the local communities and foster a deeper sense of unity and understanding among Malaysians,” he said.
Joniston was speaking to media practitioners at a breaking of fast event hosted by Sabah Tourism Board (STB) at the Seri Pacific Hotel. Also present was STB chief executive officer Julinus Jeffrey Jimit.
He said the lower Ringgit renders Sabah and Malaysia as a whole a more accessible tourist destination.
“Choosing Sabah is akin to going overseas, as you will be crossing the South China Sea,” he quipped, while noting an increasing number of domestic arrivals to Sabah.
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The Sabah Tourism Board Chairman said the shift in travel preferences would help domestic tourism grow and be in line with the State Government’s Sabah Maju Jaya development plan to boost the state economy.
Joniston is leading the Sabah Tourism Board team to the 2024 Matta Fair held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) from March 22-24.
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Sabah’s many tourism attractions at a MRT station in Kuala Lumpur.
He thanked the media for promoting Sabah’s tourism stories. “Your collaborative efforts not only generate ripple effects but also empower local communities and enrich Sabah’s tourism landscape.”
Sabah exceeded its 2023 tourism target of 2.2 million visitors with 2.6 million visits and RM5.5 billion in tourism revenue.
Between January and December 2023, Sabah recorded 1,754,797 domestic visitors, while international arrivals were 858,475. In the first two months of this year, Sabah had 300,990 domestic and 231,237 foreign tourists.
Sabah recorded a higher number of foreign arrivals (141,887) from Northeast Asia, which includes China, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea.
This was followed by 64,958 visitors from Southeast Asia, including Brunei, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The country with the most tourists coming to Sabah is China (91,936), followed by South Korea (42,653) and Brunei (36,066).
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