First international flight to Tawau
Published on: Wednesday, January 24, 2024
The Firefly aircraft arriving at the Tawau Airport.
TAWAU: The first international chartered flight to this district bordering Indonesia’s upcoming new capital of Nusantara brought in 157 passengers from Nanjing, China, at 5.55am, Tuesday.
State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said Tourism Malaysia also played a role in developing this new route by Firefly.
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She said Firefly would operate the charter flights three times a week, scheduled to arrive in Tawau every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, with a 540-seat capacity per week until the end of March.
“We warmly welcome our Chinese friends and look forward to showcasing the unique cultural and natural treasures of Sabah. The launch of direct flights from Nanjing to Tawau is a testament to the growing appeal of our region as a tourist destination.
Tourism Malaysia Deputy Director-General (Planning), Manoharan Periasamy (centre) with Pan (on his right), Ginibun (8th left) as well as STB and TM officials, and Sabah’s cultural dancers at the TawauAirport.
“I am excited that this new route will contribute to the growth and development of Tawau as a prominent international destination,” she said.
Currently, Sabah receives 42 weekly scheduled flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Wuhan to Kota Kinabalu with a total 7,520 seat capacity a week.
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Chairman of Sri Pelancongan Sabah Ken Pan represented the Minister at the welcoming ceremony. Also present was STB Senior Marketing Manager Humphrey Ginibun who represented the Board.
China-based tourists keen on exploring the beauty of Tawau can conveniently book their flights through various online travel agencies (OTAs) which are Ly.com, Ctrip, Qunar, and Fliggy.
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