KOTA KINABALU – Sabah expects over one million arrivals for 2022 after recording a significant increase in visitors in the first seven months.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor expressed confidence that the state could achieve the figure, saying 857,675 visitors have come to Sabah up until July this year, a 632% hike compared to the same period of last year.
The increase, he said, is largely driven by domestic tourism at present, with 785,123 visitors respectively.
“With the reopening of international borders, the number of international tourist arrivals recorded significant growth with 72,552 arrivals, an increase of 3,680%, for the first seven months of 2022.
“This is indeed a good sign and, slowly but surely, we see visitor arrivals picking up and I am happy that tourism industry players have joined hands with us to push this upward momentum,” he said during the opening of the Holiday Inn Express here today.
Hajiji also noted that air connectivity, both domestic and international, is on the upward trend and there are 367 domestic flights with 60,162 seat capacity per week to Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Penang, Kota Bharu, Terengganu, Labuan, Kuching, Miri, Sibu, Bintulu and Mulu at present.
Five international destinations currently serve Sabah – Singapore, Bandar Seri Begawan, Incheon, Manila and Bangkok – with a total of 39 flights per week and a seat capacity of 7,016 at present.
“In line with tourism recovery efforts, the granting of incentives to international airlines have been implemented as part of the tourism post-pandemic recovery strategy.
“The incentive aims to support and encourage airlines to reinstate air connectivity, commence new international routes, or hold special charter flights to Sabah. This is important since 96% of tourist arrivals to Sabah are by air,” he said.
Hajiji said efforts are focused on smart collaborations with industry partners – such as airlines, tourism associations, and the Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board – which allows high visibility campaigns, familiarisation trips for media and social media influencers, as well as participation in tourism fairs such as the Matta Fair and Malaysia International Travel Mart.
During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, he said the state government charted a development plan and launched the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya Roadmap, outlining its vision, strategy and priorities for the next five years from 2021.
“It was to be a pivotal blueprint to bring Sabah into the next decade and to provide clarity on Sabah’s key focus areas, especially for businesses and investors resulting in high-impact multi- billion ringgit investments taking off.
“And the best news is that Sabah has raked in RM9.9 billion worth of foreign investments from January to September this year, all achieved in the midst of the pandemic,” he said.
Hajiji said these investments, most importantly, also produced a multiplier effect to boost the economy.
“I want to see that they are measured in jobs created for our people. For a new hotel like Holiday Inn Express, we want to see that the impact is measured not only by the flow of visitors and their resources but also by the opportunity in hiring locals to work here.
“And the key to this is that investments we bring in are measured in the motivating effect on other local enterprises besides seeing that their impact will ripple through the local communities,” he said.
As more arrivals are expected into Sabah, the state government is confident that there would be sufficient room with at least 11 new hotels being planned or built and to be completed in the next few years with additional 3,500 rooms.
In addition to Holiday Inn Express, Hyatt Centric and Alila Resort will also be completed this year, he said.
Present were State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Arrifin, State Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Yakub Khan, State Tourism, Culture and Environment Assistant Minister cum Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, Chee Swee Cheng Group of Companies executive director Chee Eng Hoon and InterContinental Hotels and Resorts director of operations for South East Asia and Korea Sophie Mougel. – The Vibes, September 26, 2022
