Sabah has expanded its connectivity to 10 major Chinese cities, thanks to the resumption of direct flights from Kunming to Kota Kinabalu. The inaugural flight, operated by AirAsia, was welcomed by Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, Sabah Tourism Board chairman and Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, earlier today.
The Kunming-Kota Kinabalu route will operate three times a week, complementing AirAsia’s other direct services to cities such as Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Shanghai, Beijing, and Ningbo. Additionally, Xiamen Air runs flights from Fuzhou to Kota Kinabalu, further boosting Sabah’s links to China.
Sabah Tourism Board remains committed to expanding its market reach beyond China, with Joniston emphasising their ongoing discussions with airline partners, particularly AirAsia, to strengthen Sabah’s position as a travel hub in Borneo. “We are exploring new markets like Vietnam, India, and Central Asia, and planning to resume direct flights from Australia,” he noted. He also highlighted the strategic importance of developing a robust hub network in light of the Nusantara development.
AirAsia is continuing its efforts to connect Sabah with even more destinations. Upcoming routes include direct flights to Shantou in China and Kaohsiung in Taiwan, scheduled to begin in November. A new route from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to Kota Kinabalu is also slated for a December launch. Other international destinations already served by AirAsia include Singapore, Manila, Jakarta, Bali, Taipei, Seoul, and Manado.
In addition to AirAsia, several other airlines offer international flights to Sabah. These include Air Busan (Busan-Kota Kinabalu), Scoot (Singapore-Kota Kinabalu), Shanghai Airlines (Shanghai-Kota Kinabalu), China Southern (Guangzhou-Kota Kinabalu), and Royal Brunei (Bandar Seri Begawan-Kota Kinabalu).
Sabah has seen a steady rise in international arrivals, welcoming 262,070 visitors from China between January and July this year, which accounts for 70 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. Bruneians and South Koreans followed closely, with 124,521 and 106,573 arrivals respectively, making these nations Sabah’s top three international tourist markets.
Source: The Borneo Post
