Top attractions in Sabah include Mount Kinabalu, which features the Mountain Torq, said to be the world's highest via ferrata and Asia's first. Photo courtesy of Sabah Tourism Board.
AirAsia and Sabah Tourism Board announced this month a strategic partnership to boost state tourism for the next 5 years. This includes greater collaboration to potentially develop the Kota Kinabalu International Airport as a regional aviation hub.
The Malaysian budget airline is planning to connect Sabah to more points in the BIMP-EAGA subregion as well as the larger ASEAN region, North Asia, and Oceania for the period 2024–2028. It is looking at 14 new domestic and international routes, including Kota Kinabalu–Bandar Sri Begawan, Kota Kinabalu–Perth, Tawau–Guangzhou, and Sandakan–Hong Kong, China. The airline said it will assess the demand for each route, regulatory approval requirements, and other market factors and conditions.
Earlier, AirAsia said it will start a new direct route between Sabah’s capital Kota Kinabalu and Manado in North Sulawesi, Indonesia on 1 September. The thrice weekly service marks the airline’s second route from Sabah to Indonesia. The first is the direct service to Jakarta.
With the addition of Manado, AirAsia will fly internationally to a total of 13 routes with 83 flights weekly from/to Kota Kinabalu.
"We are pleased to establish this 5-year strategic partnership with AirAsia where we will support in bridging the conversation between the airline and relevant stakeholders," said Datuk Christina Liew, Minister of Tourism Culture and Environment Sabah, who witnessed the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the Sabah Tourism Board and AirAsia. "Over the past few months, Sabah has become one of the top affordable travel destinations, and AirAsia has played a crucial role in facilitating this milestone. In the first half of the year, we successfully welcomed 1.24 million tourists to Sabah to date, and with AirAsia’s vast reach, we are confident that we can attract more visitors and showcase the unique experiences Sabah has to offer to travelers beyond this region."
Sabah Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Julinus Jeffery Jimit added that with 90% of arrivals into Sabah are by air, this strategic partnership will further amplify travel opportunities.
"This partnership marks a significant step for us to expand our connectivity from our second biggest hub in Malaysia,” said Datuk Chester Voo, Deputy Group CEO (Airline Operations) of AirAsia Aviation Group. "In 2023 alone, AirAsia flights contributed to a 60% market share for tourism in Sabah, highlighting the immense potential of this region as a major travel destination."
AirAsia Group flies to 23 destinations to/from Sabah with a total of 294 flights weekly. These destinations include from Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Hong Kong, Seoul and more; from Tawau to Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru; and from Sandakan to Kuala Lumpur, excluding the destinations within the Sabah state.