AN UPSURGE OF FOREIGN ARRIVALS

THE ADDITION of a new direct route as well as the reinstatement of three other direct routes from the Asia Pacific region will further increase the foreign arrivals to Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA).

11 airlines with a weekly seating capacity of 18,000 will reconnect 13 international cities with Sabah, including Shanghai, Hong Kong, Osaka and Perth.

Malaysia Airline's inaugural flight from Shanghai to Kota Kinabalu on 12.12.12, a most auspicious date of the century, signaled the start of something big for Sabah's tourism industry. Landing on the land below the wind twice weekly, this will be MAS'  third international route originating from China after Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

"Shanghai is China's gateway to Sabah," said the Chairman of Sabah Tourism Board (STB), Datuk Seri PanglimaTengku Zainal Adlin, "and a hub that connects Sabah to China's key international financial centres as well as the provinces located in it's eastern region namely Zheijiang, Jiangsu, Anhui and Hubei."

“We are looking ahead to 2013 and beyond. The state government is drawing strategic plans to increase its air accessibility, as 96% of our arrivals are by air," said the Chairman of STB.

Malaysia Airlines have already reinstated the direct routes from Hong Kong and Perth on the 1st and 9th of December 2012, respectively. The Osaka direct route will be reinstated on the 20th of December this year.

Up to October 2012, foreign arrivals to Sabah have increased by 779,845,  a 14.5 percent jump compared to the same period last year.

“Thanks to all for making this happen, particularly, the Ministry of Transport and Malaysia Airports Holdings and our partners in the tourism industry. Their combined efforts have made KKIA the busiest Airport in Malaysia after KLIA,” said Tunku Adlin. (Insight Sabah)