Sabah is predicted to get 2.5 million tourists this year, above the 2.2 million objectives, according to State Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Environment Datuk Christina Liew.
According to her, Sabah achieved RM4.42 billion in tourism revenue from 2.1 million visitors as of October 2023.
"I am optimistic that Sabah can meet the goal, which will accelerate the recovery's pace in the upcoming year."
The State Government is dedicated to executing diverse initiatives and inclusive tourism programs to promote Sabah as a top travel destination for both local and foreign travelers following the COVID-19 pandemic. She made this statement during her speech on Thursday at the opening of the Regional Tourism Satellite Account (RTSA) Sabah 2022 publication at Shangri-La Tanjung Aru, here.
Her Assistant Minister, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, read her speech.
Datuk Seri Dr. Mohd Uzir Mahidin, Malaysia's Chief Statistician, was also in attendance.
Christina stated that much work needs to be done because Sabah's tourism industry is still not as vibrant as it was before the Covid-19 outbreak when 4.2 million visitors were reported in 2019 alone.
Accordingly, she stated that initiatives to increase air connectivity will remain at the top of the priority list. Many incentives are being prepared to incentivize airline firms to restart stopped routes, launch new ones, and set up special charter flights to Sabah.
She said that a total of 384 internal flights with 63,519 seats and 105 direct international flights with 18,962 seats each week are received by Sabah.
"A vital network that links Sabah with possible destinations in the region is air travel. The resumption of Sabah's tourism industry has been positively impacted by the reopening of the national borders.
"Sabah recorded 1.73 million tourist arrivals in 2022, up 365.5% from just 371,187 arrivals the year before," the spokesperson stated.
She added that the government would keep promoting rural tourism to strengthen ecotourism in Sabah.
The Minister stated, "The Ministry is informed that the biodiversity of the State's natural environment is a priceless asset that needs to be restored and preserved by the prestigious 'Triple Crown' recognition awarded to Sabah."
Christina, meanwhile, stated that the 2022 Sabah Regional Tourism Satellite Account (RTSA) was put into place to assess the performance of Sabah's tourism industry and that the State has to use the results of this study to develop policies that will increase tourism.
be able to benefit from this publication in drafting and planning the development of Sabah's tourism industry," the speaker stated.
According to the 2022 Sabah RSTA, three things influence a traveler's decision to visit Sabah: the state's tourist attractions, the convenience of access, and referrals from friends and family.
It was also discovered that Sabah's three primary draws are its culinary haven, eco-tourism, and the splendor of its beaches and islands.
Additionally, the data revealed that 42.4 percent of visitors are female and 57.6 percent of visitors are male. Seven 9 percent of visitors choose to stay in hotels, 18.2 percent stay in friends' and family's houses, and 5.2 percent stay in homestays.
In addition, visitors tended to buy handicrafts, dried and frozen fish, and local food, with their preferred shopping destinations being the handicraft market, the Kota Kinabalu night market, and the Imago Shopping Mall.