The Sabah Tourism Board (STB) will embark on a structured timeline of a tactical Sabah campaign in collaboration with the Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG), says Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Christina Liew.
The (FCTG) is headquartered in Brisbane (Australia), and has company-owned leisure and corporate travel business in 24 countries, spanning Australia, New Zealand, the Americas, Europe, the United Kingdom, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Asia. FCTG owns a number of wholesale brands, which supply products to its national and international network or travel retail outlets throughout Australia.
Liew said collaboration is crucial for maximum results as the Flight Centre Brisbane is currently “selling” Sabah as a holiday destination.
“Based on their data, 38% of their clients to Sabah are couples, followed by solo travellers (29%) and family (11%). It is heartening to note that Kota Kinabalu is the top city to visit, followed by sandakan.

“Flight Centre Brisbane’s effort in this direction can be enhanced by STB’s promotional role, given that our tourism products and services suit the Aussie markets, none other than wildlife, nature and 5-star beach resorts,” she said in a statement on Tuesday, after a recent business meeting with the Chief Executive Officer cum Founder of Flight Centre Brisbane, Graham Turner, Group Partnership Manager Tim Holden, and Global Product Designer Lorraine Young at the Flight Centre Office, here.
Outlining STB’s strategies, the Minister said these would be online advertising on Sabah’s existence and its unique attractions, creating retail awareness on Sabah at Flight Centre’s retail shops, and destination education training for the Flight Centre’s retail frontliners, through familiarisation (FAM) trips, for example.
“When tourism consumers walk into a Flight Centre’s travel retail outlet, they will be enlightened on where Sabah is located and what it has to offer as an ideal holiday destination.”
According to Liew, the proposed strategies are targeted to be implemented by the fourth quarter (Q4) of this year for Australia’s outbound traffic from the first quarter (Q1) of 2024 onwards.