Matchmaking proposed for Valentine's Day
KOTA KINABALU: Matchmaking competition was among the ideas being brainstormed as a tourism event for Valentine's Day in Sabah, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew.
Liew, who is also the Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, confirmed the Valentine's Day event will definitely be organized by the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) next year.
"We are going to exchange ideas on how we should do it. I will welcome all the couples, whether married or not married and even singles can come. I am going to propose this to my ministry, how about we have a matchmaking competition for all the singles," said Liew lightheartedly to the press after officiating at the community-based tourism roadshow at Suria Sabah Shopping Mall here yesterday.
"But that is just a thought. I am sure we will come up with something great. First time to do that in Sabah. Every month we have something exciting on," she added.
When asked about Transport Minister Anthony Loke's announcement that AirAsia would take over two of MA Swings' rural air routes between Kota Kinabalu and Sibu and Kota Kinabalu and Bintulu from January, she said the ministry would monitor the success of the new operation.
Previously, only Malaysia Airlines' subsidiary, MASWings, operated those routes under the Rural Air Service (RAS) framework.
"Of course, some sectors are not happy about it but they say in lieu of that AirAsia and MAS will be flying these sectors. We will see how it goes but so far I think by January 1 onward, there will be no more (MASwings operation) on some of these sectors. Some people welcome it because they want AirAsia to go (and operate the routes)," she said.
Earlier during the launch, Liew said up to September 2018, tourism had already generated an estimated RM6.2 billion receipts (up by 7% compared to last year) to the state economy.
She added, arrivals are up 5.1% or 2.865 million compared to the same period in 2017.