More tourists visiting Sabah this year

KOTA KINABALU: The number of tourist arrivals to Sabah is on the rise.

According to Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Pang Yuk Ming, the arrival of tourists from China has risen by 16 per cent ( 296,441) between January and August this year compared to the same period last year.

Positive growth was also seen in the arrival of tourists from Korea, which rose by 53 per cent (196,895) from January to August this year compared to the same period last year, as well as from Taiwan, which saw an increase of 16 per cent for the same corresponding period, he said.

Furthermore, Pang disclosed that overall tourist arrivals from overseas was 810,660, which was a hike of about seven per cent from the same January-August period last year, while the percentage of domestic arrivals to Sabah has also increased by 12.5 per cent for that period.

The assistant minister also revealed that Sabah will be receiving flights from Chengdu and Changsha, both of which are situated in China, by the month of November and December this year, respectively.

Altogether, Sabah will be receiving 171 international flights, 80 of which originate from China, he noted.

Meanwhile, Pang added that they have decided to slow down on their tourism marketing efforts due to a shortage of rooms at four and five star hotels and resorts.