By The Borneo Post onSabah
Joniston
KOTA KINABALU (April 16): Sandakan continues to be actively promoted as a gateway for nature tourism, said Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai.
He said Sandakan currently receives 32 weekly flights, and has seen an increase of 11,905 domestic tourists and 4,880 foreign tourists in the past two months.
“Sandakan is rich in nature, wildlife and natural beauty. We’re seeing an upward trend in interest,” he said when winding up his ministry’s speech at the State Assembly sitting today.
“We are currently in talks with Scoot, based in Singapore, and we are hopeful that this will bear fruit. We continue to engage with airlines because we recognise that connectivity is key,” he added.
“With China, for example, we have several direct flights to Kota Kinabalu from cities such as Xiamen and Shanghai. These are the types of discussions we’re having with airlines to open access to new tourism markets — not just traditional ones.”
“We will continue engaging with stakeholders. We need their input on what needs to be done to further boost tourism development,” he said.
Joniston also said Sabah has experienced a significant increase in tourist arrivals following the reopening of international borders.
He said that in 2024, visitor numbers rose by 20.4% compared to the previous year.
And in January 2025 alone, Sabah recorded 303,614 tourist arrivals, with tourism expenditure reaching RM723.09 million — an increase of 23% compared to January 2024, he said.
He added that in order to achieve the target of 3.5 million tourist arrivals this year, tourism promotion and marketing efforts will continue to be strengthened through the “Explore Sabah” branding campaign, which is centred on three core themes: culture, adventure, and nature. This campaign focuses on seven key markets, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, China, India, Southeast Asia, and the domestic market.
“This year’s promotional focus is on beach and nature themes, diving activities and direct wildlife interaction to offer visitors a more authentic experience. High-impact campaigns and collaborations with tourism industry players will continue, following the successful increase in visitors in 2024,” he said.
Joniston also said that new tourism products such as birdwatching, wildlife observation, educational tourism, and wellness tourism are gaining popularity among international tourists.
“The government will continue to support the development of new tourism products and ensure the quality of tourism offerings in the state remains on par with some of the best in the region,” he assured.
At the same time, he said that his ministry is also actively exploring new markets, including neighbouring countries, India, Russia, and Eastern Europe.
He also described the tourism industry ecosystem as complex, involving various sectors and industries such as infrastructure, tourism facilities, local authorities and governance, natural resources, as well as socio-economic factors.
The tourism sector is also highly sensitive to global economic and political conditions, he added.
Meanwhile, the government has stepped up its efforts to support industry players, encourage investment in the tourism sector, and enhance innovative tourism products, said Joniston.
“The presence of international hotel chains in Sabah is a key indicator of global confidence in the state’s tourism potential,” he said.
In the ministry’s speech, Joniston said that security and wellness of tourists continue to be a priority of his ministry.
In February 2025, the ministry, in collaboration with the British High Commission, organised the First Response Course for the very first time in Semporna, aimed at ensuring that all safety measures are maintained at the highest standards, he said.
The course was attended by various enforcement agencies and private tourism operators.
He said his ministry had also developed several Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for high-risk tourism activities such as scuba diving, sea walking, parasailing, snorkelling and white water rafting.
“In April 2025, a training course was conducted to certify 12 guides for Stand-Up Paddleboarding (SUP) — an increasingly popular activity, particularly along Tanjung Aru Beach. This initiative is part of the ministry’s commitment to ensuring that all operators comply with the established safety standards,” he said.
