KOTA KINABALU, 9 December: Sabah is stepping up efforts to lure Indian tourists, given they represent the fastest-growing outbound market post-Covid.
Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the state’s tourism industry was overly dependent on Chinese visitors before the pandemic and that it must now diversify its customer base.
“Sabah is recognised for its nature-based tourism, but we also offer upscale products and one-of-a-kind travel experiences that appeal to visitors from India. They are big spenders, so we want to draw them in.
“Over 6,000 Indian visitors came to Sabah pre-pandemic in 2019, showing a clear interest in visiting the region. While the number is modest, it is still quite promising,” he explained. “Be assured that the Sabah Tourism Board is actively pursuing the Indian market, and we hope to see a steady increase in arrival in the coming year.
He reassured the travel industry that direct airline links between India and Sabah would be established in the future once there was a rise in holiday bookings from Indian visitors. At present, Indian travellers must fly to Singapore or Kuala Lumpur and connect with onward flights to Kota Kinabalu. However, as the market grows, airlines will be encouraged to establish direct flights from key Indian cities.
On Wednesday, Joniston, who also chairs the Sabah Tourism Board, hosted a dinner for the India Market Tour Agents of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA).
AsianWorld Holidays Sdn Bhd director George Kandiah led the delegation on their familiarisation trip to Sabah. Also in attendance at the dinner were MATTA president Datuk Tan Kok Liang and representatives from AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines (MAS), and Batik Air.
On current flight frequency, Joniston said there are 163 weekly connecting flights between Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu available via MAS, Air Asia, and Batik Air.
He also mentioned that 3,247 tourists from India had arrived in the state between January and October this year.
On Tuesday, India’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, B Nagabhushana Reddy, paid a courtesy call on Joniston. They exchanged views on potential cooperation and tourism development.
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In the meeting, Reddy mentioned the need to work with popular destinations because Indians travel widely and in great numbers throughout the world.
He stated that about 700,000 Indian tourists visited Malaysia in 2019, and the fact that a portion of them flew to Sabah demonstrates that Indian tourists are already making plans to experience the country’s unique destinations.
