Sabah Tourism Board’s Joniston Bangkuai presenting a gift to AirAsia Group’s Bo Lingam. Photo Credit: Sabah Tourism Board
Talks are underway between Sabah Tourism Board and AirAsia to form a strategic partnership. A delegation from the Board, led by its chairman, Joniston Bangkuai, and AirAsia management team led by its CEO, Bo Lingam, met at AirAsia's corporate headquarters in Sepang, Malaysia, recently.
Both sides have agreed on a comprehensive five-year master plan with the proposed Memorandum of Collaboration to be formalised after the Chinese New Year.
The proposed collaborative effort would encompass a strategic vision for promoting Sabah and luring a higher influx of tourists. A team of senior officials from both sides has been tasked to work on the proposed iniative. The plan includes the expansion of international routes and the potential development of Kota Kinabalu International Airport Terminal 2 to meet surging demand.
During the meeting, both Joniston and Bo emphasised the importance of ensuring that any agreements reached are mutually beneficial and achievable. “The focus is on creating a partnership that not only uplifts the tourism sector but also fosters a positive and sustainable relationship between Sabah and AirAsia.
“This is to ensure whatever partnership we establish will deliver tangible benefits for Sabah's tourism industry while also aligning with AirAsia's strategic objectives,” said Joniston.
AirAsia plans to launch eight new routes into Sabah this year. They include Jakarta, Denpasar, Manado, Shanghai, Osaka, and Incheon.
Last year, AirAsia flew over two million passengers into Sabah. Currently, AirAsia has 12 domestic and nine international routes. The international routes are Singapore, Manila, Taipei, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Beijing, and Hangzhou.
In December 2023, the low-cost airline operated 51 weekly international flights and over 280 weekly domestic flights.