ID :
59682
Fri, 05/08/2009 - 18:43
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/59682
The shortlink copeid
SABAH KEEN ON ATTRACTING MIDEAST AIRLINES, TOURISTS
By Muin Abdul Majid
DUBAI, May 8 (Bernama) -- Sabah, an East Malaysia state, hopes major Middle
Eastern airlines will include the state in their holiday programmes and
eventually, mount direct flights to the state famed for its Mount Kinabalu and
natural beauty.
Sabah Tourism Board (STB) senior research manager Allen Chia said, Sabah was
already included in Etihad Holidays' programme, following talks between Sabah
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun and senior
officials from Etihad Airways of the United Arab Emirates in February.
Etihad Holidays is a division of Etihad Airways. It offers a comprehensive
range of holiday packages to the airline's passenger destinations, including
its home base, Abu Dhabi.
"The challenge for us is to have direct access (from the Middle East region)
to Sabah," he told Bernama on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM)
2009 here.
The four-day event ends Friday.
Chia said Sabah's key tourism markets such as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan,
Japan and South Korea, all had direct access to the East Malaysian state on the
island of Borneo. Other markets include United Kingdom and Australia.
Sabah has been identified by Tourism Malaysia as one of several new
destinations to be promoted as part of the agency's marketing strategies for
2008-2010.
This is STB's maiden appearance at the ATM, billed as the premier tourism
fair, not only for the Middle East but also the global tourism industry.
Chia said he would take the opportunity to size up the Middle East market
and take it from there.
"We would like to thank Tourism Malaysia for inviting us to take part in
this travel show, as well as several tour operators in Kuala Lumpur for
marketing Sabah," he added.
Last year, the state received 2.3 million visitors, including 701,000
foreigners.
"Of course, our biggest contributor is the domestic market. That's why
Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia flights to Sabah are always full," disclosed Chia.
"At this moment of global economic crisis (which is affecting travel), our
focus is on domestic and regional markets. At the same time, we are looking at
new emerging markets in the Middle East and Asia Pacific," he added.
According to him, Sabah's attraction lay in its nature, affording the
younger generation adventure and other eco-tourism products.
"We've received numerous enquiries about diving in Sipadan and activities
associated with our rainforests and so on," he said, adding that Sipadan was an
official nominee for the 'New Seven Wonders of Nature' that would be declared in
2011.
-- BERNAMA
DUBAI, May 8 (Bernama) -- Sabah, an East Malaysia state, hopes major Middle
Eastern airlines will include the state in their holiday programmes and
eventually, mount direct flights to the state famed for its Mount Kinabalu and
natural beauty.
Sabah Tourism Board (STB) senior research manager Allen Chia said, Sabah was
already included in Etihad Holidays' programme, following talks between Sabah
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun and senior
officials from Etihad Airways of the United Arab Emirates in February.
Etihad Holidays is a division of Etihad Airways. It offers a comprehensive
range of holiday packages to the airline's passenger destinations, including
its home base, Abu Dhabi.
"The challenge for us is to have direct access (from the Middle East region)
to Sabah," he told Bernama on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM)
2009 here.
The four-day event ends Friday.
Chia said Sabah's key tourism markets such as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan,
Japan and South Korea, all had direct access to the East Malaysian state on the
island of Borneo. Other markets include United Kingdom and Australia.
Sabah has been identified by Tourism Malaysia as one of several new
destinations to be promoted as part of the agency's marketing strategies for
2008-2010.
This is STB's maiden appearance at the ATM, billed as the premier tourism
fair, not only for the Middle East but also the global tourism industry.
Chia said he would take the opportunity to size up the Middle East market
and take it from there.
"We would like to thank Tourism Malaysia for inviting us to take part in
this travel show, as well as several tour operators in Kuala Lumpur for
marketing Sabah," he added.
Last year, the state received 2.3 million visitors, including 701,000
foreigners.
"Of course, our biggest contributor is the domestic market. That's why
Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia flights to Sabah are always full," disclosed Chia.
"At this moment of global economic crisis (which is affecting travel), our
focus is on domestic and regional markets. At the same time, we are looking at
new emerging markets in the Middle East and Asia Pacific," he added.
According to him, Sabah's attraction lay in its nature, affording the
younger generation adventure and other eco-tourism products.
"We've received numerous enquiries about diving in Sipadan and activities
associated with our rainforests and so on," he said, adding that Sipadan was an
official nominee for the 'New Seven Wonders of Nature' that would be declared in
2011.
-- BERNAMA
