KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is set to see a potential rise in Japanese tourist arrivals next year, thanks to strong transit connections and an increase in direct flights from Japan to the state.
Sabah Tourism Board (STB) chief executive officer Julinus Jeffery Jimit hopes Malaysia Airlines will introduce a direct route from Haneda to Kota Kinabalu by early next year.
“This route will not only boost tourist arrivals but also strengthen Sabah’s reputation as a top destination for nature and adventure tourism,” he said.
Jimit added that currently, direct flights from the “Land of the Rising Sun” to the “Land Below the Wind” are limited.
However, he said “51% of Japanese tourists travel via Royal Brunei Airlines and with eight weekly flights from Brunei offering strong transit connections, we expect a notable increase in Japanese visitors to Sabah by 2025”.
Jimit shared these insights at the Tourism Expo Tokyo 2024, where, under the Tourism Malaysia pavilion, STB is promoting Sabah’s diverse attractions to the Japanese market, focusing on education tourism, diving and bird watching.
