KOTA KINABALU: AirAsia is targeting five million guest arrivals to Sabah through Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, and Tawau in 2025, nearly doubling the 3.7 million arrivals recorded in 2024.
This growth target includes both domestic and international travellers and reinforces AirAsia’s leadership in enhancing connectivity and contributing to the region's economic growth.
Bo Lingam, Group Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia Aviation Group, said Sabah is integral to AirAsia’s network, and they are proud to be the leading airline connecting the region to Malaysia and key international markets.
"Our ambitious 2025 goal of welcoming five million guests reaffirms this commitment, underscored by significant investments in operational capacity to increase flights and targeted marketing efforts," he said.
With higher arrivals, these initiatives have the potential to create substantial economic benefits for the region and local businesses, fuelled by a robust supply chain and increased tourist spending, he added.
"Our growth in Sabah would not be possible without the impactful collaborations we have built with the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) and industry partners," said Lingam.
To sustain this momentum, AirAsia strongly advocates for greater collaboration and shared incentives from key players in tourism and hospitality, including hotels and tourism operators, he said.
By investing in joint promotions and supporting strategic routes, they can amplify tourism’s economic benefits for Sabah and maintain a steady growth trajectory.
"Complementing these efforts, AirAsia is making targeted investments in Fly-Thru offerings and expanding key routes in high-priority markets such as Vietnam, India, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan," Lingam said.
These initiatives are further strengthened by sustained campaigns aimed at attracting travellers from China, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
Together with its partners, AirAsia aims to position Sabah as a thriving global destination that benefits communities far beyond the airport and cements its standing as a world-class tourism hub.
The airline’s 2025 expansion plans include strengthening its existing network of 27 routes, comprising 13 domestic and 14 international connections to and from Sabah.
These enhancements are expected to contribute to a 35% increase in flights to over 51,500 annually and a 43% growth in seat capacity.
In 2024, AirAsia played a key role in helping Sabah reach its goal of over three million visitors, flying a significant portion of these guests and reinforcing its position as the leading airline supporting the region's connectivity and tourism growth.
As part of efforts to rally the region’s tourism ecosystem, the airline is holding a series of roadshows across Sabah to strengthen partnerships and align efforts in improving essential tourism touchpoints such as accommodation, activities, transportation, and accessibility, and explore strategic investments to elevate its tourism infrastructure.
Julinus Jimit, Sabah Tourism Board (STB) Chief Executive Officer, said AirAsia’s extensive network and continued investments have strengthened Sabah’s position as a key gateway for both domestic and international travellers.
STB is excited to deepen collaboration to further enhance the region’s offerings and ensure that all stakeholders are prepared to cater to the projected increase in tourist arrivals resulting from AirAsia’s initiatives.
In 2024, AirAsia and STB entered into a strategic five-year partnership to boost the region’s tourism industry by improving air connectivity across the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and expanding links to the broader ASEAN region, North Asia, and Oceania from 2024 to 2028.
