
Sabah confident of hitting tourism target this year
Published on: Thursday, June 19, 2025
Published on: Thu, Jun 19, 2025
By: Sisca Humphrey Text Size: KOTA KINABALU: The State Government is confident that they can reach their target of 3.5 million tourist arrivals for Sabah this year. Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew ( pic ) said over one million arrivals and RM1 billion in revenue were recorded from January to April, marking an 18 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.
Advertisement She made the remarks after officiating the Asean Travel Exchange (Atex) 2025 on behalf of the Chief Minister, noting this is the first time all 10 Asean countries are represented in such an event held in Sabah. An estimated 500 delegates are attending the tourism exchange, signalling growing regional interest in Sabah as a strategic travel hub. The Minister said Sabah's central location within Asean positions it well for stronger travel market ties and regional cooperation. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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New Straits Times
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an hour ago
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