Resumption of AirAsia's KK-HK flights good for Sabah tourism, says STB chief

Water salute welcoming AirAsia's Hong Kong - Kota Kinabalu flight resumption on Jan 2.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah began 2023 with AirAsia resuming its direct flights from Hong Kong to the state.

A total of 138 passengers were given a warm welcome as the flight touched down at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport on Monday (Jan 2).

AirAsia reinstated the twice-weekly (Wednesday and Sunday) flights from Hong Kong to Kota Kinabalu with a total capacity of 372 passengers.

Sabah Tourism Board chief executive officer Noredah Othman said reconnecting Hong Kong with Kota Kinabalu reopened international connectivity for Sabah.

“Hong Kong is one of our top targeted tourism markets. This is a great start for our tourism industry in 2023.

Sabah Tourism Board chief executive officer Noredah Othman giving out welcome gitf to passengers who arrived from the Hong Kong - Kota Kinabalu flight.

"Sabah is blessed with beautiful islands and beaches, making us a preferred destination for Hong Kong travellers.

"I am glad that finally, AirAsia has reactivated its Hong Kong-Kota Kinabalu route," he said in a statement.

AirAsia currently connects Kota Kinabalu to five major international cities: Singapore, Manila, Bangkok, Taipei and Hong Kong.

With the resumption of the Hong Kong-Kota Kinabalu route, Sabah now receives 64 weekly direct international flights.

Other direct flights are from South Korea (29), Singapore (14), the Philippines (six), Brunei (five), Taiwan (four), Japan (two) and Thailand (two).

Sabah will continue to improve access to the state by increasing the number of international flights from major cities abroad, Noredah added.