Sabah attracts two million tourists so far this year

Cowboys of the East: Bajau horse riders participating in the opening ceremony of Tamu Besar Kota Belud. — Bernama

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah has attracted more than 2.1 million tourists between January and August this year, with 867,231 of them arriving from overseas, says Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

“This shows the great potential of Sabah as a tourist destination, and I am confident with the strategic planning that is in place, the number of tourist arrivals to Sabah will continue to record an encouraging increase,” he said.

Hajiji added that the Sabah government is continuously improving airline accessibility to the region and creating new tourism products for visitors.

“We want to be able to offer the most interesting tourism experience for both domestic or international tourists,” he said when launching the traditional native market Kota Belud Tamu Besar, about 80km from the state capital yesterday.

He said the market, which has been in existence for well over a century, is a unique attraction that reflects the beauty and uniqueness of Sabah’s cultures and communities.

“There is no doubt that the annual hosting of this Kota Belud Tamu Besar plays a big role in attracting tourists, in addition to promoting the beauty of local culture.

“This is also a symbol of unity that has existed for generations where people from various ethnicities like the Bajau, Kadazandusun, Iranun and Chinese can be seen today,” he said.

Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin launched the Kota Belud Tamu Besar 2024 that was marked with cultural performances, traditional sports, exhibitions and the sale of handicrafts.Hajiji noted that Kota Belud has more than 30 interesting locations to explore, such as on the island and the river, with experiences that include adventure, recreation, culture and nature tourism.

“Kota Belud Tamu is not just a trading centre, but also a manufacturing and trading hub known for its quality agricultural produce, traditional food, handicrafts, musical instruments, as well as traditional clothing,” added the Sabah Chief Minister.