KOTA KINABALU: A comprehensive Sabah Tourism Blueprint is being drawn up to chart tourism growth by year-end, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
He said this blueprint is set to chart a new course for tourism growth with clear direction, address sustainability and challenges such as aviation connectivity, reflect local aspirations and provide a framework beyond previous master plans.
“With the programmes underway, I believe Sabah is on track to achieve the targeted four million visitor arrivals under Visit Malaysia 2026 and to prepare for Visit Sabah 2027,” he said.
Hajiji said Sabah performed strongly last year, reaching 3.79 million visitor arrivals, an increase of 20.8% compared with the previous year, generating RM8.74bil in revenue and creating nearly 400,000 jobs.
He said this at the grand opening of the Hilton Garden Inn Kota Kinabalu in Tuaran, on Sunday (June 7).
He said developments such as this support several key pillars of Sabah’s tourism growth strategy, that is, strengthening premium and sustainable accommodation options, creating meaningful employment and skills development for locals.
Hajiji said the state government, through the Tourism Ministry, is working to blend sustainability, strengthen collaboration between the government, private sector, and communities and harness digital innovation to build a resilient, high-value tourism industry.
He said the recent launches of big names in the hotel industry sent a strong signal that Sabah remains a competitive and attractive destination for quality investment, particularly in the tourism and hospitality services sectors.
“It is also a testament to the resilience and optimism of our industry partners, even in uncertain times,” said Hajiji.
