KOTA KINABALU: A comprehensive Sabah Tourism Blueprint is being drawn up to chart the sector’s growth by year-end, says Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor (pic).
He said this blueprint would spell out a clear direction, address sustainability and challenges such as aviation connectivity to ensure tourism growth that reflects local aspirations.
“With the programmes currently underway, I believe Sabah is on track to achieve the targeted four million visitor arrivals during Visit Malaysia 2026 and to prepare for Visit Sabah 2027,” he said.
Hajiji added that Sabah performed strongly last year, reaching 3.79 million visitor arrivals, an increase of 20.8% compared with the previous year.
This had generated RM8.74bil in revenue and created nearly 400,000 jobs, he said at the grand opening of Hilton Garden Inn Kota Kinabalu in Tuaran yesterday.
He said developments such as this support several key pillars of Sabah’s tourism growth strategy.
This included strengthening premium and sustainable accommodation options, and creating meaningful employment and skills development for locals, he added.
Strategies like empowering community-based enterprises through the supply chain and promoting tourism that respects and preserves the environment are also part of the state’s tourism growth initiative, he said.
Despite external factors that may affect Sabah’s tourism sector, 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.
