Kota Kinabalu: Sabah welcomed Indonesia AirAsia’s reopening of the Jakarta-Kota Kinabalu direct flight on Tuesday, marking a significant milestone in the State’s efforts to enhance regional connectivity and strengthen East Malaysia-Indonesia ties.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Assistant Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the Kota Kinabalu-Jakarta route is poised to have a profound impact on Sabah’s tourism sector, fostering cultural exchanges and boosting economic activities.
“We anticipate increased tourist arrivals, opening up new opportunities for businesses and creating a positive ripple effect on the local economy,”
“I’m sure it will be easier for the Indonesian nationals who live (in Sabah) to return to their home country. Sabah is home to some 160,000 (Indonesian nationals). And likewise we hope Malaysians in Sabah will travel to Indonesia,” he said during the welcoming ceremony of the flight at Kota Kinabalu International Airport, here, Tuesday.
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“The Jakarta-Kota Kinabalu route is not just about connecting cities; it is about connecting economies. We anticipate a surge in trade, investment, and business activities, fostering economic growth and prosperity for both Jakarta and Kota Kinabalu.
“This new air link will bring our people closer, creating opportunities for friendships, collaborations, and a deeper understanding of our shared values,” he said.
Indonesia AirAsia Flight Operations Director Captain Wuri Septiawan said Indonesia contributed 78,693 tourist arrivals into Sabah in 2023.
“Now with the direct route from Jakarta to Kota Kinabalu, we stand at the threshold of a transformative journey. It also signifies our support to the Government in enhancing the relationship between Indonesia and Malaysia,” he said.
The inaugural flight, with the code QZ 526, departed from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) at 1.15pm and landed safely at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI) in the afternoon where it was greeted with a water salute.
Kota Kinabalu becomes the fifth destination for direct flights from Jakarta to Malaysia by Indonesia AirAsia, following the successful launches of Jakarta-Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta-Johor Bahru, Jakarta-Penang, and Jakarta-Kuching routes.
Meanwhile, Joniston, who is also Sabah Tourism Board (STB) Chairman, said the board will continue to draw up strategic plans with AirAsia to ensure such direct flights into Kota Kinabalu will sustain for the long-term.
This follows plans between STB and Airasia to formalise a Memorandum of Collaboration after the Lunar New Year festivities.
“STB engaged in a constructive discussion with AirAsia on Monday, emphasising the mutual benefit of collaborative efforts to promote Sabah as a premier destination and to enhance tourism influx.
“This is important for us given Sabah’s position as the second-largest hub for AirAsia in Malaysia.
“Of course, AirAsia has established great connectivity with destinations in the Asean region, and we want to capitalise on existing routes to get into this market and explore how we can draw more ASEAN tourists to Sabah,” he said.
Joniston said the board has received a comprehensive briefing and AirAsia is set to introduce additional direct flights this year, including routes to Denpasar and Manado.
“We want to see more inter-Asean city flights. We want to capitalise on the 660 million population of the 10 Asean countries. There is a market to be tapped.
“We at STB will make sure that we can contribute to sustaining all these flights. What matters is that the flights will continue (instead of being discontinued and then reinstated),” he said.
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