Kota Kinabalu: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) will intensify promotional efforts for Sabah and introduce new tourism packages in domestic and international markets through collaborations with airlines, travel agencies, and digital platforms, as part of its goal to attract more than four million tourists to the state.
Motac said Sabah remains a unique destination rich in natural beauty and cultural diversity, with internationally appealing attractions that can further strengthen the country’s tourism sector.
“Focus is also being placed on developing community-based, cultural and nature tourism products to highlight unique destinations and provide authentic experiences for visitors,” it said in a written reply to a question from Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau (Upko–Tuaran) at the Dewan Rakyat.
Madius had asked about the measures taken by the government to achieve the target of more than four million tourists to Sabah, as well as the roles of the Federal Government and the Sabah Government in realising the goal.
According to Motac, Tourism Malaysia, through its promotional arm, has organised various initiatives this year, including the Asean Tourism Forum (ATF) 2025 Post Tour on January 21.
“It involved 34 representatives from international travel agencies and media outlets from countries such as the United States, Australia, India, Indonesia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Switzerland, Cambodia, Laos, South Korea, Oman, Sri Lanka and Singapore.
“In addition, Motac collaborated with Amazing Borneo to print 800 copies of the ‘Sabah Fun Map’, distributed to all airports in Sabah. Meanwhile, a partnership with the Malaysia Budget Hotel Association (MyBHA) Sabah resulted in the publication of 200 copies of the third edition of the MyBHA Sabah Hotel Map & Directory 2025 for member hotels.
“Support was also extended to the Sabah Tour Guide Association (STGA) for the 1st World Federation of Tour Guide Associations (WFTGA) Trainer Convention 2025 on February 21, which is expected to contribute positively to human capital development in the tourism sector,” it said.
Motac also collaborated with the Sandakan Tourism Association (STAN) to produce 400 copies of the “A Guide to Sandakan Directory Brochure,” featuring key attractions in Sandakan, for distribution throughout Sabah.
Other partnerships include one with SabahTravel.com through an online discount code campaign running from April 2025 to February 2026, aimed at promoting Sabah tourism products to both domestic and international markets.
