FUZHOU CITY: Sabah recorded 484,699 visitor arrivals from China in the first seven months of 2026, up 25.5 per cent from 386,217 in the same period last year.
State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said the increase reinforced China’s position as Sabah’s largest international source market.
“This strong growth reflects the continued demand for Sabah among Chinese travellers and highlights the importance of strengthening our connectivity with China,” he said at the Sabah B2B Roadshow here, on Friday.
He said Xiamen Airlines will resume direct Xiamen-Kota Kinabalu flights on Sept 23, bringing the number of direct weekly flights from Fujian province to seven, comprising four from Xiamen and three from Fuzhou.
Jafry said the improved connectivity would make Sabah more accessible to travellers from Fujian and surrounding regions while creating more opportunities for the State’s tourism industry.
