Sabah Sees 25% Surge in China Arrivals, Celebrates Xiamen Airlines Route Resumption

Sabah is seeing growing momentum from the China market, with visitor arrivals surging by 25.5% in the first seven months of the year, reinforcing China’s position as the state’s largest international source market.

Speaking at the Sabah B2B Roadshow in Fuzhou today, Sabah Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment Datuk Jafry Ariffin stated that Sabah recorded 484,699 arrivals from China between January and July 2026, a significant increase from 386,217 arrivals during the same period in 2025.

“This strong growth reflects the continued demand for Sabah among Chinese travellers and highlights the importance of strengthening our connectivity with China,” he said.

To further support this growing demand, Xiamen Airlines will resume its direct Xiamen–Kota Kinabalu service on 23 September 2026. Together with the existing Fuzhou–Kota Kinabalu route, Sabah will now benefit from seven direct flights per week from Fujian province—four from Xiamen and three from Fuzhou.
“This enhanced connectivity will make Sabah more accessible to travellers from Fujian and the surrounding regions, while creating greater opportunities for our tourism industry,” Jafry explained.

He also highlighted that Sabah remains a land of incredible diversity, appealing to Chinese tourists not just through its breathtaking beaches and ancient rainforests, but through the warmth of its people and rich cultural traditions.

The B2B Roadshow was organized in strong collaboration with the Malaysia Chinese Tourism Association (MCTA) Sabah Chapter, Xiamen Airlines, and the Sabah Tourism Board. It successfully brought together key travel agents and industry players from Xiamen and Quanzhou to explore new collaborations.