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3rd December, 2008
KOTA KINABALU: The global economic crisis has not hampered the state’s tourism industry.
The industry continues to flourish as evidenced by this year’s rise in number of tourist arrivals from Australia and Europe, said Tourism, Culture & Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun.
Masidi said the number of Australians arriving in the State is up by 27 percent while for Europeans the figure has gone up by 22 percent.
He was speaking at the inaugural Singapore-Kota Kinabalu-Singapore flight by Jetstar Asia at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) yesterday. Also present at the event was his assistant, Bolkiah Haji Ismail.
Jetstar Asia, a budget airline, will be operating four flights a week and starting 20 December, it will be flying the Singapore-Kota Kinabalu-Singapore route on a daily basis.
The minister said with the new flights he was confident the tourism sector will continue to grow and improve.
The State government is also keen in forging stronger ties with Singapore, a top MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Events) host in order to tap the country’s tourist market, said Masidi.
“MICE participants can now come to KK to relax after their meetings in Singapore,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jetstar Asia and Valuair Chief Executive Officer, Chong Phit Lian, who arrived on the Jetstar flight from Singapore yesterday said that the maiden flight was 90 percent full with 160 passengers on board.
“Jetstar has received overwhelming response from passengers after it announced its plans to fly the East Malaysian routes in October this year,” she said adding this was another milestone in the airline’s expansion to the country.
There are currently 22 flights from Singapore to Kota Kinabalu.
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