Sabah Records 25.5% Surge in Chinese Tourist Arrivals as Xiamen Airlines Resumes Direct Flights

KOTA KINABALU, Sept 18 — Sabah continues to experience strong growth in international tourism, recording a 25.5 per cent increase in visitor arrivals from China during the first seven months of 2026 and further solidifying China’s position as the state’s largest source of overseas travelers.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin announced that the state welcomed 484,699 arrivals from China between January and July 2026, up significantly from the 386,217 visitors recorded during the corresponding 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,” Jafry said in an official statement today.

To support the upward trajectory in tourist volume, Xiamen Airlines will officially resume its direct service connecting Xiamen and Kota Kinabalu on Sept 23, 2026.

When paired with the existing Fuzhou-Kota Kinabalu route, the resumption increases Sabah’s air connectivity with Fujian province to seven direct flights weekly, consisting of four flights from Xiamen and three from Fuzhou. Jafry emphasized that the enhanced flight frequencies will make the state far more accessible to travellers from Fujian and surrounding regions while generating broader commercial opportunities for the local tourism ecosystem.

The minister is currently attending the Sabah B2B Roadshow in Fuzhou, organised in collaboration with the Sabah Chapter of the Malaysia Chinese Tourism Association, Xiamen Airlines, and the Sabah Tourism Board. The event has convened key travel agents and industry stakeholders from Xiamen and Quanzhou to negotiate new commercial partnerships and tour packages.

–NMT