Abang Johari, flanked by Assistant Tourism Minister Datuk Talip Zulpilip (left) and Assistant Minister of Communication Datuk Lee Kim Shin, fielding questions from reporters. With them are the Ministry of Tourism’s Permanent Secretary Datu Ik Pahon Joyik (back, left) and Sarawak Tourism Board chief executive officer Datuk Rashid Khan.
KUCHING: The Tourism Ministry has requested airline operators in China and Hong Kong to mount direct flights to the state.
Its minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said presently there were no direct flights from China and Hong Kong to the state, and vice versa.
He said although the state had strong business links with Hong Kong and China, Sarawakians could only travel to both places via Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur.
“Most of our business linkage is with China, and our businessmen have to go to China through Kota Kinabalu. To the people in China and, perhaps Hong Kong, those that came from Malaysia are Sabahans.
“They did not know a sizeable number of their visitors are from Sarawak,” he told reporters after attending a dinner between the business community in the state and airline operators from China and Hong Kong on Sunday.
Abang Johari said the dinner provided an opportunity for local businessmen to talk to Hong Kong Airlines, Hong Kong Express and China Southern Airlines’ representatives.
However, he said it was too early to reveal the airlines that were interested to mount direct flights to the state.
“Direct flights could initially be done using chartered flights, and they can be upgraded into scheduled flights once there is volume. The flights do not necessary have to be to Kuching. Perhaps, leisure travellers can also travel to Miri.”
Abang Johari said although AirAsia planned to mount direct flights from Kuching to Shenzhen, his ministry hoped other airline operators would mount direct flights to the state.
He added that during his meeting with foreign airlines’ representatives who participated in Routes Asia 2014, he had also sounded loudly the state’s eagerness for more direct flights.
On incentives for starting direct flights to the state, he said the state government was offering airlines free landing for three years plus Tourism Ministry staff to help them promote the route.