KOTA KINABALU, 13 May 2026: Sabah is adapting its tourism outlook as global aviation conditions continue to shift amid geopolitical tensions, rising costs, and significant changes in airline capacity.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said tourism planning for the state would be guided by a flexible framework that allows continuous assessment of global developments, particularly those affecting air connectivity and international travel demand.
“We are already seeing these changes impacting airline capacity, with route suspensions and reduced frequencies affecting connectivity into Kota Kinabalu, and we are closely monitoring developments to ensure our tourism planning remains responsive,” he said.
International routes
AirAsia has suspended the Singapore–Kota Kinabalu route from 13 May to 30 November.
Jakarta–Kota Kinabalu until 21 May.
Ho Chi Minh–Kota Kinabalu beginning 1 July.
Batik Air has also suspended its Seoul–Kota Kinabalu route since 28 April.
Domestic routes
AirAsia will temporarily suspend its Sibu–Kota Kinabalu and Bintulu–Kota Kinabalu routes from 8 to 30 June.
Jafry said these developments reflect broader external factors that may influence visitor arrivals and overall connectivity trends.
He said arrivals performance planning is based on scenario-based assessments reflecting different operating environments, including prolonged external disruptions, a stabilising baseline, and potential recovery in airline capacity.
Based on preliminary statistics, Sabah recorded 932,970 arrivals up to March 2026, comprising 537,317 domestic and 395,653 international visitors.
(Source: Sabah Tourism Board)
