Korea is poised to contribute to Sabah’s visitor arrivals by resuming several Korean airlines with direct flights from Seoul to Kota Kinabalu.
Air Busan, Jeju Air & Jin Air to Fly to Sabah
Air Busan is the second Korean-based low-cost airline to resume direct flights from the Korean Capital to Kota Kinabalu post-Covid-19 pandemic after Jin Air on 26 May.
The third airline Jeju Air is expected will restart direct flights to Sabah on 29 June. For the time being, all three airlines will depart via Incheon.
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| Passengers arriving in Kota Kinabalu from Korea. Photo TheStar. |
The Air Busan BX 767 flight from Incheon International Airport with 196 passengers on board arrived at the KKIA at about 2310 and was greeted with a water cannon salute.
Sabah Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister cum Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai was on hand to greet the passengers, all Korean tourists.
Sabah Tourism Board chief executive officer Noredah Othman and KKIA Senior Airport Manager Sunif Naiman were also present to distribute welcome souvenirs courtesy of Sabah Tourism.
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| Korean tourists arriving at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport. Photo NST. |
Joniston Bangkuai said;
“With the arrival of Korean airlines in Sabah, we are seeing a slight improvement in Korean arrivals. Koreans’ willingness and confidence to return to Sabah is a great indication for us.
“While we want to promote Sabah to international visitors, we also want to encourage locals to take advantage of this direct flight and explore Korea.”
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| Air Busan passengers arrive in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Photo by Daily Express. |
Conclusion
Air Busan currently operates two weekly flights to Kota Kinabalu on Tuesdays and Fridays, while Jeju Air is expected to restart direct flights to Sabah on 29 June 2022. For now, all three airlines will depart via Incheon in South Korea.
Joniston and Sabah Tourism Board chief executive officer Noredah Othman visited Seoul in early May to meet with airlines in Korea along with top officials from Jin Air, Air Busan and Jeju Air. They also discussed Mode Tour and Hana Tour with top Korean travel companies.