In a recent announcement, low-cost carrier AirAsia revealed plans to introduce a new international direct route from Kota Kinabalu to Shanghai starting on February 20th.
This new route will give travelers the opportunity to visit Shanghai, which will become the sixth destination in mainland China accessible from Kota Kinabalu. The five existing destinations include Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing, and Wuhan.
AirAsia’s decision to expand its services to Shanghai is a strong indication of Kota Kinabalu’s significance as the airline’s second-largest hub in the country, as stated in AirAsia’s press release on Wednesday (Jan 10).
The statement mentioned, “We are thrilled to kick off the new year with this momentous announcement, especially for our guests in Sabah.”
According to AirAsia, the visa-free entry initiative implemented by the government last year has created a significant opportunity to promote tourism between China and Malaysia.
With China being one of its largest markets, AirAsia currently offers a total of 19 routes from Malaysia, including a remarkable 162 weekly flights commencing from February 2024.
In addition to expanding its Kota Kinabalu hub, the introduction of this new international route reinforces AirAsia’s position as the largest foreign low-cost carrier in China.
AirAsia Aviation Group’s chief executive officer, Bo Lingam, expressed enthusiasm about the potential impact on the Sabah tourism sector, especially as the state aims to achieve 2.8 million tourist arrivals in 2024.
Apart from mainland China, AirAsia Malaysia currently offers direct routes from Kota Kinabalu to three other international destinations, namely Singapore, Taipei, and Hong Kong.
