Sabah Pursues Strategic Tourism, Cultural Ties With India - Jafry

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 6 (Bernama) -- Sabah is pursuing a strategic initiative to strengthen tourism and cultural ties with India to tap into the republic’s high-yield travel market ahead of Visit Sabah 2027, said state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin.

He described India as a key source market with significant growth potential, which complements Sabah’s niche tourism offerings, particularly eco-tourism, biodiversity, adventure travel and cultural heritage.

“India is an important tourism market with tremendous potential for Sabah, and we see significant opportunities to strengthen our engagement, encourage greater visitor arrivals, and introduce more Indian travellers to our unique natural attractions.

“Tourism is not merely about attracting visitors, but also about fostering lasting friendships, promoting cultural understanding and creating economic opportunities that benefit our local communities,” he said in a statement here today.

Jafry hosted a dinner in honour of the High Commissioner of India to Malaysia, Somnath Ghosh, and his spouse, Dr Anindita Ghosh, here last night.

The dinner was held in conjunction with the Indian envoy’s four-day official working visit to Sabah from Nov 4 to 7 to explore new avenues for cooperation.

Jafry said the state government welcomed direct collaboration with Indian authorities, particularly in joint tourism promotions, cultural exchange programmes and reciprocal initiatives aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties.

He also expressed appreciation to the High Commission of India for its role in strengthening bilateral relations and actively facilitating strategic engagements between the two sides.

"Our aspiration is to bring Sabah closer to the world while welcoming more visitors from around the globe to experience Sabah through meaningful partnerships that benefit both sides," he said.

-- BERNAMA