Sabah Tourism Board and Malaysia Airlines partner for 2018 London campaign

The Sabah Tourism Board (STB) has partnered with Malaysia Airlines (MAB) for a joint 2018 campaign in London. This is in a bid to continue increasing arrivals to Sabah, as well as boost the profile of Kota Kinabalu, Borneo and the UK.According to multiple media reports, Datuk Masidi Manjun, Sabah's tourism, culture and environment minister, said the partnership will help create even greater opportunities to grow the increasing number of tourists and business travellers from the UK and Ireland, who are flying to Sabah.In 2018, MAB London will conduct a series of trade and consumer activities and campaigns to promote Sabah and Malaysia. This will be done through digital campaigns via the online portals of Malaysia Airlines UK and the European Union, a partnership with tourism company Kuoni and a travel trade partnership with key tour operator partners to unveil the A350 route.A+M has reached out to STB and MAB for comment.Masidi said that there were a total of 35,901 arrivals from the UK and Ireland, a seven percent increase from 2015. Overall, international arrivals in 2016 witnessed over 1.1 million visitors, a 15.4% jump compared with 2015. Visitors who flew on Malaysia Airlines to Kota Kinabalu grew by 57% from January to September 2017 to reach 10,523 arrivals, as compared to the same period last year, Masidi added.Adrian Keating, Malaysia Airlines regional manager UK, Ireland, Europe and North America, said that the airline is a brand embedded in the culture and diversity of Malaysia, and that it was "delighted" to renew its partnership with STB to promote what the region has to offer.