French travel agents discover Sabah

Group photo of the team

4 June 2025

KOTA KINABALU: A delegation of prominent French travel agents has expressed admiration for Sabah’s distinctive blend of culture, adventure, and natural beauty during a three-day familiarisation visit to Kota Kinabalu, which concluded today (4 June).

Despite the brief duration, their stay was rich in meaningful experiences, including jungle trekking on Gaya Island, a sunset cruise, cultural performances over dinner, and a visit to the renowned Mari Mari Cultural Village.

Many described the visit as insightful, noting their keen interest in returning to explore more of what Sabah has to offer.

The team enjoying the sunset

“Sabah is on the right track,” remarked Andreas Gantenbein, Managing Director of AERTiCKET for Belgium, France, and Switzerland.

“This trip gave us an excellent introduction to Sabah’s offerings. We greatly appreciated the warm hospitality and the effort made to share the local culture with us,” he added.

Malaysia’s Ambassador to France, Datuk Eldeen Husaini, who accompanied the group, said the agents’ positive feedback reaffirmed Sabah’s strong appeal as a destination for the European market.

“Sabah has all the elements to attract more French travellers, and the embassy in Paris will continue to support efforts to promote the state—particularly by showcasing its rich cultural heritage and breathtaking natural landscapes,” he said.

On Tuesday, the Sabah Tourism Board hosted the delegation to a sunset cruise and dinner at Gaya Island Resort, joined by Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai.

Addressing the visiting agents, Joniston—who also serves as Chairman of the Sabah Tourism Board—expressed optimism about the growing French market.

“We’re seeing increasing numbers of French visitors coming to Sabah. From January to April this year, we welcomed 2,116 French tourists, up from 1,669 during the same period last year.

“In 2024, we recorded 5,921 French arrivals, and we aim to see this number continue to grow as Sabah gradually wins the hearts of French and European travellers,” he said.

Joniston acknowledged that safety remains a major concern for many travellers, especially first-time visitors, and reassured that Sabah is fully committed to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment.

“Our security presence, particularly along the east coasts not a sign of danger, but a proactive measure to ensure the area remains safe. This is how we protect our people, our visitors, and the very destinations they come to experience,” he explained.

Joniston, who is also patron of Sail Malaysia Borneo, highlighted that events such as Sail Malaysia reflect the confidence of international travellers in Sabah’s safety and hospitality.

This year’s sailing rally is expected to draw over 30 yachts with participants from more than 15 countries, who will explore Sabah from July through early September.

“Sail Malaysia offers a truly unique way to experience the state from the sea, giving participants the chance to discover both coastal and inland attractions,” he said, encouraging French agents to learn more about the event.

Also present were Tourism Malaysia Director of the International Promotion Division (AERO) Akbal Setia, Tourism Malaysia Paris Director Zalina Ahmad, and Sabah Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer Julinus Jeffery Jimit.