KOTA KINABALU, June 24 — Budget airline AirAsia is scheduled to commence direct flights between Kota Kinabalu and Bangkok, Thailand, next month.

In a statement today, the Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry said this was discussed by its minister, Datuk Jafry Ariffin and AirAsia Malaysia chief executive officer (CEO) Riad Asmat in a meeting in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Jafry also met with Capital A Bhd group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes who expressed his appreciation to the Sabah government for their decades-long cooperation in developing AirAsia’s aviation industry in the state.

Jafry said his ministry welcomed AirAsia’s efforts in expanding the domestic and international network with the opening of new direct flight routes to the state.

"I am optimistic the additional new network would be able to attract more tourists, hence further boosting Sabah’s tourism industry,” he said.

To-date, AirAsia’s direct flights from Kota Kinabalu are to Singapore and Manila, while flights from Kota Kinabalu to South Korea are operated by South Korea’s Jin Air.

The ministry through the Sabah Tourism Board has also collaborated with AirAsia via its Super App application in promoting tourist attractions and destinations in Sabah.

Jafry is also confident the availability of a faster and more robust online travel agency platform would enable the state’s tourism industry to grow faster. — Bernama