RM10m perk to Sabah Tourism showing results: Pang
Published on: Thursday, May 26, 2016
Kota Kinabalu: The RM10 million pledged by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd to Sabah Tourism Board to promote Sabah as an eco-tourism destination seems to be bearing fruit. Kota Kinabalu International Airport will not only see more Korean and Chinese airlines land but airport operator Malaysia Airports Holding Bhd (MAHB) said all carriers experienced exponential growth in activities since early this year. State Tourism, Culture and Environment Assistant Minister Datuk Pang Yuk Ming said the list of new airlines set to ferry more tourists to the State was the result of efforts carried out by the Sabah Tourism Board and MAHB on the RM10 million contribution. ADVERTISEMENT The funding was sort of an incentive to the board by MAHB once all airlines operating at the airport's Terminal II relocated to Terminal I's newly completed terminal building. AirAsia was the last low-cost carrier to make the move there after several extensions had been given. The airline feared that compulsion to use the aerobridge at Terminal One would have an impact on the passenger fare."Thanks to Malaysia Airports, that under its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, RM10 million has been allocated for Sabah Tourism Board to promote Sabah as an eco-tourism destination and to woo more airlines to come to Sabah," said Pang, after launching MAHB's fifth annual Green Day campaign here. ADVERTISEMENT The new airlines making their stop here so far include Korean budget carrier Jeju Airlines in June and Lucky Air from Kunming, China. Also present at the event were MAHB Chairman Tan Sri Dr Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Abdullah, Aerodarat Chief Executive Officer Mohd Nadziruddin Mohd Basri, outgoing MASwings Chief Executive Officer CEO Ritzerwan Rashid.
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Aerodarat Services Sdn Bhd is the company responsible for handling Malaysia Airline Bhd's (MAB) ground services. Pang noted a travel agency had also signed a two or three year charter flight deal with Malaysia Airlines Bhd for three weekly flights to Kota Kinabalu."There is also a big possibility of charter flights from Chongqing to Kota KInabalu in July," he added. KKIA's performance has improved remarkably with both full service carriers and low cost carriers in KKIA each recording more than 20 per cent growth up to April 26 this year, said Malaysia Airports Sdn Bhd General Manager Mohd Suhaimi Abdul Mubin, following the consolidation of MAHB's operations of KKIA under one roof. "Before the airlines moved growth was less than 1.1 per cent for the two terminals … commercial revenue had also shown a positive double-digit growth of 13 per cent in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the same period last year," he said. Earlier, Wan Abdul Aziz said the Malaysia Airports Green Day campaign believed its "Green Hour" campaign; a campaign to switch off non-essential lights for one hour from 1pm to 2pm daily in all airports would be able to reduce energy consumption in all airports by 5 per cent or 12,066 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually or towards three per cent reduction of carbon emission in 2016. He said among the MAHB five year roadmap to 2020 include environmental protection and achieve a carbon neutral airport."Before the Green Day campaign, we started by switching off lights where and when it is not necessary and setting the temperatures of our airports' air-conditioners to 24 degree Celsius. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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"We have also replaced our lights with LED bulbs," he said. The Green Day campaign aims to promote environment and safety awareness in the airports that started in 2012.