KOTA KINABALU: Low-cost carrier AirAsia has announced a new international direct route connecting the state capital here with Shanghai from Feb 20.

       Shanghai will be the sixth destination in mainland China to be accessible from Kota Kinabalu, joining Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing and Wuhan.

       The development was a strong testament to Kota Kinabalu’s position as the airline’s second-largest hub in the country, according to AirAsia in a statement here on Wednesday (Jan 10).

       “We are thrilled to kick off the new year with this momentous announcement, especially for our guests in Sabah.

       “Following the government's visa-free entry initiative last year, this presents a significant opportunity to stimulate tourism between China and Malaysia.

       “China, being one of our largest markets, boasts a total of 19 routes from Malaysia, with a remarkable 162 weekly flights from February 2024 onwards.

       “Beyond expanding our Kota Kinabalu hub, this new international route reinforces our standing as the largest foreign low-cost carrier in China.

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       “We eagerly anticipate contributing substantially to the Sabah tourism sector as the state targets 2.8 million tourist arrivals in 2024,” said AirAsia Aviation Group chief executive officer Bo Lingam.

       Besides mainland China, AirAsia Malaysia at present also serves direct routes from Kota Kinabalu to three other international destinations - Singapore, Taipei and Hong Kong.