Sabah Tourism has recorded its best year ever in 2016 with 3.43 million tourist arrivals with an estimated RM7.25 billion in tourism receipts.

In his speech at the Sabah Travel and Lifestyle Fair 2017, Sabah Tourism Board chairman, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, said that this happened despite the challenges. The Sabah Travel and Lifestyle Fair was held at Suria Sabah on 3rd - 5th March.

"This has surpassed our best record in 2013 with 3.38 million tourist arrivals. On international tourist arrivals alone, we witnessed an increase of 15.4 percent compared to the 2015 statistics" he said.

He added that China remained the main contributor with 33.2 percent market share with an overall growth of 51.8 percent in 2016 compared to the year before.

"This is a result of years of partnership with the private sector, working with the correct partners, aggressively putting Sabah as top of the mind destination as well as embracing digital marketing.”

He also said that the private sectors provided a platform to present Sabah's local products to international guests.