Sabah Tourism Board, Royal Brunei Airlines sign MoC to boost regional air links

 

Presentation of Mementos and photo session with Mr. Julinus Jeffery Jimit, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, Datuk Seri Panglima Christina Liew, Captain Sabirin Haji Abdul Hamid, and Ms. Susan Shim.

KOTA KINABALU, June 30 — The Sabah Tourism Board (STB) has signed a Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC) with Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) to enhance regional air connectivity and strengthen tourism between Sabah, Brunei and several international markets.

The formal agreement follows an initial engagement held on Jan 15 at Royal Brunei’s corporate office in Bandar Seri Begawan, where STB chief executive officer Julinus Jeffery Jimit and RB chief executive officer Captain Sabirin Hj Abd Hamid exchanged views on tourism collaboration.

Under the MoC, both parties will work towards improving air links between Sabah and regions such as BIMP-EAGA, ASEAN, the Middle East, Oceania, the United Kingdom and India by 2028.

To drive demand, joint initiatives including roadshows, familiarisation trips, and tactical and awareness campaigns will be rolled out in selected markets.

The collaboration also supports RB’s route expansion while reinforcing STB’s efforts to improve Sabah’s international air accessibility. STB will engage with relevant state agencies and aviation regulators to support implementation where needed.

“This MoC reflects our shared vision to make Sabah more accessible while strengthening tourism ties with Brunei and beyond,” said Julinus in a statement today.

“Through this collaboration, we aim to increase visitor arrivals and unlock economic opportunities across the region,” he said.

Captain Sabirin said Sabah holds a special place in the airline’s history, noting that Kota Kinabalu was one of Royal Brunei’s first destinations when it launched operations on May 14, 1975.

“Over the decades, we’ve worked closely with the Sabah Tourism Board on various initiatives to promote Sabah and Borneo as premier travel destinations,” he said.

“This new MoC is more than just a business arrangement—it feels like working with family. We are proud to strengthen regional connectivity, support sustainable tourism, and continue promoting prosperity across our shared markets,” he added.

The MoC is a non-binding agreement with no financial obligation unless mutually agreed. It also allows third-party collaboration and includes bi-annual reviews to evaluate progress and explore new areas of cooperation.

STB said the agreement is part of its broader strategy to attract quality visitors and establish Sabah as a leading regional tourism hub.