By WU VUIDE
PENANG: Visitors from Penang to Sabah were almost four times higher than those travelling in the opposite direction – 243,900 from Penang compared with 64,500 from Sabah in 2025.
Tourism Malaysia Northern Region director Abdul Hadi Che Man said for every five people travelling between the two destinations, four were from Penang to Sabah and one from Sabah to Penang.
Hadi said this when welcoming a group of media representatives and social media influencers from Sabah on a six-day Mansau-Ansau VM2026 familiarisation trip, led by tourism officer Fariza Zakaria, at the Tourism Malaysia Penang office.
The familiarisation trip held from Oct 29 to Nov 3, aimed to promote northern Peninsular Malaysia as a domestic tourism destination under the Visit Malaysia 2026-2027 campaign.
He said Sabah’s attractions, particularly around Kota Kinabalu and Semporna, were drawing visitors from Penang.
In Kota Kinabalu, visitors can go island-hopping to Sapi Island and Manukan Island, shop in the city, visit the Filipino Market and enjoy seafood.
Some continue their journey to Tawau and Semporna to explore the islands.
“Semporna is often described as the Little Maldives of Malaysia because of its beautiful islands and overwater resorts. This is one of Sabah’s unique attractions, which cannot be found in Peninsular Malaysia,” he said.
Visitors can also go to Bohey Dulang and hike to the top to enjoy the view.
Hadi said he had visited Kota Kinabalu, the Klias River to see proboscis monkeys, as well as Sipadan Island and Mabul Island.
He wanted to return to Semporna, particularly to visit its islands again.
On attractions that could draw Sabahans to Penang, Hadi said both destinations had their own strengths, particularly in food.
“Sabah is well known for its seafood, while Penang is better known for its street food,” he said.
Penang’s street food has also received Michelin recognition, with nasi lemak bungkus and fried bananas among the local offerings visitors could try.
Both destinations had their own UNESCO recognition, with George Town in Penang recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, while Mount Kinabalu in Sabah was also recognised by UNESCO.
He hoped more Sabahans would visit Penang and more people from Peninsular Malaysia would travel to Sabah.
Such visits would allow people from both destinations to learn about each other’s cultures and strengthen their relationship.
On cooperation, Hadi said both could use their international flight connections to attract visitors from different markets.
Sabah received flights from South Korea and, if he was not mistaken, Japan, while Penang received flights from China, India and Singapore.
Penang was also expected to receive flights from Warsaw, capital of Poland starting in November, with weekly services until March the following year.
Penang could serve as a gateway for international visitors before they continued to Sabah.
Both destinations could share their tourism markets, as Penang had flights from India and Poland, while Sabah had flights from South Korea.
He suggested travel agencies combine both destinations into a single package lasting one or two weeks.
This would allow tourists to visit Penang before continuing to Sabah.
Hadi (seventh, right), welcoming the media and social influencers from Sabah, led by Fariza to Tourism Malaysia Penang office.
