In an effort to strengthen the promotion of Sabah in the Vietnamese market, Malaysian tourism officials staged the Sabah Tourism Destination & B2B Forum in Ho Chi Minh City on Monday, 12th January.
The event was jointly organised by the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), Tourism Malaysia Ho Chi Minh City office, and the Sabah Enhanced Travel Innovation Association (SETIA), creating a direct networking platform for Sabah-based tourism businesses and Vietnamese travel partners.
The forum brought together 21 delegates representing 18 tourism companies from Sabah, participating in table-top B2B sessions with partners in Ho Chi Minh City, opening doors for new travel packages, joint promotions, and stronger partnerships to boost visitor arrivals from Vietnam to Sabah.
Delivering the opening remarks, Tourism Malaysia’s director in Vietnam Amirah Nadiah Mazlan declared: “Through today’s networking session, Malaysia aims to expand collaboration with the Vietnamese market and position Sabah as an increasingly familiar destination for Vietnamese travellers. With its strength in nature, authentic local experiences, and a strong commitment to sustainable tourism development, Sabah is ready to work closely with Vietnamese partners to develop strategic, long-term tourism products that meet the needs of modern travellers.”
What’s driving international travel between Malaysia and Vietnam
Enhanced air connectivity remains vital for tourism growth between Malaysia and Vietnam.
With AirAsia operating direct flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Kota Kinabalu within just over two hours, this seamless link not only makes Sabah more accessible to Vietnamese travellers but also empowers tourism businesses on both sides to create short-haul, flexible, and attractive travel products.
Sharing insights on Sabah’s approach to the Vietnamese market, STB chief executive Julinus Jeffry Jimit opined: “Vietnam is recognised as one of Sabah’s most promising emerging markets. By fostering direct connections among industry players, we aim to expand our partnership network and build sustainable, long-term collaborations with Vietnamese tourism partners.”
Through the event, the Sabah Tourism Board also shared updates on its preparations for the upcoming strategic milestone Visit Sabah Year 2027.
Under the new thematic Explore Sabah: Naturally Inspiring, Beyond Ordinary, Sabah seeks to strengthen its role as one of Malaysia’s leading destinations for nature-based tourism, adventure travel, and indigenous cultural experiences, while complementing the broader objectives of Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026).
Sabah is also expected to become a strategic destination partner for Vietnamese travel businesses, offering fresh and distinctive travel experiences for Vietnamese visitors in the coming years.
STB also reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable tourism development, ensuring a balanced approach between economic growth, environmental conservation and community well-being. Community-based tourism (CoBT) remains a key pillar of this strategy.
