Sabah to penetrate tourism market in East America

Sabah will explore new tourism markets in the eastern United States as part of an aggressive marketing strategy to increase tourist arrivals to the state.

Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said the ministry through the relevant agencies will visit Portland, Oregon, U.S. to discuss joint ventures in various areas of tourism in September.

"We are invited by the U.S. ambassador to do tourism marketing as well as sign an agreement whereby Kota Kinabalu and Portland in Oregon, will become sister cities," he told reporters after officiating the Sabah MATTA Fair at the Suria Sabah shopping centre here, Friday.

Masidi also said that the ministry would be intensifying tourism promotions in other neighbouring countries such as Singapore and Indonesia to attract more tourists to the state.