TAWAU: Direct charter flights from China to Tawau are in the pipelines as the Chinese Chamber of Commerce Tawau is in the midst of compiling tour packages to attract Chinese tourists to stay a night in Tawau prior to visiting islands in Semporna; and help boost the local economy here.
Its president, Chia Seong Fatt, said the chamber held a meeting with Assistant Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Pang Yuk Min recently and according to Pang, the direct flight between China and Tawau is not a problem.
Chia in a press conference yesterday said the only challenges were to get 180 persons locally from Tawau to visit to China and a package for China tourists to stay overnight in Tawau.
He said the chamber would need to work together with tour operators in Semporna and Tawau to come up with tour packages that would attract China tourists to stay a night in Tawau for a direct flight to materialize.
Chia said the chamber would have to negotiate and coordinate with travel agents in Tawau and work out the packages to offer to the tourists in China.
He added Pang suggested the best time to plan the maiden flight would be the coming Chinese New Year holidays, from China to Tawau with the objective to promote local attractions and to test the response from both ends.
Subsequently to maintain and continue such route if it goes well and hopefully such effort will be able to improve the sluggish economy situation of Tawau to a certain extent.
Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: China-Tawau direct charter flights on cards
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