SABAH INVITED TO GLOBAL LCC GATHERING IN MALTA

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s international tourism profile received a boost after Lufthansa City Center (LCC) extended an invitation to the Sabah Tourism Board to join the prestigious LCC General Assembly in Malta.

Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment cum Chairman of the Sabah Tourism Board, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, welcomed the invitation as a timely opportunity to raise Sabah’s visibility on the global stage.

He said the summit, which brings together over 500 travel agency owners and decision-makers from more than 85 countries, provides a valuable platform for Sabah to present its unique offerings.

“This opens doors for us to showcase Sabah’s strength in nature, culture, and community-driven experiences, as well as our growing MICE potential,” said Joniston.

He added that such international exposure aligns with Sabah’s long-term tourism strategy and efforts to prepare for Visit Malaysia Year 2026.

The invitation was extended by LCC International managing director Heiko Brix during a gathering dinner hosted by the Sabah Tourism Board, on Thursday.

Scheduled for November 2025, the global LCC gathering in the Mediterranean destination of Malta is a high-level biennial gathering of global travel leaders focused on industry strategy, innovation, and collaboration.

The agenda includes sessions on travel and geopolitical trends, AI-driven transformation, evolving traveller behaviour, and resilient leadership.

Brix has described Sabah as a new but promising destination within LCC’s global network of travel agencies.

Having personally experienced Sabah, he said the visit gave him a clearer view on how to position and promote the state to international travellers.

“Sabah has strong appeal as both a natural explorer destination and an emerging MICE destination. Sabah has what international travellers are looking for – authentic nature, culture, and space to disconnect,” said Brix.

LCC members are currently in Sabah for their Asia Pacific regional meeting where they also have the opportunity to explore the state’s tourism offerings.

Taking the cue from Brix’s positive observation of Sabah as an ideal host for MICE, Joniston implored LCC to consider Sabah as a future venue for its annual global summit.

Taking the cue from Brix’s positive observation of Sabah as an ideal host for MICE, Joniston implored LCC to consider Sabah as a future venue for its annual global summit.