LABUAN, May 5, 2014: Labuan Corporation (LC) is lobbying for more direct flights to the island as part of efforts to spur its economy.
Chief executive officer Datuk Nadzri Othman said informal discussions with airlines companies, including Malindo Air had been held, in the hope of a positive outcome.
“There is a pressing need for additional flights to cater to growing demand from inbound and outbound travelers,” he told Bernama yesterday.
Nadzri said the Labuan Member of Parliament Datuk Rosman Isli had brought up the issue at the last Parliament session.
“We hope to see positive results with the issue now having been raised in Parliament,” he said.
Malaysia Airline (MAS) is currently offering four daily flights from Kuala Lumpur-Labuan-Kuala Lumpur, while AirAsia has just one.
Nadzri also said Labuan is facing a shortage of hotels and this has hindered travelers from visiting the island.
“We have taken a new approach to resolving this long standing issue by giving immediate approvals to those intending to establish budget hotels here,” he added.
The Malaysian Malay Chamber of Commerce Labuan president Datuk Yussof Mohammad said the island’s domestic economy would remain weak unless there were additional flights.
“With more flights, a greater degree of economic activities can be generated and this will augur well for the business community,” he added.
He said Labuan is showing signs of “a relatively robust and sustained recovery”, but remains economically weak.
“This is contributed by various underlying factors like less flights and economic activities.
“We need to formulate strategic measures to woo more travellers to visit the island, and not depend just on expatriates from the oil and gas sectors,” Yussof added.
source: BERNAMA
Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/05/05/labuan-corporation-lobbying-for-more-direct-flights/#ixzz30zcTSsnw
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