Sabah has registered 1,337,126 tourist arrivals as of May this year, generating revenue of RM2.852 billion, said state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Masidi Manjun.

Answering a question from Lajim Ukin (PKR-Klias) in the Sabah state assembly sitting today, Masidi said the revenue was an increase of 5.3 percent as compared with RM2.709 bilion for the same period last year from 1,295,484 tourist arrivals.

"From the number, 882,109 were domestic tourists and 455,017 foreign tourists," he said, adding that China accounted for the highest number of tourists, while South Korea, Brunei and Taiwan were second, third and fourth highest respectively.

However, he said the number of tourist arrivals from the United Kingdom and Australia had dropped, possibly due to safety concerns after a travel advisory was issued by their respective countries with regard to safety in the east coast of the state.

He said the ministry would therefore increase measures to improve the confidence of tourists, including by issuing a 'Sabah Advisory', briefing to the head of foreign missions, and familiarisation trips for media and tourism operators on the safety condition in the state.

- Bernama