Exports have traditionally been tobacco, cocoa and palm oil. Currently, Tawau Port is one of Sabah's main export gateway for timber. Birds' nests are harvested at Baturong, Segalong and Madai Caves as Chinese medicinal delicacies.
There are a few significant development projects in Tawau. These include Tawau Sports Complex, Tawau Free Trade Zone, Kuhara Point and Bandar Sri Indah.
Kuhara Point is an integrated development project which consists of a shopping mall, Eastern Plaza, an office tower, a 4-star hotel and high-rise luxurious condominiums, Kuhara Court.
Bandar Sri Indah is Sabah's largest satellite township development project. It is constructed on 1,368 acres (5.54 km) of reclaimed land, which is three times larger than Tawau town center. Bandar Sri Indah is located at km 16 of Tawau Airport Highway
