KUCHING: Sarawak’s tourism industry recorded 1.6 million tourist arrivals from January to May this year, reflecting a 90.1 per cent recovery rate against the pre-pandemic figures for the same period in 2019.
The good news came from Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP) Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah who said the state was off to a good start and the visitor arrival figures are expected to exceed the 3 million target set for 2023.
He said the figures are in line with the numbers forecast by the World Tourism Organisation (WTO).
He said Sarawak’s tourism earnings from January to May this year amounted to RM4.11 billion compared to RM4.46 billion for the same period in 2019, adding that for the whole of that year, the state’s earnings from tourism reached RM11.57 billion.
“The ministry foresees continued recovery throughout 2023 driven by both domestic and international visitors. While international tourism steadily bounces back, domestic tourism will also continue to drive the recovery of the region’s tourism industry,” he said when officiating at the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Destination Experience Forum and Mart 2023 at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) today.
Abdul Karim also stressed Sarawak’s commitment to sustainable tourism, saying that the initiative is in response to the challenges posed by climate change and the need to develop a lush landscape of sustainable opportunities and environmental protection, including renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and eco-tourism.
“Among our efforts to embrace sustainable tourism policies to maximise the positive impacts of tourism and society, environment and the economy are our partnerships with various international bodies, agencies and institutions, which include PATA.
“In addition, we are furthering the eco-tourism message with the Journal of Responsible Tourism (JRTM), the first international journal published in Sarawak in collaboration with Sarawak Research Society (SRS). It is hoped that JRTM will be read not only by tourism academics and researchers, but also practitioners engaged in tourism sectors and hospitality services,” he said.
Also present were MTCP deputy minister Datuk Sebastian Ting, MTCP permanent secretary Datuk Sherrina Hussain and PATA chairman Peter Semone.
