KUCHING: Sarawak has adopted the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) initiative to enhance the state’s tourism sector. According to the Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports, Datuk Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, this will allow the state to analyse the collected data and make improvements.
“The TSA is good as it can bring the tourism industry to greater heights,” he told a press conference here yesterday after launching the TSA at Imperial Hotel. The minister added: “As this is the first briefing on the subject matter for the industry players, they have to first compile all the data before moving forward. “We need some time to see where the problems are and how to synchronise ourselves.
“What is the use of the data if we do not know how to use them? We have to be able to digest them and use them to analyse our shortcomings,” he said. Karim added that there was a need to expand tourism in the state.
“It ’s more than just about beaches or shopping. Health tourism is important as patients who come here need time to recover and relax, undisturbed by the bustling city life. “Sports tourism is also important as it brings in many people from outside the state,” said the Minister.
Also present at the pres s conference were the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Datu Ik Pahon Joyik, Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports, Datuk Snowdan Lawan and Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Datuk Lee Kim Shin.
