Sarawak targets 1.2 million visitors this year

 

KUCHING: Sarawak is targeting to receive 1.2 million visitors and generate RM3.2 billion tourism receipts this year.

Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Hamzah said visitor arrivals increased by 453.62 per cent in January this year to 72,331 as compared to the corresponding period in 2021.

He said as the international tourism slowly bounced back as borders started to reopen, domestic tourism would continue to drive the sector's recovery in an increasing number of destinations.

"Domestic travel is fuelled by demand for destinations which are closer to home and have low population density, as tourists look for open-air activities, nature-based products and rural tourism," he said.

"Most experts also believe international tourism will not return to 2019 levels until 2024 or later," he said at the Sarawak Tourism Steering Committee Meeting (STSC) 2022 held here today.

Karim said the Sarawak government had engaged with the Transport Ministry to establish a Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) between Singapore and Kuching.

"My ministry has engaged closely with SDMC (Sarawak Disaster Management Committee) regarding our border opening which is in line with the latest development tentatively to be opened in the second quarter of 2022.

"Besides VTL with Singapore, Malaysia is also discussing quarantine-free travel with Brunei, Indonesia and Thailand as announced recently by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob," he said,

Karim hoped that all the policies, directions and strategies would not only help the tourism industry players ,but also transformed into opportunities for the local communities to benefit in the future.

He said the local communities could participate in community-based tourism such as homestay, local hosts, craft and souvenirs making activity to reap the benefits from tourism and increase their household income

The ministry, he said, would continue to provide annual grant of RM100,000 to the Sarawak Tourism Federation being the umbrella body for the Sarawak Tourism Industry to facilitate its role to be the bridge between the authorities and the tourism industry in Sarawak.

Karim also launched Sarawak's Tourism Quick Fact Book 2021 and Calendar of Event 2022 in both electronic form at https://mtcp.sarawak.gov.my and printed copies at the event.

-nst online.