By Amanda L
KUCHING, Oct 6: Kuching’s accommodation capacity is emerging as a critical bottleneck ahead of the 2027 SEA Games, with the city struggling under a severe shortage of hotel rooms despite ongoing efforts to expand local inventory.
Speaking to reporters after officiating the grand opening of a hotel in Kuching today—a launch that provides welcome relief to the capital’s room deficit—Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg acknowledged that the squeeze remains acute as a growing number of business events and major conferences choose the city as their venue.
“At the moment, yes, it’s true, we don’t have enough rooms. People have to go to homestay,” he admitted, noting that while today’s new property offers a step in the right direction, demand continues to outpace available supply.
Citing the recent Malaysia Games (SUKMA) as a prime example of this housing pressure, Abang Johari pointed out that accommodation demands will only heighten as Sarawak prepares to co-host the Games again next year.
To address this, he confirmed that the State government has made a firm decision to house all athletes and officials in proper hotels for their convenience and comfort.
“You know, the last SUKMA, is the same thing, and our state government is going to be the co-host of SUKMA next year.
“Just imagine the athletes and the officials coming over here, and they will spend money, and they need a comfortable accommodation,” he stressed.
The hotel-room shortage comes as Kuching strengthens its position as a regional business-events hub, with the Premier pointing to growing demand to host international conferences in the city.
To cope with this surge, Sarawak is actively upgrading its convention infrastructure, led by a major expansion of the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK).
‘We are expanding our BCCK to accommodate total 15,000,’ he said, explaining that the ultimate goal is to build a robust ecosystem capable of sustaining large-scale conventions and international tourism. — DayakDaily
