By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, March 28: One of Sarawak’s biggest tourism events, the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2026, faces a possible scale-down as West Asia tensions disrupt global travel and dampen international arrivals.
Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Snowdan Lawan, said preparations are ongoing, but organisers are assessing the situation before deciding on the final scale.
“Preparations are continuing, but we will monitor developments. We do not know how long this conflict will last. Naturally, we need to prepare multiple strategies, including Plan B, Plan C and so on.
“We will also evaluate the scale of the event, whether it will be held on a large scale as before or slightly reduced. This will depend on the situation, and we will assess accordingly,” he said reported in a TVS news after launching the MATTA Fair Sarawak 2026 at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) today.
Snowdan said the festival may feature fewer performances or reduced participation by international artistes.
He added that the conflict could affect tourist arrivals, particularly from West Asia, due to safety concerns and limited flight options.
“The conflict may impact the arrival of tourists from West Asian countries and beyond, as travellers may be hesitant to travel, coupled with flight limitations as many airlines reduce operations.
“The event may still proceed, but on a smaller scale. For example, if it previously involved around 10 performing groups, it may be reduced to six or seven groups,” he said.
RWMF 2026, themed “Regenerations: Roots & Rhythms”, will be held from June 26 to 28 at the Sarawak Cultural Village, featuring more than 20 groups including headliners M. Nasir, The Commodores feat. Thomas McClary, and Incognito. — DayakDaily
