This Content Is Only For Subscribers
By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, Aug 15: Sarawak anticipates four million visitor arrivals this year, exceeding its initial target of three million, said Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
The Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts (MTCP) Sarawak Minister noted that between January and July of this year, the State had already received 2.27 million visitors, a significant increase from the 703,891 visitors recorded during the same period last year.
“We had 312,197 visitors in July alone, with 172,363 of them being foreigners. I believe we will meet our three million arrivals target by September.
“Considering the current rate of events and activities, we anticipate four million arrivals by December,” he told reporters after the launch of ‘What About Kuching’ (WAK) 2023 Festival’s Call-for-Proposals (CFP)’ held today at Baitul Makmur II, Petra Jaya here.
He continued, “Sarawak had its highest ever number of visitors in 2019, just before the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We had actually set a target of five million arrivals for 2020, but then Covid-19 struck in March that year.
“For last year, our target was 1.2 million arrivals but we surpassed it with 2.02 million.”
In addition, Abdul Karim said that events such as the WAK festival, scheduled for the entire month of October, would help attract more tourists.
According to him, the festival experienced significant growth since its inception in 2017. Last year, it boasted a total of 181 events and with 59 collaborators.
“This is a homegrown event that gives our youth the opportunity to display their talents in theatre, dance, and other fields.
“WAK’s continued expansion and success demonstrate its increasing significance on the local and regional cultural scene,” he added.
As WAK gears up for its 5th edition this year, WAK invites collaborators to submit their visionary proposals and be a part of shaping the heartbeat of Kuching’s creative scene.
WAK is set to take place from Oct 1 to Oct 31 this year. — DayakDaily
