By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, April 6: Sarawak has recorded a historic surge in tourism revenue, collecting over RM1 billion per month in early 2025 — the strongest start yet in the lead-up to Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
Sarawak Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts (MTCP), Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said a total of 810,345 visitor arrivals were recorded between January and February this year, with February alone contributing 409,814 arrivals and monthly tourism receipts exceeding RM1 billion.
“We have never achieved this figure before. This is a clear indication that Sarawak is becoming increasingly popular as a tourism destination,” he told reporters during a doorstop interview at a Majlis Ramah Tamah Aidilfitri hosted by his two ministries — MTCP and the Sarawak Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development (MYSED) — at a hotel here today.
With Sarawak’s tourism numbers on the rise, Abdul Karim urged the private sector to ramp up hotel development to meet growing demand over the next five to 10 years.
On Jan 17, it was reported that Sarawak has set a target of welcoming 5 million visitors in 2025, with a projected tourism revenue of RM12.73 billion. — DayakDaily
