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By Karen Bong
KUCHING, June 22: Sarawak’s tourism sector is recovering, with the State recording tourism receipts of RM4.11 billion from January to May this year against RM4.46 billion during the same period in 2019.
Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah emphasised that Sarawak also expects visitor arrivals to exceed its target of three million this year.
“We are off to a good start recording 1.6 million arrivals from January to May this year which is a 90.10 per cent recovery compared to pre-pandemic numbers in 2019 and are very much in line with the UNWTO’s (World Tourism Organisation) forecast.
“We believe it is going to go way pass four million based on the number of visitors coming each month which had surpassed the target we have set for the year actually,” he said when addressing the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Destination Experience Forum and Mart 2023 at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here today.
Abdul Karim expressed optimism that Sarawak’s tourism sector will see continuous recovery throughout 2023 driven by both domestic and international visitors.
He also emphasised that the Sarawak government has long recognised the importance of sustainability in all efforts to recover from the pandemic and strive towards long-term economic growth, including tourism.
“More than ever, tourists are leaving the cities and visiting natural destinations like national parks and popular hiking spots. We need to recognise that sustainable tourism is key to maintaining the natural beauty of a destination, minimising litter and waste, protecting cultural and historical sites, and respecting the local communities.
“We actively encourage the public and visitors to be aware of their environmental impact and responsible tourism practices. Through collective engagement, we can contribute to the preservation of our natural resources and the well-being of local communities,” he said.
Abdul Karim stressed that all stakeholders need to be involved to achieve this including governments, local businesses, communities and visitors through active collaboration in order for Sarawak to achieve its aspiration to be a leading plater in Responsible Tourism and the top eco-tourism destination and business event in the Asean region.
In fact, he pointed out that Sarawak’s world renowned and iconic Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) which begins tomorrow until June 25, is a crucial platform to promote responsible tourism.
“For the festival, we have banned single use plastics, upcycled used materials and explored innovative solutions to waste management in order to create awareness on responsible tourism among both festivalgoers and vendors.
“Shuttle buses have also been made available to ferry festivalgoers to alleviate carbon emission and prevent congestion during the festival,” he added.
Meanwhile, the event themed ‘Sustainability in Action’ has attracted 272 delegates from 28 destinations across all corners of the globe for inspiring and insightful discussions on some of the major issues in marketing and managing tourism growth as the travel and tourism industry looks for new opportunities to promote sustainability within the industry.
Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Sebastian Ting, Ministry’s permanent secretary Datu Sherrina Hussaini, Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) chief executive officer (CEO) Sharzede Salleh Askor, PATA chair Peter Semone, UNWTO Regional Department for Asia and The Pacific director Harry Hwang and Visit Maldives CEO Thoyyib Mohammed were among those present. — DayakDaily
