By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Feb 27: In January 2025 alone, Sarawak recorded 400,531 visitor arrivals, marking a 13.47 per cent increase from January 2024 and generated RM1.02 billion in tourism receipts, up 12.11 per cent year-on-year.
Revealing the figures following the Sarawak Tourism Steering Committee Meeting (STSC) 2025 at a hotel today, Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah expressed that Sarawak’s tourism industry is poised for another strong year, with visitor arrivals and tourism receipts continuing their upward trajectory.
“This year 2025, Sarawak is targeting 5 million visitors, with an expected RM12.73 billion in tourism receipts,” he said in his speech text.
This comes on the back of a record-breaking 2024, which saw 4,831,650 visitor arrivals, up by 22.95 per cent from 3,929,657 visitors in 2023—an increase of 901,993 visitors.
Sarawak’s tourism receipts skyrocketed by 101.41 per cent, reaching RM12.45 billion in 2024 compared to RM9.99 billion in 2023, contributing 8.85 per cent to Sarawak’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
With Visit Malaysia 2026 on the horizon, Abdul Karim emphasised that Malaysia’s tourism sector is already experiencing strong momentum.
“Sarawak can expect positive economic spillover, especially with ongoing campaigns, early marketing efforts, and infrastructure investments. We project foreign tourism receipts to reach RM12.73 billion in 2025 and RM13.12 billion in 2026,” he stated.
To sustain this growth, the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) has intensified efforts through its “Gateway to Borneo” campaign—a strategic initiative positioning Sarawak as the premier entry point to Borneo, encompassing Kalimantan, Sabah, and Brunei.
Sarawak’s strategy includes stronger participation in international trade and consumer fairs, particularly in the ASEAN region, alongside targeted roadshows with industry players.
It is also expanding its digital footprint through collaborations with leading online travel platforms such as Tripadvisor, Klook, Traveloka, Tripzilla, Vacaay, Family Traveller, and Clicktripz to ensure Sarawak remains a top global travel destination.
“Through strategic investments, cutting-edge marketing campaigns, and a strong emphasis on sustainability and cultural heritage, Sarawak is well on track to becoming a leading global tourism powerhouse before 2030,” he added.
With a robust start to 2025 and ambitious plans ahead, Sarawak is positioning itself as a major player in the regional and international tourism landscape.
Deputy Minister for Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Deputy Minister for Tourism Datuk Sebastian Ting, Sarawak Business Event (BESarawak) chairman Dato Sri Abang Abdul Karim Abang Openg, Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) chairman Dato Dennis Ngau, and acting permanent secretary for the ministry Desmond Douglas Jerukan were present. — DayakDaily
