by DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, June 11: The vibrant spirit of the Gawai Dayak Festival has arrived in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, as Tourism Malaysia partners with ibis KLCC to host a Sarawak-themed food and cultural celebration from June 8 to 22, 2025.
Organised in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign, the two-week event aims to share the unique cultural richness and festive joy of Gawai with both domestic and international guests.
According to a press release, the festival was officially launched yesterday, marking the beginning of a showcase that highlights unique delicacies from the land of Borneo. Among the featured dishes are Laksa Sarawak, Manok Pansoh (chicken cooked in bamboo), Nuba Laya (wild rice wrapped in isif leaves), Umai (a traditional Melanau dish), and the famous kek lapis.
In addition, all attendees were also treated to captivating cultural performances by a local dance troupe, showcasing Sarawak’s rich heritage.
Tourism Malaysia hopes to showcase different cultural elements from Borneo to Peninsular Malaysia and vice versa, as part of the promotion for the coming VM2026 programmes.
Tourism Malaysia director general Datuk Manoharan Periasamy officiated the launching, witnessed by Goldstone Holdings Bhd executive director on behalf of ibis KLCC, Chen Yang. Also present were Datin Rafidah Idris, Senior Director for Domestic & Event Division and Rubiah Tul Adawiyah Mohd Yusof, director of Tourism Malaysia Sarawak.
The Gawai Dayak Festival at ibis KLCC is part of Tourism Malaysia’s efforts to promote the essence of Sarawak’s rich cultural tapestry, inviting everyone to join in the festivities and experience the warmth of Malaysian hospitality.
In 2024, Malaysia welcomed 38 million international visitors a 31.1 per cent increase from 2023 and 8.3 per cent above pre-pandemic 2019 levels. Visitor receipts also surged, generating RM106.78 billion, reflecting a substantial 43.7 per cent growth over 2023 and exceeding 2019 figures by 20 per cent.
This positive trend has continued into early 2025, with the first four months recording 13.4 million visitor arrivals, a 21 per cent year-on-year increase. From January to April 2025, Singapore remained the top visitor-generating market, followed by Indonesia, China, Thailand, India, Brunei, South Korea, Philippines, Australia and the UK. – DayakDaily
