“Have you been to Mulu?” Sarawak pushes domestic travel as global headwinds hit int’l arrivals

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By Karen Bong

KUCHING, April 10: Sarawak is ramping up efforts to boost domestic and intra-state tourism through curated packages and vibrant events, as global uncertainties, including ongoing tensions in the Middle East and rising airfares, are expected to dampen international tourist arrivals.

Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said Sarawak remains confident of sustaining tourism growth despite external challenges, stressing that local travel can effectively cushion any decline in foreign visitors.

“On tourist arrivals, despite global uncertainties, I remain very positive. The teams in the Ministry and the agencies are also very optimistic,” he told a press conference after chairing the Sarawak Tourism Steering Committee Meeting at a hotel here today.

Drawing parallels with the resilience shown during the Covid-19 pandemic, Abdul Karim said increasing affluence among the population would continue to drive travel demand, particularly for family holidays.

“If there is a decline in international tourist arrivals, we can activate domestic tourism, not just within Malaysia, but within Sarawak itself. For example, how many people from Kuching have visited Mulu or Niah? How many from Miri have gone to Bau?” he said.

He emphasised that spending by domestic tourists carries equal economic value to that of international visitors.

“Whether it is tourists from within Sarawak, Peninsular Malaysia or Sabah, their spending contributes just as much as those coming from Europe, Brunei or Indonesia. For instance, if people from Miri or Sibu come to Kuching for events, they will stay in hotels. So we must look at this positively,” he added.

Abdul Karim acknowledged that the evolving situation in the Middle East is likely to push up travel costs, with airlines expected to impose surcharges of between 20 and 30 per cent on ticket prices.

“The base fare may remain, but passengers will need to pay additional surcharges, which will definitely have an impact,” he said.

In response, he said the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), the Ministry and event organisers are actively developing a range of tourism packages and products aimed at sustaining visitor numbers.

“There will be many musical events this year in Sarawak, as well as numerous food and cultural festivals. Almost every division will host such festivals, which will help draw visitors,” he said.

Despite the challenges, Abdul Karim expressed confidence that Sarawak can still achieve its target of five million visitors this year.

“A decline in tourist arrivals is not a major concern, and I believe we can still meet our target,” he said.

Earlier, the Minister chaired the Sarawak Tourism Steering Committee Meeting, where stakeholders reviewed plans for the year, discussed challenges and gathered feedback from industry players.

He revealed that differing views were also presented by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU), AirBorneo and STB on matters concerning the tourism and creative industries.
“Overall, what I can say, and I believe the people of Sarawak, including those in the industry, feel the same… is that the tourism industry in Sarawak has experienced significant growth year by year,” he said.

He highlighted that Sarawak recorded 4.97 million visitor arrivals in 2025, generating tourism receipts of RM12.67 billion, which is a strong indicator of the sector’s robust performance.

However, Abdul Karim noted that industry players had raised several concerns, including waste management issues such as littering in national park areas, as well as the need to improve the distribution process of Ministry grants for event organisers.

“These are relatively minor issues, but we appreciate and welcome such feedback so that we can continue improving ourselves,” he said.

The event also witnessed the launching of 2026 Calender of Tourism Events for Sarawak and Sarawak Creative Industry Directory 1.0. — DayakDaily

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