Sarawak tourism body downplays impact of suspension of US programmes

The Sarawak Tourist Guides Association says Americans account for only a small proportion of total tourist arrivals.

Sarawak Tourist Guides Association (TGA) chairman Edwin Lim said that while Sarawak had traditionally focused on wooing tourists from the US and Europe, the current strategy “appears to be a shift towards the East Asian market”.

The US is more like a niche market now, and the number of tourists from there is relatively small. The latest data available from the state shows that only 7,852 Americans visited the state in 2023, accounting for only 0.2% of the three million tourist arrivals that year.

Given its small number, Lim does not expect an impact on tourist arrivals for Sarawak.

Last week, Sarawak tourism, creative industry and performing arts minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the state government had suspended all official and non-official programmes to woo tourists from the US.

This was done in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people, he explained.

In a report on TV Sarawak, Karim noted that ongoing tensions involving Iran, Israel and the US have shaped global perceptions of the latter two countries.

He urged Malaysians to consider other destinations such as China, South Korea and Japan, which he described as equally attractive.

Lim said that while there have been some cancellations, and the number of bookings from the Gulf countries has dropped as a result of the conflict, local tourism operators “have no significant concerns”.

He pointed out that tourists are now able to make their own judgement about travel safety and choice of destinations.

“Overall, Malaysia remains a safe and attractive destination for a vacation,” he added.

Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents president Nigel Wong said although it is important to maintain brand presence in the US, tourist arrivals from there is not as significant as those from short- or medium-haul markets.

“Such a move does not drastically affect arrival numbers from the US,” he told FMT.

“Overall, it reflects a reassessment of strategic direction and could potentially lead to better growth opportunities for Sarawak.

“At this point, the priority should be to strengthen engagement with markets nearer to us, while gradually building brand presence in destinations further away as conditions evolve,” he said.

Wong said an estimated 250,000 US tourists visited Malaysia last year. In comparison, East Asia contributed around eight million arrivals, while Asean countries accounted for approximately 28 million arrivals, making them the dominant source markets.

He added that the federal and Sarawak governments should focus on more accessible markets, particularly given the current fluctuations in pricing due to the conflict in the Middle East.