Bau Cultural and Tourism Festival 2026 proposed for VM2026 calendar, RM400k allocated

Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.

By Amanda L

KUCHING, May 10: Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing has proposed that the Bau Cultural and Tourism Festival 2026 be included in the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) calendar as part of efforts to strengthen Bau’s positioning as a cultural tourism destination.

According to him, the inclusion would enhance the district’s visibility under the national tourism campaign while supporting ongoing efforts to promote its living heritage, particularly its Bidayuh cultural identity and historical legacy as a former gold mining centre.

“Bau has strong potential to be developed as a cultural tourism hub, as visitors today are increasingly seeking authentic experiences beyond conventional sightseeing

“Tourists today are not only looking at attractive places but also want to understand culture, observe community life and experience it first-hand,” he said during his speech at the Bau Cultural and Tourism Festival 2026 held here on Saturday (May 9).

Building on this, he said the festival should be developed as a sustained tourism product under VM2026 rather than a one-off event, to ensure continued visitor engagement with the district.

At the same event, Tiong announced that the MOTAC has allocated RM400,000 to support the organisation of the festival.

He said the allocation reflects the federal government’s commitment to strengthening grassroots cultural tourism and supporting the delivery of structured programmes.

In addition to funding support, Tiong stressed the importance of preparedness among tourism stakeholders, saying destinations must be ready to handle increased visitor arrivals under VM2026.

“We must be ready. When tourists arrive, we cannot be disorganised or unprepared in managing them,” he said. — DayakDaily