Ministry sets target for Sarawak to welcome five million visitors in 2025

KUCHING (May 20): The Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts is setting its sights on achieving five million visitor arrivals to Sarawak next year.

Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah says his ministry is revisiting the goal, which was first outlined back in 2020.

“Our highest number of visitors coming to Sarawak through the years was in 2019, when we recorded 4.6 million arrivals.

“That was the reason why I increased the target up to five million in 2020, but then the Covid-19 pandemic hit us, and everything collapsed,” he said at the opening of the ‘Sarawak Tourism Destination Resilience Workshop’ here today.

He said he was optimistic that Sarawak would be able to hit this year’s target of four million arrivals.

“Our visitor arrivals from January to April this year stood at 1,615,912, compared to the same period in 2023 at 1,288,036, showcasing an increase of 25.46 per cent.

“The numbers are already picking up from these four months and normally, January to April is not our peak season, which usually is from June until December.

“Based on this, I know that we should be able to hit that target by September or even in August,” he said, reiterating the ministry’s projection of five million visitor arrivals for 2025.

“It’s not easy to achieve this target, so everybody would have to work hard.”

On the workshop, Abdul Karim said the comprehensive initiative underscored the ministry’s unwavering commitment towards equipping stakeholders with the necessary tools and strategies to navigate crises effectively; thus, ensuring sustainable tourism growth in Sarawak.

“The Sarawak Tourism Destination Resilience Programme is more than just a series of workshops. It is a manifesto for change, a roadmap for resilience.

“Over the course of a number of modules, participants will delve deep into the intricacies of destination management, learning how to evaluate, mitigate and manage risks effectively.

“They will explore strategies for bolstering adaptive capacity, ensuring the development of sustainable and inclusive tourism practices, and upholding our rich cultural heritage,” he said.

Also present were deputy minister Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) chairman Dato Dennis Ngau, STB chief executive officer Sharzede Salleh Askor, and Pacific Asia Travel Association chief executive officer Noor Ahmad Hamid.