Miri tourism set to grow with Niah National Park’s Unesco World Heritage status

KUCHING (July 30): The designation of Niah National Park Caves Complex as a Unesco World Heritage site is expected to spur the growth of the tourism sector in Miri, says Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Sarawak chapter chairman John Teo.

He pointed out the nomination process for the Niah Caves archaeological site began in 2019 before it was finally accorded the recognition five years later.

“Niah Great Caves National Park in Miri is alive with unwritten history, because it was already inhabited by humans at least 40 millennia ago. The caves are the site of some of the oldest human remains,” he said in a statement.

Teo believed that the recognition would not only attract international tourists to visit the fascinating caves complex, but also be able to put Miri and the whole Sarawak on the world tourism map.

“Being included on the Unesco World Heritage list is highly sought after by nations worldwide as it represents the highest level of global recognition for heritage sites.”

Teo remarked that the local residents around the Niah Caves complex could also expect well-planned infrastructure to be constructed in the surrounding areas, such as proper roads, waste management systems, and visitor centres to cater to the anticipated surge in tourist arrivals.

Moreover, Teo hailed the prestigious recognition accorded to Niah National Park as ‘underscoring Sarawak government’s commitment to protect local heritage sites’.

Additionally, he said with the latest recognition, there are now five Unesco World Heritage Sites in the country, including Sarawak’s Gunung Mulu National Park, Sabah’s Kinabalu Park, Melaka and George Town (Penang) historical cities, and Perak’s Lenggong Valley archaeological site.