Sarawak pledges support for Malaysia’s 43 mln visitor target in 2026

KUCHING (Jan 1): Sarawak is committed to supporting Malaysia’s goal of attracting 43 million visitors in 2026, said Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

Speaking at the Visit Malaysia 2026 welcoming event at Kuching International Airport (KIA) here on Thursday, Abdul Karim said the programme was organised by the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac).

He noted that as of November 2025, Malaysia had recorded 38.3 million visitor arrivals.

“If we receive the complete data, I believe we may be able to hit the 40 million target for 2025.

“For 2026, an additional three million has been added, making it 43 million for that year. I feel that the target is quite achievable,” he said.

Abdul Karim added that Sarawak has set a target of five million visitors for 2025.

According to him, the state recorded a total of 4.42 million visitor arrivals as of November 2025.

“Whether or not we achieve the target, it should not be a problem for us because we have already recorded a good performance,” he said, adding that the latest figure has yet to be confirmed by the immigration department.

On the welcoming events for Visit Malaysia 2026, Abdul Karim said the programmes are being held simultaneously nationwide for tourists and visitors.

“In Sarawak alone, the welcoming events are being held at nine locations.

“Some are at land entry points, and some at airports — at KIA, Miri, Sibu, Bintulu, as well as other locations such as Biawak, Tebedu, Sungai Tujuh, and so on,” he said.

Reflecting on the 2026 New Year celebration held at the Kuching Waterfront, Abdul Karim said there was a surge in visitor arrivals from Brunei and Indonesia.

“For the three days leading up to Dec 31, I was informed that there were large numbers of Indonesians entering through the Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security (CIQS) complex in Tebedu.

“When we asked them, many said they came to attend concerts and to celebrate the 2026 New Year’s countdown,” he said, noting that special attractions can significantly boost visitor numbers.

Meanwhile, Tourism Malaysia Sarawak director Rubiah Tul Adwiyah Md Yusof, who was also present, welcomed visitors from around the world to experience Malaysia in 2026.

“We warmly welcome all domestic and international tourists to Sarawak in particular, and to Malaysia in general,” she added.