Sukma XXI able to boost visitor’s arrivals in Sarawak, says minister

KUCHING (Aug 12): The 21st Malaysia Games (Sukma XXI) is expected to greatly contribute to the influx of visitors to Sarawak.

In stating this, Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah believes that this, in turn, would help the state achieve this year’s target of four million visitor’s arrivals earlier than September.

“I am confident that many visitors entering the state are not only from the contingents of each state, but also their family members as well,” he told reporters when met after officiating at the closing of his ministry’s ‘Innovative and Creative Circle (ICC) Convention’ at Raia Hotel and Convention Centre here today.

Abdul Karim, also the state Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, said the number of visitor’s arrivals recorded from January to July this year consisted of 2,838,572 people, and they comprised 1,763,815 foreign visitors and 1,074,757 domestic visitors from Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah.

He said the arrivals also contributed to Sarawak’s tourism receipts, which amounted to more than RM7 billion, an increase of 27.11 per cent from more than RM5 billion recorded in the same period last year.

“Last month (July), the highest number of visitors came from Brunei, at 164,141, followed by Indonesia with 58,407 visitors, China with 8,466, Singapore with 5,111, and the Philippines with 3,974,” he added.

Earlier in his speech, Abdul Karim expressed hope that through the ICC activities being driven by the civil servants, the ministry and agencies under his ministry could give their best commitment.

“This is especially in improving their way of working and the delivery of agency services to a more excellent and optimal level, as well as the production of innovative products that goes hand-in-hand with the development Sarawak’s tourism sector, creative industry and performing arts,” he said.

Abdul Karim also said the state government was targeting Sarawak’s tourism, creative industry and performing arts sector as an example, as well as a benchmark among other attractive destinations in the world.

“As a ministry that bears responsibilities and policies related to the creative industry, it is the strength and the skills of the ministry’s staff to always have a creative and innovative workforce.

“In a world that is constantly chasing change and competition, it is an important element for each staff member to have the attitude and effort to work in an innovative and creative environment, especially to perform their respective tasks quickly, effectively and optimally.”

Also present were Abdul Karim’s deputies Dato Sebastian Ting and Datuk Snowdan Lawan, and the ministry’s permanent secretary Datu Sherrina Hussaini.