KUCHING: The Sarawak tourism sector has seen significant success in its promotional efforts from January to March, with over one million tourists visiting the region.
Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) chairman Datuk Dennis Ngau said looking ahead to the months from April to December, one of the most anticipated events will be the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) scheduled for the end of June.
“RWMF, which will be held at Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) is our baby project and this year we are expecting a larger crowd,” he said.
He said this when met by reporters at the Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Sarawak (TEGAS) Hari Raya Gathering at TEGAS Digital Village yesterday evening (Apr 27).
With internationally acclaimed Japanese musician Kitaro who will be the headline act at this year’s RWMF, Dennis said there has been a surge in interest in the festival.
“I’m quite surprised as many are inquiring about ticket availability, particularly among those in their 40s and 50s as they know this will be Kitaro’s last tour.
“Therefore, ticket sales have already exceeded expectations since we launched it,” he said, while adding that there will be larger crowds to the festival as compared to last year.
He added that in preparations for the RMWF, infrastructure upgrades on stage including building new toilets are underway at the venue to accommodate the expected influx of visitors.
Prior to the festival, Dennis said a youth forum on sustainability, focusing on green energy and technology will also be held.
“This forum will either take place just before or during the RWMF and it aims to attract over 1,500 university students from across Asia to attend the forum in Kuching,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sarawak’s visitor arrivals recorded at 1.2 million for the first three months of this year, while tourism receipts totalled RM3.07 billion.
