KUCHING: Sarawak welcomed 1.141 million tourists as of September 2022, a big jump compared to the corresponding period for 2021.
Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts of Sarawak, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said that by the end of this month, the target for overall tourist arrivals should be surpassed.
He pointed out that last year, only 15,532 tourists came to Sarawak because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Therefore, for this year, our tourism revenue as of September 2022 is RM2.72 billion compared to only RM 213.98 million last year,” he said when asked by the reporters after officiating at BESarawak” Tribal Gathering 2022 at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching yesterday (October 17).
Asked about foreigners who had come to Sarawak so far, Abdul Karim said they included those from Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore.
“And we are truly happy about that. If you truly look at the distance between Sarawak and Singapore, it is only one hour away. And for safety, we are able to give the assurance that they are safe while enjoying their trip here,” he said.
Abdul Karim then added, “When it comes to music tourism, nothing has come close to Sarawak.
“We have got so many music festivals such as the Rainforest World Music Festival, Borneo Jazz Festival, and of course the forthcoming Kuching Jazz Festival.
“I can say that since April 2022, we are very busy with multiple events.
