THE Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MoTAC) has continued to invest in upskilling and capacity building for tourism industry players in a bid to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Assistant minister Datuk Sebastian Ting said this included digital marketing courses, frontliners upskilling courses, community-based tourism, handicraft skills training, Business Events Digital Education Campus (TriBe Digital Campus), online ecosystem funding, product updates, Regional Specific Tourist Guide (RSTG) courses in Kuching, Miri and Sibu, as well as e-Tourism courses.
“This will prepare our tourism industry operators and frontliners for the return of visitors in the near future,” he said in a response to a question from Datuk Tiong Thai King (SUPP-Dudong) at the DUN sitting today.
He also mentioned that the ministry had made a quick review of marketing strategies, which included turning promotional and marketing initiatives to domestic tourism through the ‘Sia Sitok Sarawak’ campaign.
“To date, the campaign has generated more than RM681,082 in sales, with 569 tour packages sold involving 3,167 pax.”
The Visitor Incentives Programme (VIP) was another measure to support the revival of state tourism post-Covid-19, by providing support to registered travel agencies and tour operators licensed by the federal ministry, he added.
“The incentives are as follows: RM30 per person for the first two pax and additional RM20 per pax for three-day, two-night (3D/2N) tour package, RM40 per person for the first two pax and additional RM25 per pax for 4D/3N tour package, and RM50 per person for the first two pax and additional RM30 per pax for 5D/4N tour package.”
Ting elaborated that the ministry regularly worked out the standard operating procedure for the gradual opening of the tourism industry with the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee. “This is to ensure tourist confidence,” he added.
