KUCHING: Sarawak can expect more visitors from Brunei with the implementation of Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) between the state and neighbouring Brunei.
Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said with announcement made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on the matter recently, the doors at the border would be open soon.
“This is one of the main entry because before the COVID-19 pandemic, Brunei accounts for the highest number of our visitors.
“So, as Malaysia and Brunei have already agreed on the VTL, I believe it will only be a matter of time that we will see more Bruneians visitors crossing over to Miri and Limbang,” he told reporters here, on Sunday.
He pointed out that with the VTL, the number of visitors coming in would be back to pre-COVID days.
“As it is, we are already seeing an increase of between 400 per cent to 500 per cent in the number of visitors coming in from January to February this year compared to the same period last year.
“So with this VTL, the figure will even be better,” he added.
Karim also said that Sarawak was also trying to work on the VTL with Singapore.
“At the moment, the VTL is only between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
“We are trying to have something like that between Singapore and Sarawak because we have direct flight from Singapore to Kuching and Singapore to Miri,” he said.
