KUCHING: The federal government has been urged to revise airfare price of flights coming into Sarawak including flight frequencies from peninsular Malaysia and Sabah.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said by having more flights at lower prices, it would help to encourage more international tourists to come to Sarawak as the international borders have been opened since last week.
“We are working to bring in more tourists from the other states to Sarawak.
“At the moment, the high airfare price is a factor which could escalate the cost for holidays.”
He said this in a text of speech read out by the Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah at the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) fair held at the World Trade Centre (WTC) in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Abang Johari said Sarawak has begun to show indications for its tourism recovery path when 548.08 per cent more visitors were recorded in the first two months of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021.
“Sarawak has done relatively well in tourism in the past years before the COVID-19 hit us all in early 2020. In 2019, the visitors’ arrival to Sarawak was at its all-time high at 4.66 million.
“Despite the pandemic, Sarawak did not sit back and watch, but instead took bold steps to establish the domestic home-grown brand of Sia-Sitok Sarawak and Sia Sitok Accomodation since 2020.
“The domestic travel campaign has created much interest to rediscover the destinations in Sarawak and has received overwhelming response from the public,” said Abang Johari.
The Premier hoped that the process of recovery in the tourism industry in Sarawak and throughout the country would move swiftly as the country moved into the COVID-19 endemic phase.
Meanwhile, he said that the Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts of Sarawak through its agencies including Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and Sarawak Convention Bureau was committed to forge close and strong partnerships with other tourism and business events industry stakeholders.
“By working together, we can pool our ideas and resources to create new and innovative tourism offerings that can enhance our competitiveness.
“We need to work together not only as a state but a country as a whole in order to remain competitive in the region and international markets after over two years of stagnation,” he said.
He noted that Sarawak has been named Malaysia’s Favourite Destination in the MATTA Fair 2022 – the third time Sarawak has received the honour, after similar honours in 2017 and 2018.
In the MATTA Fair, Sarawak also has taken the largest number of booths, with 21 booths overall.
This will allow STB to showcase, promote and market Sarawak’s prime eco-tourism destinations that are rich with its heritage as well as culture, beautiful islands and nature-based tourism products, besides its largest pristine rainforests in the world.
“We have so much to offer to tourists that you may not find in other states.
“With more than 40 sub-ethnic groups, Sarawak is a land with diverse culture and heritage.
“Our main pillars of tourism cover CANFF – Culture, Adventure, Nature, Food and Festivals.
“So, please come and visit Sarawak. You will have a great memorable time and experience in my beautiful state,” the Premier added.
Moredetails and information on what Sarawak can offer for one to experience are available at the Sarawak Pavilion in the MATTA Fair.
By being a major exhibitor in such established event, Abang Johari said MATTA Fair is a good start to boost domestic tourism in the state.
In this regard, he said that STB would continue the good work from the MATTA Fair to fast-track the state’s tourism industry.
“We (state government) shall be working closely with MATTA at the national level as well as in Sarawak.
“I appreciate that MATTA is active in promoting Sarawak. The support by MATTA in the recovery of Sarawak tourism industry is very much valued.
“I hope to see that the MATTA Fair in Sarawak will be back this year,” he added.
For the record, MATTA Fair is well-known as the largest one-stop-centre for customers to purchase their holidays from a wide range of travel and tourism products, including domestic holidays and overseas destinations, at very reasonable rates.
This year, MATTA Fair is partnering with the Sarawak state government to highlight all of the interesting places and people to visit in the East Malaysian state.
