KUCHING: The Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts may consider including Padawan Raft Safari as an annual calendar event in Sarawak
Minister, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said the event, which is increasingly attracting the attention of water sports fans, has the potential to be developed internationally.
He feels the Padawan Raft Safari can follow in the footsteps of the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) which began with only about 300 visitors.
“This event is a Sarawak tourism product so our ministry, the private sector, and the event management need to discuss so that this programme can be raised to a higher level.
“Taking the example of RWMF, in the past only 300 people came, now when you go abroad everyone knows each other and this means it has become an international event.
“I want to see the Padawan Raft Safari like that, so we must work to develop it,” said Karim at the closing of the Padawan Raft Safari 2023 at the Multipurpose Hall of Kampung Git, Padawan yesterday (Oct 22).
This edition featured a total of 27 kayakers and 176 raft teams, an increase in the number of participants compared to last year’s 112 .
Karim added that this event has created opportunities for entrepreneurs while promoting the beauty of nature in the Padawan area.
“The Padawan area is beautiful and I think it is a natural treasure that is always an attraction because it is not far from the city area.
“The river is clean, the forest is beautiful, it is hilly and the location is perfect to be developed as a tourism product,” he stressed.
Among those present at the event were Deputy Minister of Transport (Road and Aviation) Datuk Dr Jerip Susil and Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) chairman Tan Kai.
