KUCHING: Sarawak has reached an astounding 1.1 billion audiences throughout 2020 with digital stories and initiatives to promote its beauty to the world, despite the global pandemic.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said such achievement was possible due to tremendous support from the media in writing and crafting amazing stories of the state.
“Storytelling is an art, and it is art done right by all of you throughout the years, especially during this Covid-19 pandemic, where we needed it the most, that has been instrumental in restarting of our local tourism industry, as we gradually weather challenges faced by the pandemic.
“It is through the media, that we are able to bring about more than a billion people virtually to Sarawak, and have hopefully, somehow enticed them to visit once it is safe to travel again.
“Thank you again for the effort in making our vision to increase the visibility and awareness of our beautiful Sarawak to the world, a reality,” he said when speaking at the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) Media Night at Imperial Hotel here, Tuesday night.
He further noted that though the Covid-19 might not be fully over next year, the ministry was optimistic to see an increase in travel activities with the opening of green zones and travel bubble and the possibility of the opening of borders.
Earlier this year, he informed that the ministry announced two initiatives that included the visitors incentive package (VIP) for travel agencies and the Sarawak Tourism Online Ecosystem Fund, a catalytic programme to expand Sarawak tourism’s digital footprint and Share of Voice in collaboration with industry partners.
“In August, we launched the Sia Sitok Sarawak intra-state travel campaign for Sarawakians and residents of Sarawak,that received a very good response from the locals, and had helped support and sustain our local tourism.
“Sarawak was also the first to collaborate with Grab Malaysia to introduce the e-hailing online-based learning ambassadors programme, for e-hailing drivers, to enhance their knowledge on Sarawak, to become tourism ambassadors in time for the influx of tourists once the borders are open.
“And early next year we hope to announce our much anticipated inter-state campaign for Peninsular Malaysians to visit our beautiful Sarawak.”
Among those present were the minister’s wife Datin Zuraini Abdul Jabbar, the ministry’s permanent secretary Hii Chang Kee, STB chief executive officer Sharzede Salleh Askor, and Federation of Sarawak Journalists Association (FSJA) president Jacqueline David Impi.
