BOGOR: The proof is in the pudding; Malaysia’s tourism industry is recovering with the arrival of 4.5 million tourists in the first quarter of this year.
Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP) Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said this progress has allowed the country to remain on the right track to reach the target of 16.1 million tourist arrivals by the end of the year.
“The Sarawak government has also seen a significant increase in domestic visitors in the state during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.
“In Sarawak, we have introduced a domestic tourism package known as ‘Sia Sitok’ which many Sarawakians take the opportunity to visit different destinations in the state,” he said in his speech at the International Conference on Responsible Tourism and Hospitality (ICRTH) 2023 here on Monday (Aug 21).
According to Abdul Karim, the ICRTH 2023 Conference themed ‘Reviving Tourism Through Green Investment’ is timely in emphasising responsible tourism.
“We must address the urgent environmental issues stemming from uncontrolled growth and with responsible investment and collective initiative so that we can preserve our destinations for future generations,” he added.
Also present were Mayor of Bogor Dr Bima Arya Sugiarto; MTCP Deputy Minister Datuk Sebastian Ting and permanent secretary Datuk Sherrina Hussaini; and Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) chairman Dennis Ngau.
ICRTH 2022 was attended by 280 delegates from over 20 countries.
