KUCHING: Sarawak recorded 1.14 million visitor arrivals as of September.
Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the ministry is therefore confident of meeting or even surpassing its target of 1.2 million tourist arrivals this year.
“As we are all aware, the world economy and lifestyles were badly hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, especially the tourism sector. We have no choice but to face and deal with the challenges caused by the pandemic.
“However, with mass vaccination and lifting of restrictions on travelling by many countries, we should be able to regain our composure and propel forward with resilience and determination,” he said.
Abdul Karim said this in his speech delivered by the ministry’s permanent secretary Hii Chang Kee during the prize presentation and closing ceremony of the 17th World Xiangqi (Chinese chess) Championship and Forum at Imperial Hotel on yesterday (Oct 29).
He added that tourist arrival is expected to rise hence it is timely to ride on this expectation by organising more events to attract more inbound tours.
“The Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts has always been generous in supporting regional and international events. Events are important to a destination to increase the level of local businesses, fill hotel capacities, and enhance the image and visibility of the destination,” he pointed out.
For this year alone, he said the ministry has supported more than 100 events in various parts of Sarawak.
On another note, he commended the Kuching Xiangqi Association for successfully hosting the 17th World Xiangqi Championship and Forum.
