KUCHING, Feb 19 — Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg today stressed that Sarawak’s tourism industry will not suffer much due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) originating from China.
He said the state’s tourism industry did not rely only on China for tourist arrivals.
“Our market is diverse, including Europe, and I am sure that they will come to Sarawak because of our friendly environment as well as nature,” he said at the launch of the state Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture’s Sarawak Travel App and Web Portal here.
The chief minister also urged industry players, including those in excursions and food and beverage business and adventure, to make use of technology to promote their products.
“What is very important is that you must have very good content in your websites, and that will attract outside people to come over to Sarawak,” he said.
State Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said Sarawak was aiming for five million visitors and RM12.4 billion in tourism receipts this year despite Covid-19.
He said this was because the Visit Malaysia 2020 and Sarawak More to Discover campaigns were ongoing.
He said his ministry has reviewed the marketing strategies that included an increase of promotional and marketing initiatives for domestic and inbound tourism to encourage more local tourists to choose Sarawak as a preferred holiday destination.
“Other proposed measures include increasing marketing efforts to correct any mistaken impression that Malaysia is not safe and encouraging cross border tourism,” he added.
“Therefore, all stakeholders have to work together with a creative mind and also a positive approach for the development of Sarawak tourism towards this global issue,” he said.
On the Sarawak Travel App and Web Portal, Karim said it was an initiative that stemmed from one of the main pillars of Sarawak’s economic strategies that will drive Sarawak towards the forefront of the digital economy powered by knowledge, innovation and digital technology.
“Tourism remains as one of the key sectors which will turnaround the economy for Sarawak,” he said, adding that in 2018, the industry contributed RM11 billion to the state’s gross domestic product.
“In supporting its tremendous potential, a fully developed integrated tourism mobile application and web portal are regarded as the catalysts to enhance the growth of the industry,” he said.
The travel app and web portal is a partnership and collaborative effort by the state Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA), and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) to digitalize major components of Sarawak tourism industry.
It covers a number of sites of interests, such as Old Kuching Heritage, scenic sites, national parks and nature reserve, food and religious trails, museum and kampung heritage.
