KUCHING: The Tourism and Heritage Ministry will continue to engage with existing and new airlines to bring more tourists into the state.
According to its minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, the ministry is preparing some strategies to achieve the goal as accessibility and connectivity are important areas that must be pursued.
“Some of the strategies include improving connectivity from hub airports like Kuala Lumpur and Singapore by reducing transit time, global distribution system schedule display, marketing support to airlines, leveraging on the Liberal Aviation Policy to encourage airlines to fly to Sarawak, focusing on chartered operations during peak demand in selected markets like North Asia and Western Europe and collaborating with Malaysia Airport Berhad and other agencies to improve incentive programmes for aircraft landing and parking,” he said.
Abang Johari added
that they were optimistic that positive trends in arrivals would continue this year, especially with improved connectivity, coupled with joint strategic marketing and promotional plans.
“Under the BIMP-Eaga air connectivity expansion initiative, I am pushing hard to get the federal government to allow MASWings to fly to selected destinations in Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines.
“In addition, I am also engaging with other carriers on the possibility of opening up new routes from Europe, Australia and New Zealand,” he said.
Abang Johari pointed out that accessibility into the state had continued to improve this year, with several new destinations and carriers flying into Sarawak.
“The first four months of this year recorded a total visitor arrival of 1,158,994 visitors.
“Of these, 62.3 per cent were foreigners and 37.7 per cent were domestic visitors,” he said.
Last year, the state recorded 3,270,655 visitor arrivals, of which 58 per cent were international and 42 per cent were domestic visitors from Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah.
Tourist receipts earned last year based on Tourism Malaysia’s estimate was RM1.69 billion.