Sarawak optimistic of doubling Chinese tourist arrivals this year

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BEIJING: Sarawak is optimistic of doubling Chinese tourists arrivals this year to 20 per cent this, thanks to improved tourism facilities and with the soon-to-be launched connecting flight service between Hong Kong and Kuching.

Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) Marketing manager (North Asia) Catherine Lau said the twice weekly connecting flight service would begin from May 28.

“Sarawak sees a 10 per cent increase in Chinese tourist arrivals, annually, but this year STB aims to double that figure,” she told reporters after the launch of the Tourism Malaysia Pavilion at the Beijing International Tourism Expo here yesterday.

Lau said the soon-to-be launched connecting flight service would further increase Sarawak’s appeal to Chinese tourists as the flights from Hong Kong to Kuching would only take three-and-a-half hours.

She said Sarawak offered niche tourism products which focused on, among others, culture, nature, adventure and a mixture of modern and British era atmosphere.

“About 52 per cent of Chinese tourists arrived in Sarawak are free independent travellers who are looking for travelling experience, not just for holidays,” she said.

However, Lau said Sarawak appealed the most to Europeans.

“We are intensifying our efforts to bring in more tourists from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Singapore,” she added. — Bernama