Abdul Karim (centre) with Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (Tourism) Deputy Minister Dato Sebastian Ting (second left) and others pose for a group photo during the ITB Berlin 2023.
KUCHING (March 11): Sarawak returned with a strong showing at ITB Berlin (Internationale Tourismusborse Berlin) 2023 from March 7-9 with its own inaugural stand-alone pavilion to strengthen the state’s presence in the European market and to position itself as a leading and preferred eco-tourism destination in the Asean region.
With its participation at ITB Berlin, Sarawak has become more visible in the Europe Market, positioning itself as a unique, new and exotic destination, according to a statement yesterday.
Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and its trade partners managed to clinch 52 new leads to promote Sarawak, which STB hoped to be realised this year.
STB projected these leads would result in 20 per cent growth in terms of sales from the Europe market.
The total sales expected to be generated from ITB Berlin 2023 were estimated at RM10.5 million for this year and beyond.
Visitors to ITB Berlin had a taste of Sarawak’s unique plethora of Culture, Adventure, Nature, Food and Festivals, opening new leads, creating strong interest and positive perception of Sarawak.
The Sarawak Pavilion also showcased various aspects of Sarawak’s multi-ethnic communities and natural ecosystems as well as diverse flora and fauna to ensure continuous ‘Discovery of Sarawak’.
A significant agenda for Sarawak at ITB Berlin was the signing of memorandum of understanding (MoU) between STB and Tischler Reisen AG as a collaborative effort to boost Sarawak’s visibility towards becoming a preferred destination among the people of Germany and surrounding European markets both offline and online with the best travel agencies, involving some 600 agencies in Germany.
Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the Sarawak Pavilion is reflective of the state’s passion to drive tourism as one of the key contributors to the region of Sarawak.
He shared: “This year, Sarawak has come back stronger – targeting three million visitor arrivals as the international tourism continues to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. It has certainly been an optimistic comeback for Sarawak, with a growth of more 800 per cent tourism receipts in 2022, recording almost RM4 billion, versus RM500 million for 2021.”
According to Abdul Karim, events and festivals are key to Sarawak’s tourism industry to further establish its image as a cultural destination.
“One such event is of course our internationally renowned Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) which will be held from June 23-25 this year.
“Recognising that festivals have massive carbon footprint and the fact that waste generated has one of the most prominent environmental impacts, proactive measures have been taken towards creating and implementing a sustainable, eco-friendly festival for the RWMF,” he said.
Another significant highlight for Sarawak at ITB Berlin was the unveiling of its new destination video “Sarawak…Now More Than Ever” as well as video presentations on Sarawak’s adventure products such as cycling, trekking and caving activities and promotion of the RWMF 2023.
As the biggest state in Malaysia with a low-density population of 2.9 million people, Sarawak is very proud of its natural inheritance of pristine rainforests, endemic flora and fauna, and its diverse peoples.
Located in Borneo, the third largest island in the world, the rich land of Sarawak is host to a kaleidoscope of cultures made up of 31 ethnic groups, with a rich and diverse ecosystem for adventurers to explore.
As world travellers become more conscious of Responsible Travel, Sarawak has stepped up to embrace this philosophy, taking bolder steps towards promoting Responsible Tourism.
In line with United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), STB has played a key role in advocating for responsible people, responsible businesses and responsible governments to maximise positive economic, social and environmental impact on tourism.
Taking environmental issues seriously, Sarawak tourism players incorporate elements of sustainable waste management, energy conservation and environmental education into their tours to ensure travellers not only are sight-seeing but Sarawak tourism players adapt eco-friendly practices in their tourism products, such as encouraging bicycle-rides in rural areas or enjoy birdwatching in Sarawak’s lush rainforests.
Tourism players promote homestays, encourage consumption of local food, and highlight local handicrafts and arts in their effort to sustain the local way of life.
Such community-based tourism can be found in areas such as Nanga Sumpa in Batang Ai, where travellers can gain insights into the lifestyle of the various tribes of Sarawak.
These efforts can generate economy for its residents, especially those from lower-income groups.
Sarawak’s renowned orangutan rehabilitation centre, Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, 20 kilometres from Kuching City, is by far the biggest orangutan rehabilitation centre in Sarawak.
Currently, the centre serves as a habitat for the orangutans and also a place for visitors to learn about this endangered species.
Supporting STB’s efforts in Berlin were its key strategic partners – Authentic Borneo Tours, Borneo Adventure, Business Events Sarawak (Sarawak Convention Bureau), CPH Travel Agencies (Sarawak), Greatown Travel, Happy Trails Borneo Tours, Hemisphere Hospitality, Paradesa Borneo, Smart Leisure & Travels and Tropical Adventure who worked together to enhance Sarawak’s visibility on the global pedestal.
For more information about Sarawak, visit https://www.sarawaktourism.com/.