BY DEZIREEN GALOH & FASIHA KHUSHIRI
KUCHING: Sarawak is reinforcing its standing as a regional tourism hub with the upcoming Third Southeast Asia (SEA) Tourist Guides Conference 2026, scheduled from October 13 to 15 at Kingwood Hotel, Sibu.
The conference is expected to gather around 1,000 delegates from across SEA, serving as a strategic platform to elevate professional standards among tourist guides while advancing high-quality tourism development in the ASEAN region.
The event is organised by the Sarawak Tourist Guides Association in collaboration with the Malaysian Tourist Guides Council, and support from Business Events Sarawak.
Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Datuk Snowdan Lawan, said the state aims to welcome five million visitors by 2026, while maintaining quality as a key priority.
He said that to ensure sustainable growth, tourist guides must be given comprehensive support, equipped with relevant skills, and prepared to meet future industry demands.
“First, with the support of Business Events Sarawak, we are building the capacity of tourist guides through this conference as a platform for learning, collaboration, and regional knowledge exchange.
“Second, we are allocating funds to train new tourist guides, including region-specific licensed guides and Sarawak park guides, to strengthen the industry’s talent pipeline,” he said.
He said this at the press conference on Sarawak to host the Third SEA Tourist Guides Conference 2026 at Baitul Makmur Building 2 here today.
This edition follows the success of the inaugural conference held here in 2024 and aligns with the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 agenda, while also addressing industry challenges and strengthening collaboration among frontline tourism players.
Under the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030), Sarawak is targeting a 7.5 per cent annual growth in visitor arrivals by 2030, with a strong emphasis on delivering quality and sustainable tourism experiences.
Snowdan added that the initiative reflects Sarawak’s legacy-driven approach to hosting conferences, with a focus on delivering long-term impact to the state’s tourism industry.
He noted that selecting Sibu as the host city highlights efforts to promote inclusive tourism development while ensuring economic benefits are distributed across the state.
“As part of the programme, delegates will participate in experiential learning activities, including cultural exchanges that provide direct exposure to community-based tourism.
“This initiative aims to enhance both local and international guides’ understanding of their role in preserving cultural identity while delivering authentic visitor experiences,” he added.
The conference is expected to catalyse talent development, enhance professionalism, and further position Sarawak as a leading hub for high-impact business events in Malaysia and the wider Borneo region.
