KUCHING: Some 200 of Sarawak’s tourism players took a ‘Responsible Tourism’ pledge to reduce their environmental footprint, support local communities, and protect culture and heritage.
Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) chief executive officer Sharzede Salleh Askor said the pledge focused on the 3Es – Environmental Protection, Empowering Communities through Education, and Economic Viability and Impact.
“This pledge is a sign of our commitment and conviction to building a mindful mindset among industry players and visitors alike.
“We strongly believe that collective responsible tourism efforts will not only contribute to the wellbeing of our local communities and environment but also create meaningful experiences for travellers.
“Responsible tourism has always been a part of our DNA, along with culture, adventure, nature, food, and festivals.
“Over the years, STB has actively organised various environment and skill-based programmes to not only advocate for sustainability in tourism among local Sarawakians but also to empower the lower-income community with the ability to upscale their income.”
She said this during an industry briefing that was held simultaneously in Kuching, Sibu and Miri.
In addition to declaring their commitment to responsible tourism, the industry briefing also included discussions on strategies and programmes for Sarawak in 2022.
“The tourism industry will never be the same. Therefore, our efforts are not focused on going back to where we were. Instead, we want to build, create and imagine the new ways of business beyond Covid-19.
“We foresee a gradual travel and tourism recovery by the end of 2021 and through 2022 thanks to the accelerated vaccine rollout across Malaysia and key markets in Asean region. For Sarawak, in addition to intelligent risk management within borders, we also have in place stringent standard operating procedures for tourists and industry players.
“We are looking forward to the rest of the year and 2022. Kuching’s recent inclusion as one of the 49 new cities under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s Creative Cities Network bodes well for the state, and will amplify our presence among domestic and international travellers.”
STB was also recently named as the ‘One to Watch’ by World Travel Market Responsible Tourism Awards 2021 in the Destinations Building Back Better Post-Covid category.
