KUCHING: Sarawak has intensified its push into the Australian and New Zealand travel markets with a comprehensive trade roadshow spanning six major cities, as part of Malaysia’s ambitious drive to attract 43 million visitors during Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
The Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) participated in the Total Holiday Options (THO) Mega Roadshow 2026 from Jan 27 to Feb 5, meeting face-to-face with travel agents and tour operators in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
The business-to-business initiative represents a strategic effort to position Sarawak as a compelling long-haul destination in an increasingly competitive Southeast Asian tourism landscape.
STB chief executive officer Dr Sharzede Salleh Askor noted that awareness alone won’t convert potential visitors into actual arrivals.
“For long-haul markets such as Australia and New Zealand, destination awareness alone is not enough.
“Confidence drives conversion, and confidence comes from direct engagement with the trade,” she said in a press statement released by STB recently.
“Our presence at the THO Mega Roadshow reflects Sarawak’s commitment to showing up, telling our story accurately, and positioning Sarawak as a destination that delivers meaningful, well-curated and responsible travel experiences.”
The Oceania market has shown promising results for Sarawak, with visitor arrivals increasing 9.3% above pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2025.
Australia ranked among Sarawak’s top 10 source markets last year.
While growth remains incremental, tourism officials are focusing on sustained trade engagement to drive stronger medium to long-term performance through improved itinerary design and product diversification.
Through the roadshow, Sarawak positioned itself as an attractive addition to multi-city and twin-city itineraries, connecting seamlessly with regional gateways including Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bandar Seri Begawan, and Jakarta.
This approach supports longer stays, deeper exploration, and higher-yield tourism.
The initiative also included coordination meetings with the Tourism Malaysia Office in Sydney and the High Commission of Malaysia in Wellington, strengthening collaborative opportunities with airlines, tourism stakeholders, and trade partners.
These engagements are expected to translate into sustained conversion initiatives, including trade campaigns, tactical promotions, travel agent training programmes and media familiarisation activities.
