KUCHING: The Sarawak government underscores its support beyond Islamic spiritual tourism to include religious pilgrimage and organised travel programmes.
Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said that such programmes must be conducted by legitimate tour operators or licensed travel agencies to protect travellers from scams, particularly involving pilgrimage packages.
He said cases of people being cheated over Hajj and Umrah packages continued to be reported, adding that SUITEX26 also welcomed licensed travel agencies outside the Sarawak Umrah and Hajj Agencies Association (SUHA) that organise religious or pilgrimage tours for people of other faiths.
“This includes destinations such as the Holy Land for Christians or other religious sites,” he said during a media conference on the Sarawak Umrah & Islamic Tourism Expo Festival 2026 (SUITEX26) at Baitulmakmur II Building here today (Aug 5).
He added that SUITEX26 would provide the public with accurate information on Umrah and Hajj pilgrimage while allowing visitors to compare services, obtain direct advice and choose packages that best suit their needs.
Abdul Karim also said that this second edition of SUITEX26 will feature 15 licensed Umrah travel agencies from Sarawak, Islamic tourism companies, alongside government agencies, financial institutions and other industry players under one roof.
“This event is expected to attract visitors from Sarawak, Sabah, Brunei Darussalam and Kalimantan, Indonesia while reinforcing Sarawak’s role as a regional Islamic tourism hub.
“The presence of these visitors will generate positive spillover benefits for the hospitality, food and beverage, transportation, small and medium enterprise sectors as well as the local economy in Miri,” he said.
The expo, scheduled from Aug 28 to 30 at Boulevard Mall here, reflects Sarawak’s efforts to expand inclusive and high-quality tourism products.
“The Sarawak government remains committed to strengthening the tourism sector as one of the state’s key economic drivers, with Islamic tourism offering growth potential while strengthening values, culture and regional cooperation,” he said.
Meanwhile, SUHA secretary Dr Syed Abdul Aziz Datuk Seri Wan Hamid Edrus said SUITEX26 would also provide guidance to prospective pilgrims considering DIY Umrah.
He said while DIY Umrah could not be prevented due to the open market, the expo would focus on educating the public on the precautions needed, particularly when selecting registered companies.
“We will explain the differences, including the pros and cons and we will organise a forum featuring three panellists who have extensive experience in the Umrah industry.
“We will take the opportunity to share with the Muslim community and prospective pilgrims the risks associated with undertaking Umrah on a DIY basis,” he said.
