MIRI: Visitors to the Sarawak Umrah and Islamic Tourism Expo Festival 2026 (SUITEX26) stand a chance to perform Umrah for free and win various prizes and sponsorships worth nearly RM100,000 at Boulevard Mall here from August 28 to 30.
Organised by the Sarawak Umrah and Hajj Association (SUHA) in collaboration with the Sarawak Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP), the three-day festival aims to attract more than 50,000 visitors from Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei.
SUHA Chairman and SUITEX26 Chairman, Ruzaiman Ghazalee, said the main attractions include several free Umrah packages and overseas holidays, as well as Hajj package rebates of up to RM20,000 and Umrah discount vouchers of up to 50 per cent.
More importantly, visitors do not need to make any purchase to participate in the lucky draw.
“They only need to visit four designated exhibition booths throughout the festival to qualify for the lucky draw.
“Come with your family. You may go home with new knowledge, or perhaps a free Umrah or holiday package,” he said.
Ruzaiman said SUITEX26 was organised to raise awareness and promote consumer protection while supporting the growth of Islamic tourism in Sarawak.
He said the festival would also provide the public with an opportunity to get to know licensed local travel agencies and obtain accurate information about the Umrah and Hajj industry before making their choices.
“We often hear about various issues concerning this industry. At SUITEX, the public can come, ask questions and find out the facts for themselves, as well as get to know licensed agencies from Sarawak and understand the packages before making a choice,” he said.
He said while Umrah and Hajj remained SUHA’s core focus, some local agencies also offered Muslim-friendly travel packages to destinations across Europe, the Balkans, West Asia, East Asia and ASEAN.
“Travel options are becoming increasingly diverse and the public should know that local agencies offer more than just Umrah and Hajj packages. They also provide Muslim-friendly tourism experiences to various destinations around the world,” he said.
He said choosing Miri as the venue would give people in northern Sarawak greater access to the festival, while its proximity to Brunei and Sabah was another advantage.
Nearly 40 exhibition booths featuring travel agencies, government bodies, entrepreneurs and related service providers will be open throughout the three-day event.
The festival will also feature forums, talks, health screenings and various family-oriented activities.
The highlight of SUITEX26 will be its closing-night launch ceremony on August 30, which will be attended by Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department in charge of Islamic Affairs, Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, representing Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
The festival will also see the launch of the book ‘Pelaksanaan Solat Fardu dan Solat Sunat Harian’, compiled by religious scholars among SUHA members, including those with more than 40 years of experience in the Umrah and Hajj industry in Sarawak.
