KUCHING: Miss Sarawak Tourism 2026 (MST 2026) aims to leave a lasting impact on Sarawak’s tourism sector that extends beyond the seven-day pageant, its organisers said.
MST 2026 director Joeyce Hii said the platform, launched here Monday under the tagline “The Face of Sarawak Tourism,” placed emphasis on developing individuals with the knowledge, experience, confidence and ability to represent and share Sarawak’s narrative, rather than solely on the pageant title.
“The Face of Sarawak Tourism is not just about a face that is seen. It is about a voice that is heard, a story that is told, and the values of Sarawak carried wherever they go,” she said.
The launch, held jointly with the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, was officiated by Deputy Minister Datuk Snowdan Lawan and introduced 17 local finalists alongside five non-competing international delegates from Indonesia, South Korea, Bangladesh, Zambia and the Czech Republic.
Joeyce said the delegates added an international dimension to the programme through cultural exchange, describing their presence as part of building tourism diplomacy and networks that could grow beyond MST 2026.
Finalists will take part in a Pageant Week covering tourism, culture, heritage, community engagement and creative content, including a CSR programme with the Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society and Rumah Anak Yatim PERYATIM, and a conservation-tourism visit to Satang Island.
For the first time, three titles will be crowned — Miss Sarawak Tourism, Miss Sarawak Tourism Global and Miss Sarawak Tourism Metropolitan — with the Top 2 to represent Sarawak at Miss Malaysia Tourism in October.
The Grand Final will be held on Sept 12 at Riverside Majestic Hotel, Kuching.
