KUCHING: The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is unlikely to significantly impact Malaysia’s tourism sector, especially in Sarawak, says Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
The Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts noted that the majority of tourists visiting Malaysia and Sarawak are from Southeast Asia, China, and the Far East, regions largely unaffected by the conflict.
“We’re hopeful that the situation in the Middle East will de-escalate and, importantly, that no conflict will spill over to this part of the world.
“So far, the impact has been minimal and hasn’t posed any real disruption,” he told a press conference after chairing the Sarawak Heritage Council meeting at a hotel here today (June 18).
He acknowledged that travellers from Europe and the Middle East may reconsider or alter their plans due to the ongoing tensions.
However, he stressed that this is unlikely to cause any major setback to the nation’s tourism industry.
The crisis, which erupted into open conflict on June 13, has escalated into a major military confrontation between Israel and Iran, following Israel’s launch of Operation Rising Lion, a large-scale offensive targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, missile depots, and military infrastructure, with wider geopolitical involvement from the US and regional powers.
