KUCHING: Tourist arrivals from Singapore to Sarawak have surged by more than 70 per cent from Jan to Feb this year compared to the same period previously, driven by changing travel patterns following the conflict in the Middle East.
Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Snowdan Lawan said the current global situation has led many travellers to cancel trips to the Middle East and Europe, prompting them to shift their destinations to Southeast Asia instead.
“We are indeed seeing the current world situation with the conflict in the Middle East, where many tourists are cancelling their travel plans there or to Europe because of the war.
“So they are redirecting their plans to Southeast Asia, and we are taking the opportunity to promote our country and tourism destinations in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2026,” he told reporters after officiating the MATTA Fair 2026 at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here today (Mar 28).
He added that Sarawak is also focusing on other Asian markets including China, India, Thailand, the Philippines, South Korea and Japan in efforts to attract more visitors to the state.
“We see these Asian countries as important markets to bring them to Sarawak, especially amid the current uncertain global situation,” he said.
On preparations for the upcoming Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF), Snowdan said preparations are continuing as planned, although the ministry is prepared with alternative strategies depending on how the conflict develops.
“Preparations are ongoing, but we will continue to monitor the situation because we do not know how long the conflict will last.
“We need to have different strategies such as backup plans, including whether the event will be held on a large scale as before or slightly reduced,” he said.
Snowdan said concerns over travel and possible disruptions to international flights could affect the attendance of visitors and international performers.
“Perhaps in terms of the number of artists invited, if previously there were 10 groups, we may reduce that to seven or six, but all this depends on the current situation,” he added.
