Product development is very important to attract new visitors and sustain returning visitors.
“With more tourism products, it will also help to lengthen the visitors’ stay in Sarawak while enriching visitors’ experience to indulge in Sarawak’s unique culture, adventure, nature, food and festivals,”
This was said by the Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts Sarawak, YB Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah in his DUN winding up speech on 30 November 2022.
Under the 12th Malaysian Plan (RMK-12), the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts (MTCP) Sarawak have proposed many new products including improvement to national parks, public waterfront and recreational space.
“My Ministry has been allocated with RM472.33 million under the State Funded allocation and received RM14.86 million from the Federal Government through MOTAC to implement various projects,”
“During this period, my Ministry has completed the following projects amounting to RM388.20 million which have become new tourism products in Sarawak,” said Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman.
They are:
(a) The Borneo Cultures Museum;
(b) Upgrading of Old Sarawak Museum;
(c) The Santubong Archaeological Park and Wallace Centre;
(d) Upgrading of World War II Heroes Memorial Park;
(e) Upgrading of tourism facilities at Archaeological sites in Gua Sireh, Serian; (f) Upgrading of tourism facilities at Archaeological sites in Gua Niah, Miri;
(g) Walking/footpath and railing in front of New DUN Building;
(h) Linkway and Railing from Fort Margherita to Jambatan Darul Hana, in Kuching;
(i) Tourism Facilities at Tusan Beach, Peliau, Miri;
(j) Upgrading of tourism facilities at Niah National Park; and
(k) Upgrading of tourism facilities at Simunjan Esplanade.
Besides that, projects which are still ongoing and targeted to be completed this year are:
(a) Upgrading of Tourism Facilities at Pangkalan Sapi;
(b) The English Tea House at Fort Margherita;
(c) Proposed Electrical and Lights Provisions for Fort Margherita;
(d) Upgrading of Textile Museum Sarawak;
(e) Upgrading of Chinese History Museum, Kuching;
(f) Upgrading of Kuching City Aquarium; and
(g) Upgrading of Sarawak Cultural Village
The list of approved projects to be completed beyond 2022 are:
(a) Limbang Development Museum: Limbang Administrative History Gallery;
(b) Proposed Heritage Gallery and Resource Centre at Long Terawan, Tutoh;
(c) Sadong Jaya Mangrove Tourism site;
(d) Brooke Dockyard Industrial Heritage Museum;
(e) Construction of Jetty and Other Facilities at Santubong for Kuching Wetland or the RAMSAR site Tourist Embarkation;
(f) The Development of Eco-Tourism Facilities at Santubong National Park;
(g) The Improvement of Bebuak Mud Tourism Facilities in Meritam, Limbang;
(h) Performing Arts Centre at Old DUN Building;
(i) Upgrading of facilities at Melasak Waterfall, Lawas;
(j) Proposed Sg. Niah Bridge at Niah National Park and Elevated Road for Buggy to the Main Cave Niah;
(k) Develop and Establish National Parks Tourists Support Centre in Lundu Sematan;
(l) RASCOM Museum in Sibu;
(m) Rumah Sri Aman; and
(n) Sarawak Gastronomy Centre.
Besides RMK12, Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim said that his ministry has also worked closely with the Regional Development Agencies to implement projects through alternative funding.
“This includes 36 tourism projects under Integrated Samarahan Development Agency (IRSDA) amounting to RM109,400,000 and also 19 tourism projects amounting to RM105,035,000 under Sri Aman Development Agency (SADA),” he said.
In addition, Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim added that his ministry is also in the process of submitting more proposals under the RMK12 Mid-Term Review. Among others are:
(a) Upgrading of Petroleum Museum in Miri;
(b) Miri Museum (former Miri Resident and District Office);
(c) Upgrading of Muzium Warisan Islam;
(d) Sarawak Arts Gallery (former KMC Building); and
(e) Management Plans for Totally Protected Areas (TPAs).
Aside from RMK-12, Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts Sarawak will be executing strategic long-term actions plans to reactivate our tourism industry and to build a more resilient tourism industry post COVID-19.
Under the Sarawak Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030), four main tourism strategies have been identified namely,
- to enhance travel to and within Sarawak,
- to develop Sarawak tourism products and assets by building upon its cultural, heritage and natural assets,
- to position Sarawak as a preferred tourism destination and
- to improve capacity and capability of human capital.
Another important long-term plan is the Third Sarawak Tourism Master Plan 2021-2035, which is in tandem with PCDS 2030.
Under the master plan, it aims to increase the number of visitors to Sarawak from a baseline of 4.6 million visitors and RM11.6 billion in tourism receipts in 2019 to 12.7 million visitors contributing economic returns of RM50 billion by 2035.
“The Master Plan is timely to support PCDS 2030 for the tourism sector to spur both immediate and long-term growth recovery from the impact of COVID-19 and to bring new business models and strategies for both the demand and supply side of tourism industry,” “My Ministry will ensure policies and plans for tourism, arts and culture in the master plan are translated into action plans in stages,” said Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim.
