KUCHING: Sarawak recorded approximately 6.83 million flight searches from around the globe between January and September 2026, demonstrating strong interest in the state as a top tourism destination.

Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the data was obtained through Global Travel Technology (GTT), utilised by the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) to monitor destination performance and benchmark against competitors.

“Based on GTT data, approximately 6.83 million flight searches from across the globe to Sarawak were recorded from January to September 2026, reflecting a high level of interest in Sarawak as a travel destination,” he said.

He said this when delivering his ministerial winding-up speech at the 19th Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) Sitting on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Dato Sri Abdul Karim noted that Sarawak's digital tourism communications performed impressively, with STB recording over 644 million impressions across various digital platforms throughout 2025.

For 2026, he added, STB has logged over 400 million impressions through strategic collaborations with online travel and tourism platforms, including Amadeus, Traveloka, Tripadvisor, Tripzilla, Ctrip, Qunar, Skyscanner, and Expedia.

Furthermore, tourism promotion efforts via traditional and digital media generated a Public Relations Value (PRV) of approximately RM125.9 million between January and September 2026, compared to RM169.6 million achieved throughout 2025.

Dato Sri Abdul Karim pointed out that this achievement was bolstered by regional and international media coverage from prominent publications such as Wanderlust Magazine, BBC Wildlife, National Geographic, Forbes Asia, and Travel + Leisure.

He also highlighted STB's 13 major national and international accolades in 2026, mirroring continuous efforts to solidify Sarawak's footprint in the global tourism market through marketing campaigns, strategic partnerships, and an emphasis on responsible and sustainable tourism. — UKASnews

Prepared by: Nur Nabilla
Photos: Hazrin Sunaini
Translator: Ryan Lim