TravTalk India Online Magazine
A little-known state in Malaysia, Sarawak saw a rise in the number of tourists from India after the TAFI annual convention it hosted in 2022. Sarawak Tourism is now eyeing a bigger chunk of the pie.
Hazel Jain
More than a year ago, Sharzede Datu HJ Salleh Askor, CEO, Sarawak Tourism Board, welcomed about 500 members of the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) to her state for the association’s annual convention. Since then, she has seen a rise in visitors from India. She was recently in Mumbai to meet the trade and spoke exclusively to TRAVTALK. She said, “We have seen great results from hosting the TAFI convention in 2022 in Sarawak; the numbers from India have increased. In fact, December 2023 received one of the highest numbers of Indian visitors to Sarawak.”
The growth rate has been good so far, she adds, with 100 per cent increase in numbers in 2023. “We now understand the needs of the Indian market better, particularly regarding their dietary requirements. We feel, we are ready to welcome Indian visitors. Our figures also show that there is some indication of an increase in the number of nights spent in Sarawak also,” she adds.
Tourism Malaysia has been promoting its ‘Visit Malaysia Year 2026’. Traditionally, India has been one of the top five markets, but it has now dropped to number six. The period between January 2023 and September 2023 see Malaysia welcoming about 14.4 million tourists.
