Pix / Nadim Bokhari
KUCHING: Visitor arrivals to the state in the first four months of the year have increased by 25.46 per cent when compared over the same period last year, said state Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Hamzah.
He told the state legislative assembly today that the sector is projected to reach around 90 per cent of its pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year.
The recovery rate, he pointed out, was in line with the first United Nations Tourism Organisation (UNTO) world tourism barometer of the year which reported that international tourism stood at 88 per cent of pre-pandemic levels at the end of last year.
Sarawak projects four million tourists will visit the state this year, with them spending an estimated RM10.19 billion.
Karim, in his ministerial winding up, said the tourism receipt will make up 7.25 per cent to of the state's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The UNTO report stated the unleashing of remaining pent-up demand, increased air connectivity, and a stronger recovery of Asian markets and destinations are expected to underpin a full recovery of the sector by the end of this year.
Preliminary estimates, the report added, showed international tourism receipts reached US$1.4 trillion (RM6.6 trillion) - about 93 per cent of the US$1.5 trillion (RM7.09 trillion) earned by destinations in 2019.
It also stated that international tourism is expected to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels this year, with initial estimates pointing to two per cent growth above the 2019 level.
The trend is also similar for Malaysia as a whole, said Karim, with tourist arrivals last year having increased when compared to the same corresponding period in 2022.
The country's arrival target for this year is 27.3 million and a tourism receipt target of over RM102.7 billion.