Tourism board hosts virtual update of products

STB's first virtual product update connected tourism sellers from Sarawak with buyers in other parts of Malaysia.

Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) conducted its first virtual product update to connect tourism players in the state with those in other parts of Malaysia.

During the two-day event, over 200 buyers from Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah had access to company brochures, profiles and tour images of 30 sellers from Sarawak’s tour and travel sector.

The buyers and sellers were also able to exchange ideas and set up appointments for future tourism-related plans through chat and video calls on the event platform.

State Arts, Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the virtual event was an opportunity for tourism stakeholders to realign their efforts in recovering from the decelerated tourism industry in the midst of the ongoing pandemic.

“I am certain this will be a fruitful event for participants.

“For those who are familiar with Sarawak tourism, it is an opportunity to deepen our working relationships and help to innovate tourism products,” he said when launching the virtual product update.

STB chief executive Sharzede Salleh Askor said the event was part of efforts to promote Sarawak as a must-visit destination, especially in preparation for the reopening of the domestic tourism industry.

“I hope participants will take full advantage of the virtual update to gain a market fit or come up with new strategies in anticipation of the post-pandemic future,” she said.

“Through virtual events, sellers and buyers have the opportunity to have more meaningful conversations, broaden their reach into untapped markets and follow-up effectively with potential clients,” added Sharzede.

Since the onset of the pandemic, STB has initiated other campaigns to support the local tourism sector.

These included the Sia Sitok Sarawak intra-state tourism campaign, an online ecosystem fund to expand the tourism industry’s digital footprint and visitors incentive package to support tour packages sold by local travel agencies.