Tourism and services sector state’s new economic growth engine, says Abang Jo

MIRI: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MTAC) is aggressively promoting Miri and other parts of the northern region in order to push tourism and services as the new engine of economic growth for Sarawak.
Its Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said the state cabinet has identified tourism and services sector as the new economic growth engine for Sarawak in tandem with the government’s emphasis on the importance to diversify the state’s economy by 2030.

Abang Johari flanked by Sikie (third right) Lee, Ik Pahon (fourth left) and others during the press conference.

“Kuching and Miri are the two gateways for the tourists to come to Sarawak. Thus, we are going to promote Miri aggressively with focus on how to improve the tourism products particularly in the northern region,” he told a press conference after chairing a dialogue session with tourism industry players at Miri Marriot Resort and Spa yesterday.
Abang Johari who is also a Deputy Chief Minister, said he would lead a tourism delegation to Brunei Darussalam soon.
He said MTAC would collaborate with its counterpart in Brunei to ease the immigration procedures for tourist coming to the state via Miri.
He revealed that the ministry had received positive response from overseas on Miri tourism promotion.
He added that the ministry would embark on more tourism promotion strategies via filming and documentaries.
On improvement to tourism facilities in Miri, he said the ministry was committed to upgrading the facilities along Bakam and Tusan beaches. The ministry was also making efforts to make Niah National Park, well known as a site where a 40,000 year old human remains were discovered, to be as famous as the Gunung Mulu National Park.
Works were also underway on a tourism corridor project in the city known as ‘Wireless Walk’ and converting the old government office which houses the Miri Resident and District offices into a culture and heritage museum.
Also present were Assistant Minister for Tourism Datuk Lee Kim Shin, Assistant Minister for Arts and Culture Datuk John Sikie Tanyai and permanent secretary of MTAC Datu Ik Pahon Joyik who is also deputy chairman of Sarawak Tourism Board (STB).

* Note: Newspaper cut from The Borneo Post who has the copy right for the above article.