Sarawak's Tourism Soars: ASEAN Drives Economic Growth

Sarawak's Tourism Boom: ASEAN Nations Fuel Economic Growth Sarawak, a state in Malaysia, experienced a significant surge in tourism in 2024, with a remarkable 54.8% of its 4.83 million visitors originating from Southeast Asian countries. This positive trend continued into 2025, as data from January to April shows a large influx of tourists from the region. Brunei Darussalam led the pack, contributing 39.1% of total visitors in 2024, followed by Indonesia at 13.5% and China at 1.5%. Singapore and the Philippines also made substantial contributions. These figures highlight the success of Sarawak's tourism strategies, which have clearly attracted significant interest from neighboring countries. "These numbers are a testament to our efforts in promoting Sarawak as a premier tourist destination," said Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Sarawak's Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts. "We are delighted to see such strong support from our ASEAN neighbors." The positive tourism trend is expected to continue, with projections indicating further growth in visitor numbers and revenue for 2025. This success story showcases the potential of regional tourism cooperation and the effectiveness of strategic tourism planning.