Sarawak Champions Indigenous-Led, Sustainable Tourism at PATA Annual Summit 2025

(From left) Puan Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor sharing her insights alongside Olivier Berrivin, Chris Bottrill and Simon Lloyd during the ‘Building Tomorrow’s Tourism Workforce’ session at the PATA Annual Summit 2025 in Istanbul, Türkiye.

TURKEY, 23 April 2025: Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) proudly made its return at PATA Annual Summit 2025, which is being held April 21 to 23, 2025 in Istanbul, Türkiye, demonstrating its commitment to sustainable tourism growth and cultural preservation and reinforcing Sarawak’s position and connection as a leading player in sustainable tourism destination within the Asia-Pacific region. 

With 4.83 million visitor arrivals recorded in 2024 — an impressive 23% increase from the previous year — Sarawak is poised to achieve its bold target of 5 million visitors by the end of 2025. STB CEO, Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor shared this growth is underpinned by Sarawak’s commitment to authentic cultural experiences, eco-tourism, and innovation — all aligned with the state’s Post-COVID Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.

Sarawak’s participation at the Summit not only showcased its dedication to sustainable tourism but also highlighted its investment in future-proofing the tourism sector. A key highlight was Puan Sharzede’s insightful opening at the panel discussion on the topic of Building Tomorrow’s Tourism Workforce, held on the last day of the summit.

Representing the government perspective, STB CEO Puan Sharzede alongside Olivier Berrivin, Vice President–APAC at BWH Hotels, and Chris Bottrill, Associate Vice President (International) at Capilano University, explored latest strategies to equip tourism talent with the tools to adapt, evolve, and thrive in a changing global landscape. “In Sarawak, we don’t build our workforce for fair weather — we build them to sail through storms,” said Puan Sharzede. “From frontliners to indigenous communities, we are empowering people across the tourism value chain with digital tools and future-ready skills. As the industry evolves, so must we — and Sarawak is proud to be a progressive player in this journey.”

In her speech, she also highlighted Sarawak’s early adoption of digital strategies in tourism marketing, campaign management, and grassroots training—efforts that have positioned the state as both agile and inclusive in the global travel ecosystem. Throughout the summit, STB engaged in knowledge exchange during networking events and participated in the Youth Symposium, reaffirming its support for the next generation of tourism leaders.

Sarawak’s presence in Istanbul sent a clear message — Sarawak connects nature to innovation, tradition to transformation, and people to purpose. Through strategic engagement at PATA, Sarawak continues to bridge local strengths with global aspirations. As STB strengthens its global partnerships and nurtures a skilled, resilient workforce, Sarawak is setting the benchmark for what sustainable, forward-looking tourism can and should be across the Asia-Pacific region.

(From left) PATA Chairman, Peter Semone, Puan Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor and CEO of PATA, Noor Ahmad Hamid.

STB alongside other delegates attending the PATA Annual Summit 2025.