Sarawak Deepens Regional Tourism Partnerships at 19th EATOF General Assembly

CEBU, PHILIPPINES, 2 September 2026 – Sarawak is strengthening its regional tourism partnerships and exploring new opportunities to expand international market access through its participation in the 19th General Assembly of the East Asia Inter-Regional Tourism Federation (EATOF), held at Mactan Expo, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

The three-day biennial assembly, hosted by the Government of Cebu Province, brought together tourism leaders, government representatives and industry stakeholders from EATOF member regions across East and Southeast Asia. The gathering provided a platform to exchange tourism strategies, strengthen cultural ties and explore practical areas of cooperation.

The Sarawak delegation was led by Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, YB Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

Speaking on Sarawak’s participation, YB Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim highlighted the importance of regional partnerships in creating new tourism opportunities, strengthening connectivity and ensuring tourism benefits local communities.

“Regional cooperation is a key driver of tourism growth. Through EATOF, we have an important platform to share experiences, develop joint initiatives and create stronger linkages between our destinations,” he said.

The assembly was officially opened by EATOF Secretary-General Lee Dong Hee, together with heads of delegation from participating member regions. In her opening remarks, Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro emphasised the importance of collaboration among EATOF members in sharing tourism strategies and pursuing sustainable growth across the region.

A key part of Sarawak’s participation was a series of bilateral meetings with Gangwon Province, Republic of Korea; Cebu Province, Philippines; Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam; and Tuv Province, Mongolia.

The meetings explored potential cooperation across a broad range of tourism areas, including tourism marketing, ecotourism, air connectivity, digital marketing, Community-Based Tourism, educational tourism, health tourism, cultural exchanges and cruise tourism.

Beyond strengthening government-to-government relationships, the engagements provided opportunities to identify new avenues for joint promotion, develop stronger destination linkages and expand tourism market access for Sarawak and its regional partners.

For Sarawak, these partnerships are increasingly important as the State continues to diversify its tourism markets and connect its destinations with travellers across Asia and beyond.

“Our strength lies in Sarawak’s distinctive combination of culture, adventure, nature, food and festivals. By working closely with our EATOF partners, we can connect these strengths with new markets, new tourism products and new opportunities for collaboration,” YB Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim added.

Sarawak’s participation in the 19th EATOF General Assembly reinforces the State’s commitment to sustainable, inclusive and internationally connected tourism. Through stronger regional cooperation, Sarawak continues to position itself as a leading tourism destination in Southeast Asia and a gateway to the unique experiences of Borneo.