Sarawak Seizes Spotlight at ITB Berlin 2024 with ‘Gateway to Borneo’ Positioning to Fortify Its Standing as Prime Tourism Destination

• ‘Gateway to Borneo’ Campaign – a Strategic Positioning of Sarawak, as Major Entry Point to Borneo, Including Kalimantan, Sabah, and Brunei.
• MoU with Tischler Reisen to Enhance Sarawak’s Appeal to European Travellers, Leveraging on Network of 600 German Agencies
• Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) 2024 Continues Commitment to Responsible Tourism and Sustainability, Celebrating Music’s, Culture and Environment’s Transformative Journey.

Berlin, Germany, March 5th, 2024 – Sarawak took centre-stage at the ITB Berlin 2024, marking a groundbreaking moment with the launch of its transformative ‘Gateway to Borneo’ campaign. In sync with ITB 2024’s theme, ‘Take Travel Technology to the Next Level. Together,’ Sarawak heralds a new era of digitalisation in tourism, poised to share its natural pride with the world – a rich tapestry woven with threads of Culture, Adventure, Nature, Food, and Festivals.

The campaign signifies a brand refresh and strategically positions Sarawak as the premier gateway to Borneo, encompassing Kalimantan, Sabah, and Brunei. Through this campaign, Sarawak aims to amplify its allure as a prime tourism destination, inviting global travellers to embark on a journey of discovery and inspiration.

Complementing the campaign’s overarching theme is a refreshed “Sarawak More to Discover” (SMTD) destination logo, an update which maintains the vigour and excitement of the region’s marketing strategy – to position Sarawak as a plethora of culture, adventure, nature, food and festivals, along with authentic experiences not found anywhere else in the world and yet to be discovered. The STMD logo serves as a visual representation of Sarawak’s pristine rainforests, the allure of its coastal waters and the colourful diverse ethnicities of its people. The logo also showcases the majestic silhouette of the Rhinoceros hornbill, an iconic symbol synonymous with Sarawak’s cherished moniker, “Land of the Hornbills”.

According to Sarawak’s Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts YB Dato Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, “We are thrilled to unveil the evolution of Sarawak’s tourism narratives with our ‘Gateway to Borneo’ campaign. It is not just a geographic distinction but also embodies a contemporary and timeless aesthetic, resonating with the evolving tastes of our discerning audience. This strategic move not only reinforces our commitment to digitalisation but also highlights Sarawak’s pivotal role as the entry point to the wonders of Borneo.”

Targeting 4 million visitors arrival in 2024, the Minister added, “We invite the world to uncover the wonders that await in Sarawak, as the ‘Gateway’ into a new world of experience, discovery, and inspiration; to breathtaking nature and boundless adventure, where the past resonates, and the future unfolds; and where there is So Much More to Discover.”

Building on the foundation laid in 2023, Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) also signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tischler Reisen (TR), to continue to elevate Sarawak’s prominence among European travellers. With TR’s 40-year track record and an extensive network of 600 agencies throughout Germany, Sarawak aims to showcase its diverse tour packages both online and offline, enticing discerning travellers across Europe.

This partnership aligns with Sarawak’s strategic vision to position itself as a preferred destination in the European market, while the remarkable 121% surge in European visitor arrivals in 2023 against 2022 highlights the growing appeal of Sarawak’s offerings.

With the resilient 81.5% recovery achievement of the Europe market’s performance in 2023, as compared to 2019, the state’s best year for European visitor arrivals, Sarawak is optimistic to surpass 2019 levels in terms of European visitor arrivals this year.

Sarawak also heightened its momentum to champion Responsible Tourism and Sustainability, embodying a tourism philosophy that prioritises economic, social, and environmental impacts. Celebrating its 27th year, the upcoming Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF), from June 28th to 30th, themed ‘Evolution,’ underscores music’s dynamic nature across generations and cultures. This year, RWMF embraces the transformative power of music, weaving together culture and environment. As millennials inherit the mantle, RWMF becomes a platform to amplify indigenous voices and shared wisdom in rainforest conservation. Empowering the next generation, RWMF fosters dialogue, fuels actions, and charts a course toward sustainability, ensuring a harmonious co-existence of culture and nature for generations to come.

For all its efforts in promoting responsible practices and sustainability for the RWMF, STB recently garnered international acclaim, winning the Best Global PR Campaign Award at the World Communications Forum Award (WCFA), Davos Switzerland, for its sustainable initiatives, the ‘Nation’s Pride Award’ for ‘Tourism Promotion Excellence’ at the BrandLaureate BestBrands Awards 2023 and two Gold awards and the Campaign of the Year Awards at the Malaysia Public Relations Awards (MPRA).