Sarawak banks on Routes Asia 2014 to boost Chinese footfalls

ROUTES Asia 2014 will open on March 9 in Kuching, Sarawak, an event that the region’s minister for tourism, Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Abang Openg, hope would “be a start to bigger things to come for Sarawak’s tourism industry”.

Minister Abang Zohari will launch the three-day forum from March 9 to 11, which is regarded as the largest route development event for the Asia region.

A total of 146 delegates representing 100 airlines and 233 delegates representing 173 airports have confirmed their attendance at the event, hosted by the State Government of Sarawak and co-hosted by Malaysia Airports Holdings.

The hosting of one of Asia’s most important civil aviation events is testimony to the growing importance of Kuching as an international air hub and destination, and holds the promise of new routes and air services into Sarawak’s thriving capital.

“I am happy to launch Routes Asia 2014 and to host members of the regional aviation industry in Kuching,” Abang Zohari said in a press statement.

“The tourism landscape is changing rapidly. China is now the number one tourism market in the world, with the number of Chinese travelling outside the country hitting 97 million in 2013.

“We want to increase the number of Chinese tourists to Sarawak from the 30,000 that we are currently getting, and hopefully events like Routes Asia will make that happen.”

Routes Asia 2014 will attract a number of airlines from China including China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and Air China.

Sponsored Post