By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, June 18: The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is expected to have minimal impact on Sarawak’s tourism sector, said Sarawak Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
Speaking at a press conference after chairing the Sarawak Heritage Council Meeting at a local hotel here today, Abdul Karim acknowledged that while the situation may influence travel patterns from affected regions, the overall effect on Sarawak remains limited.
“Well, when there’s a war or crisis like that, it might have a slight impact, but I can’t say much,” he said.
He explained that most international visitors to Sarawak come from Southeast Asia, China, and the Far East—regions that are not directly impacted by the Middle East crisis.
“Probably those who are from Europe, those who are from the Middle East who might have planned to come down to the Far East, Southeast Asia, because of the war, they might change their plan.
“But it will not seriously affect us. We are hoping that the war will tone down a bit,” he added.
Abdul Karim also expressed hope that no conflict would arise in this part of the world that could affect the region.
On Friday (June 13), Israel launched a series of strikes on Iran, targeting military sites and killing several high-ranking officers. In retaliation, Iran fired ballistic missiles at Israel, resulting in casualties. — DayakDaily
