STB to use media widely to promote Visit Sarawak Year 2019 – CEO
MIRI: Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) will collaborate closely with the print and electronic media to promote Visit Sarawak Year 2019.
This is because the role of the media is important in exposing the uniqueness and tourism treasures found in Sarawak, STB chief executive officer Sharzede Salleh Askor said.
“It is our local newspapers, radio stations, magazines and blogs who we trust to fill us in the goings-on in Sarawak. Most of all, it is our media that portrays the communities and cultures in the land in a way that outsiders could not possibly understand,” she said at the STB Media Night at a hotel here on Monday.
She noted that media coverage of events such as the Rainforest World Music Festival, Borneo Jazz and other tourism activities organised by STB helped promote Sarawak to the world.
“Many of these stories that come out from our media show a side of Sarawak’s people as we have never seen before; an intimate look into the lives of the local communities that can only be told by those who are there, among the people, part of the people. That is where you are and we are grateful and thankful for that.
“Being a Sarawakian myself, I believe that this land is unlike anywhere else on earth, and I would liketogiveeveryonetheopportunity to understand, know and love it as we all do,” she said, adding there is so much to discover in the state and encourages everyone to participate in each activity organized by STB to discover and experience more about Sarawak.
In this regard, the target of five million visitor arrivals to the state in 2019 will be achieved through close collaboration between STB and the media in terms of promotion, she added.
Meanwhile, the anchor emblem for the Visit Sarawak campaign with the tagline ‘More to Discover’ underscores STB’s marketing strategy to position the state as a plethora of culture, adventure, nature, food and festivals (CANFF), an experience that is not found anywhere else in the world, and yet ready to be discovered.
More than 50 media partners came together at the event where they were entertained by local stand-up comedians, lucky draws and karaoke sessions.
Among guests present was Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin.