Ling (second left) presents the proposal to Chiew.
MIRI (April 30): Miri has strong potential but requires solid support from federal ministries to realise a significant leap in its tourism sector, said Pakatan Harapan Sarawak secretary Alan Ling.
He said this after a courtesy call on Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Chiew Choon Man to discuss the direction of tourism development in Miri, where he presented a comprehensive proposal paper focusing on its tourism potential and the need for strategic state-federal collaboration.
“Miri has natural attractions, a strategic location, and a diverse range of tourism products that can be further elevated — but policy support, promotion and infrastructure improvements must be strengthened to ensure the sector can compete internationally,” he said.
Ling added that external factors such as geopolitical uncertainties in the Middle East may affect international tourist arrivals to Malaysia, and exploring new markets such as China was a timely approach especially in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2026.
Meanwhile, he highlighted the lack of direct flights to Miri as one of the key challenges that needs to be addressed urgently.
“Increasing the frequency of domestic flights, especially from Sabah and the peninsula, could help boost tourist arrivals to the city.
“Efforts are underway by the ministry to engage with airlines, but challenges such as rising fuel costs due to the Middle East crisis are also impacting the industry.
“We hope a mechanism can be introduced to offer more competitive airfares,” he said.
Ling also expressed his appreciation to Chiew, who is Miri MP, for accepting the visit and reviewing the proposals submitted.
He hoped further discussions could be held to channel more allocations towards tourism development in Miri.
“This close cooperation is expected to increase tourist arrivals and stimulate local economic growth, particularly in the hospitality, food and beverage, transportation and related service sectors,” he said.
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