Sarawak's new tagline 'Sarawak: Gateway to Borneo' will be one of your major discussion points at WTM. How will this refreshed identity help UK and Ireland travel agents sell the destination?
With the new 'Sarawak: Gateway to Borneo' tagline, we are sharpening how we distinguish Sarawak in the UK and Irish market. Borneo is the world's third-largest island, and rather than promoting Sarawak in isolation, we are inviting agents to sell the whole island of Borneo, with Sarawak positioned as its natural entry point. This gives agents a clear gateway narrative for multi-centre holidays, using Sarawak's excellent connectivity, cultural depth and varied landscapes as the opening chapter to a wider Borneo journey.
Beyond its famous wildlife, what are some of the top selling points for Sarawak?
CANFF – Culture, Adventure, Nature, Food and Festivals – is the strongest shorthand for Sarawak's breadth of tourism offerings and gives travel agents a simple, memorable way to sell the destination. Culture is brought to life through more than 34 ethnic groups, traditional longhouses, the award-winning Borneo Cultures Museum and the historic Brooke Dockyard, which offers visitors a glimpse into Sarawak's industrial and maritime heritage. Adventure spans caving, trekking, diving, kayaking and rainforest exploration. Nature ranges from orangutans and national parks to the Sarawak Delta Geopark, with the Wallace Centre in Santubong offering further opportunities to explore the region's natural heritage and biodiversity. Food is led by Kuching's UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy status and signature flavours such as Sarawak laksa, while festivals including the Rainforest World Music Festival, Borneo Jazz and Gawai Dayak bring Sarawak's cultural diversity to life throughout the year. Together, these five pillars create diverse itineraries for every type of traveller.
Agents can learn about Sarawak's many adventures at WTM
What about its festivals? How can agents utilise its calendar of events to entice UK travellers?
Sarawak's official Calendar of Tourism Events should be the first guide for agents and visitors deciding when to travel. It shows how multifaceted the destination is, spanning sporting fixtures, arts and cultural festivals, food and community celebrations, and business events such as meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE). This breadth allows agents to time tailored itineraries around clients' interests while encouraging longer stays. Highlights for 2027 include the 30th anniversary of the Rainforest World Music Festival. The calendar is published by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak.
Can you highlight some of the destination's stand-out community tourism experiences?
Community-based tourism is one of Sarawak's greatest strengths, offering authentic experiences that directly benefit local communities. The state now has 74 registered homestay clusters, with four receiving ASEAN Homestay Standard recognition: Homestay Santubong, Rumah Benjamin Angki, Ba'Kelalan and Bario Highland. Visitors can stay in Iban longhouses around Batang Ai and experience Bario's homestay life amid the Kelabit Highlands. Around an hour from Kuching, Annah Rais Bidayuh Longhouse provides an accessible introduction to indigenous heritage, culture, cuisine and crafts. These experiences appeal strongly to UK travellers seeking meaningful, responsible tourism and genuine connections.
How has the launch of the new state-owned airline opened up more opportunities for UK agents to sell Sarawak?
AirBorneo is an important and expanding development for Sarawak, strengthening regional connectivity and access to the state's diverse tourism offering. Alongside its direct Kuching-Jakarta service, currently scheduled to launch on 13 November 2026, the airline is moving towards stronger interline arrangements and future codeshare partnerships. For UK agents, this should make journeys via Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Jakarta progressively more seamless, supporting easier through-ticketing and well-connected multi-centre itineraries. As the network develops, AirBorneo will give agents more flexibility to position Sarawak as a core part of a wider Borneo and Southeast Asia journey.
Sarawak's calendar of events show how multifaceted the destination is
And what are some of the best ways to travel to Sarawak from the UK currently?
Sarawak is easily accessible from the UK through Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Kuala Lumpur works as the main hub-and-spoke gateway: Malaysia Airlines fly direct from London Heathrow, and the onward flight to Kuching takes around one hour and 45 minutes. Regional carriers including AirBorneo, Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, Batik Air and Firefly offer a choice of onward services. Singapore Airlines also operates direct services from London and Manchester to Singapore, with onward connections to Kuching available with AirBorneo, Scoot and AirAsia. This gives agents flexibility across routings, schedules and budgets.
Finally, how is Sarawak supporting UK travel agents in 2026?
The UK and Ireland are important markets for Sarawak, and we work closely with Tourism Malaysia London to maximise opportunities through the Visit Malaysia 2026-2027 campaign. At WTM London 2026, our largest pavilion to date brings together 15 co-exhibitors, connecting agents directly with local tourism businesses. We are also developing opportunities for joint marketing, destination education, familiarisation trips and trade partnerships. Eligible industry partners can explore the Strategic Partnership Collaboration Fund (SPCF), which supports collaborative activities such as marketing campaigns, travel trade and consumer fairs, familiarisation trips and other destination-promotion initiatives. Our priority is to equip UK agents with the knowledge, connections and inspiration to confidently promote Sarawak.
Further information
Sarawak Tourism Board will be at WTM London (3-5 November). Travel agents are invited to visit stand N9-400 to learn more about the destination.
