By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 15: Sarawak is among the destinations being considered for expanded cruise connectivity as Malaysia seeks to grow its cruise tourism industry and attract more international cruise operators.
According to a Facebook post by Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Dato Seri Tiong King Sing, Malaysia is positioning itself as a leading regional cruise destination while ensuring the economic benefits of tourism reach more communities across the country.
Describing cruise tourism as more than just a means of connecting destinations, Tiong said the sector has become an important economic driver that creates opportunities for transport providers, tour guides and operators, retailers, restaurants, cultural performers, local artisans and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) throughout the tourism value chain.
“Malaysia currently has four international cruise ports in Port Klang, Penang, Langkawi and Kota Kinabalu.
“At the same time, we are exploring opportunities to expand cruise connectivity to emerging destinations such as Kuala Terengganu and Sarawak to spread tourism benefits more widely,” he said.
Meanwhile, growing confidence among international cruise operators continues to reinforce Malaysia’s appeal as a regional cruise destination.
He revealed that Malaysia is expected to welcome three major cruise lines in the coming months — Adora Cruises from China, Princess Cruises from the United Kingdom and Celebrity Cruises from the United States.
safter officiating at the opening of CruiseWorld Malaysia 2026, where he reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to strengthening its position as one of the region’s leading cruise destinations.
Looking ahead, Tiong stressed that destinations must continue to innovate, embrace new technologies and adapt to changing traveller expectations as the tourism industry evolves.
He added that close collaboration between the government and industry players would be key to building a more resilient, competitive and future-ready cruise tourism sector for Malaysia. —DayakDaily
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