KUCHING, 4 July 2023: Sarawak is set to become the regional Umrah Hub for Borneo through a strategic partnership between Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and ATS Global Travel & Charter Sdn. Bhd.
One of the initiatives of this partnership is to develop routes from Kuching to Jeddah and Madinah vis-a-vis airlines or air operators of choice.
The Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, YB Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said: “This Kuching Umrah Gateway (KUG) soft take-off is a catalytic initiative by STB to make Kuching the regional Umrah Hub. This project is aligned to both Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS 2030) and the Sarawak Tourism Master Plan (STMP2035) Strategies of Connectivity.
The STMP 2035 has identified air connectivity as one of the imperatives to boost Sarawak’s tourism industry.”
The Minister added: “It is hoped that this initiative will open doors to more than 230,000 pilgrims over six years from Malaysia, Kalimantan, Brunei, and Southern Philippines. We are pleased that the ‘soft take-off’ on 29 August 2023 will come to fruition after working with relevant stakeholders along the supply chain towards successfully implementing the KUG Project.”
He shared: “I am confident that the connectivity through this initial seamless Umrah arrangements will see an overwhelming increase in the number of visitors to Sarawak from the region, giving them a chance to experience all that Sarawak has to offer. Once the KUG
goes on a full scale in the 4th quarter of this year, direct flights will be made available for pilgrims from Kuching. An added attraction of the package will be the opportunity to experience Kuching pre or post-Umrah.”
Echoing YB Minister, Dato’ A. Aziz Ahmad, chairman of ATS, shared, “This strategic partnership showcases our commitment to support STB in attracting more visitors to Sarawak through procuring and maintaining Carriers for the successful implementation of the KUG Project. We are working hard also to open opportunities for feeder flights to support the main line operations of the Umrah flight carriers. ATS will provide Charter flights and work closely with tour agents, including Sarawak Umrah and Hajj Agency (SUHA) and its members, to create attractive Umrah packages.”
To ensure the success of the KUG Project, ATS has also been tasked to procure the necessary approvals from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Saudi Arabia, to enable direct flights from Kuching to Jeddah and/or Madinah targeted for the 4th quarter this year.
For the August soft take-off of the Project, Umrah flights would be made available once a week on the route Kuching – Kuala Lumpur – Jeddah and returning from Medinah to Kuching via Kuala Lumpur.
For more information, refer to www.sarawaktourism.com.
