KUCHING, 1 April 2026: Sarawak will host the 3rd Southeast Asian Tourist Guides Conference 2026 from 13 to 15 October 2026 at Kingwood Hotel in Sibu, strengthening ASEAN guiding standards and positioning Sarawak as an impact-driven business events destination.
Following the success of the inaugural conference in Kuching in 2024, and in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2026, the upcoming conference is expected to attract 1,000 delegates from across Southeast Asia. Organised by the Sarawak Tourist Guides Association in collaboration with the Malaysian Tourist Guides Council and supported by Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak), the conference will serve as a strategic intervention to address challenges in the tourist guiding industry and enhance collaboration among tourism frontliners in Southeast Asia.
Under the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030, Sarawak targets a 7.5% annual growth in visitor arrivals by 2030. Achieving this will depend not only on attracting visitors but on delivering quality experiences. Tourist guides play a critical role in ensuring that this growth translates into real value, sustainability, and meaningful impact. However, the profession is facing increasing challenges, including the rise of digital and AI-driven travel tools, evolving visitor expectations, and a shortage of qualified guides.
“Sarawak is setting its sights on welcoming 5 million visitors by 2026 — but beyond the numbers, our priority is ensuring the quality of experience we deliver,” said Sarawak’s Deputy Minister for Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Datuk Snowdan Lawan. “Tourist guides are storytellers, cultural ambassadors, and the frontline of how our destination is understood and remembered.
“Sustaining this growth requires a highly skilled, future-ready tourism workforce. That is why we are positioning this conference as a dedicated platform for learning and professional development, while accelerating the training of new Registered Regional Specific Tourist Guides and Sarawak Park Guides to build a strong, resilient talent pipeline for the future,” the Deputy Minister continued.
“The role of a tourist guide is becoming more demanding in a fast-changing, digital world. This conference focuses on strengthening regional networks and building meaningful collaborations to elevate the profession,” said Sarawak Tourist Guides Association Honorary Chairman Edwin Lim. “We have chosen Sibu as the host city to support inclusive tourism development, creating opportunities and sharing the benefits of tourism and business events across Sarawak. Through this, we aim to create impact beyond Sarawak and contribute to the growth of Malaysia’s and Southeast Asia’s tourism.”
“Business events today must deliver more than attendance. They must deliver impact,” commented BESarawak Acting Chief Executive Officer Jason Tan Chin Foo. “Regional collaboration among tourist guides is key to that impact. Through this conference, we are strengthening legacy outcomes and advancing a high-value tourism economy while positioning Sarawak as the legacy capital of business events in Malaysia and Borneo.”
As part of the conference programme, delegates will take part in an immersive outdoor learning experience, including a cultural exchange that offers firsthand insight into community-based tourism. This allows domestic and international tourist guides to understand better their role in preserving cultural identity and delivering respectful, authentic experiences.
The 3rd Southeast Asian Tourist Guides Conference 2026 is organised by the Sarawak Tourist Guides Association in collaboration with the Malaysian Tourist Guides Council, and supported by Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak).
For more information, visit Sarawak Tourist Guides Association.
(Source: Your Stories — BESarawak)
