KUCHING, Sarawak, 11 November 2026: Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) reports it built strong business ties with the Japanese travel market through the recent Tourism Expo Japan (TEJ) 2026 and subsequent Post-TEJ Product Update Sessions in Tokyo and Osaka.
Held in late September at Tokyo Big Sight, the four-day TEJ 2026 saw STB participate under the Tourism Malaysia Pavilion, where the Sarawak delegation engaged with Japanese travel agents, tour operators, tourism stakeholders, and consumers while showcasing Sarawak’s diverse experiences across Culture, Adventure, Nature, Food and Festivals (CANFF).
The engagement gave Sarawak tourism industry partners opportunities to strengthen relationships, share destination updates, and gain deeper insight into the Japanese travel market.
The conversation continued beyond the four-day exhibition through a Post-TEJ Product Update held in Tokyo and Osaka.
The sessions provided a more focused setting for STB and Sarawak tourism industry partners to engage directly with Japanese outbound travel agents and tour operators, exchange market insights and explore how Sarawak’s tourism experiences could be further developed for Japanese travellers.
The Tokyo session was held in collaboration with Royal Brunei Airlines, building on the Memorandum of Understanding signed between STB and the airline in May 2026 to strengthen cooperation in destination promotion, product development and regional connectivity. The collaboration supports efforts to create more connected travel opportunities across Borneo.
The Tourism Malaysia Osaka Office supported the Osaka session, helping STB strengthen its engagement with travel trade partners in the wider Kansai region. The collaboration also supports STB’s continued support for the national tourism agenda as the Visit Malaysia campaign continues through 2027, creating further opportunities to showcase Sarawak: Gateway to Borneo to international travellers.
Sarawak Tourism Board Marketing Director for North Asia and New Market, Dylan Redas Noel, said the continued engagement provided an opportunity to build on TEJ conversations while gaining a better understanding of the Japanese market.
“Tourism Expo Japan gives us an important platform to introduce Sarawak to the Japanese market, but equally important is how we continue those conversations beyond the exhibition. Our engagements in Tokyo and Osaka allow us to connect more closely with our travel trade partners, exchange ideas and better understand what Japanese travellers are looking for.
“Through Sarawak: Gateway to Borneo, we want to present Sarawak as a destination rich in experiences of its own, while also serving as a natural starting point for travellers wishing to discover more of Borneo. By working with our travel trade and connectivity partners, we hope to make that wider Borneo journey increasingly accessible to travellers.
“We hope these conversations will lead to fresh ideas and stronger partnerships that can translate Sarawak’s experiences into meaningful journeys for Japanese travellers,” he said.
Introduced last August during PATA Travel Mart 2026, Sarawak: Gateway to Borneo reflects Sarawak’s distinctive experiences while positioning the destination as a natural starting point for travellers wishing to discover more of Borneo.
Bringing the positioning to life are Sarawak’s five tourism pillars of Culture, Adventure, Nature, Food and Festivals, offering Japanese travellers a diverse range of experiences shaped by the destination’s cultural heritage, natural landscapes, distinctive cuisine and year-round events.
By developing tourism experiences for Japanese travellers and strengthening partnerships in Japan, Sarawak welcomes more Japanese travellers, providing a natural gateway to discovering more of Borneo.
(Source: Your Stories — Sarawak Tourism Board)
