S’wak Tourism Board splashes into spotlight with third place win for best booth at int’l dive expo

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, June 5: Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) has secured third place in the Best Booth Creativity Award category at the Malaysia International Dive Expo (MIDE) 2026, reflecting the board’s continuous efforts to promote Sarawak as a tourism destination.

According to STB chief executive officer (CEO), Dr Sharzede Datu Salleh Askor, she was surprised by the recognition, as the board’s only intention was to showcase Sarawak.

““It is a great honour for us. It shows that our promotional efforts are being recognised in the right way,” she told TVS during the opening ceremony of MIDE 2026 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur today, where the award was presented by deputy secretary-general (Tourism) of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (Motac), Chua Choon Hwa.

Meanwhile, Sharzede said Sarawak has several locations with strong potential for scuba diving activities, including Miri, Bintulu, and Kuching. However, facilities and infrastructure at these sites still need further improvement.

She added that developing the dive tourism sector would not only attract more visitors but also generate economic benefits for local communities.

“Many people are still unaware of Sarawak’s diving sites because they have not been widely promoted in the past.

“But I believe that with the efforts currently being undertaken, Sarawak is now ready to be positioned as a diving tourism destination,” she said.

Organised by AsiaEvents Exsic, MIDE 2026 runs from June 5 to 7, bringing together diving and tourism industry players from Malaysia and abroad. — DayakDaily

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