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| Abdul Karim beats the gong to officiate the opening ceremony of the 2nd Sarawak Wuwang Cup International Wushu Invitation Championship held at MBKS Indoor Stadium. |
KUCHING: Sports associations in Sarawak are encouraged to organise international events to help boost tourism industry in the state.
Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said sports has long been acknowledged as a form of tourism product.
He said whenever an international tournament is held, in some way the organiser is helping to develop tourism industry in Sarawak.
He said like any other foreign visitors, foreign athletes and sports official bring in money to the local businesses.
“This is because when someone travel to a different city or country for a sporting event, they are likely to spend money. They will need lodging which brings revenue to local hotels, and food which beings revenue to local restaurants or food outlets.
“Some of them may have to rent the transportation and some may take their time to visit other attractions in the city and experience the local culture and history,” he said at the opening ceremony of the 2nd Sarawak Wuwang Cup International Wushu Invitation Championship held at MBKS Indoor Stadium here today.
Abdul Karim said further more, an international sport event will also help to promote goodwill between nation, goodwill between cities and goodwill among the fellow human being, especially among the sports enthusiasts.
He believed it was always good to have international championships being held in Sarawak saying whenever there is an international, the sports enthusiasts, be they locals and foreigners, would converge in one place in the spirit of good sportsmanship.
“In a way, we are promoting this spirit of togetherness though the participation in sport,” he added.
Abdul Karim said the Sarawak government will always encourage international tournaments to be held in the state.
He assured that the state government will always be behind any sports association who wish to organise international event and ready to assistant and help out whenever there is any plan to organised international sports events here or in other parts of Sarawak. -TheBorneoPost
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