Sarawak Tourism Board shortlists four creative agencies

Sources suggest that the presentations concluded last month and the tourism board is likely to make a decision once the new CEO, who is in the process of taking over from incumbent Gracie Geike, settles in.

The incumbent for this account is local shop Eclipse. STB’s media planning and buying is handled in-house.

Sarawak is a niche destination for both high-end and budget travellers, and is still just on the margins of Malaysia's recent surge in tourism. The state is said to have been slow in developing its mass-tourism industry. However, in recent years tourist numbers to the state have witnessed a pronounced increase.

The largest group of Sarawak's 3.6 million visitors in 2007 came from other parts of Malaysia. Next were people from Brunei, making up 40 per cent of arrivals. These numbers were up 19 per cent from the previous year. The focus for the tourism market is shifting to attracting visitors from more distant markets, such as Europe, Australia and China.

Sarawak is home to 28 ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language, culture and lifestyle.