SIBU, MALAYSIA: Sarawak Urban Development and Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh said the state received about 430,000 visitors compared with about 400,000 over the same period last year.

However, foreign tourist arrivals had only seen a slight increase, he said at the grand finale of the week-long Borneo Cultural Festival (BCF), the town's annual and signature tourism event, at the town square here on Saturday night.

Wong represented Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud at the event, where cultural troupes from Kalimantan in Borneo and Botswana in South Africa were among the performers.

He said the government would intensify its efforts to woo more foreign tourists to the state, noted for its culture, adventure and nature attractions.

On the BCF, Wong suggested that a special committee be formed to better market and promote it overseas.

Seminars and workshops on handicraft, music and art could also be organised alongside it to enhance its image.

Wong said he was confident the BCF could become a national and, eventually, an international event.

"The Rainforest World Music festival, at its inception 11 years ago, was a small event, initially attracting only about 1,000 people.

"As we slowly improved on it, it has become so popular that we have to cap the number of visitors at 24,000 for the three night shows," he said.

Federal Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew and BCF joint organising chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King were also present. -- Bernama