Sarawak Delegation in Hualien: Expanding Travel Opportunities

(中央社訊息服務20250902 10:23:31)A delegation from the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) visited the Hualien County Government today (August 29), led by Dylan Redas Noel, STB’s Marketing Director for North Asia and New Markets. Hualien County Mayor Hsu Chen-Wei received the delegation and presented guests with the Hualien Guide. The two sides discussed tourism marketing and potential direct air links, with the shared goal of jointly promoting two-way travel and strengthening ties between Hualien and Sarawak.

May Hsu warmly welcomed the visitors on Qixi, also known as Chinese Valentine’s Day, and said the holiday added a celebratory note to Sarawak-Hualien friendship. She emphasized the shared cultural richness of both regions, each home to diverse communities. She also recalled that just last year, the Hualien County Government and Indigenous leaders from 13 townships visited Malaysia. During the trip, the two sides engaged in meaningful exchanges on tourism promotion, cultural collaboration, and travel industry development.

Mayor Hsu also highlighted Hualien’s recent progress in international air connectivity. The county launched direct flights to Hong Kong last year and will inaugurate a new route to Seoul’s Incheon International Airport in November 2025. She expressed hope that Hualien Airport could one day offer direct service to Sibu Airport in Sarawak, further narrowing the distance between the two regions and encouraging deeper cultural and economic exchange. The county, she added, looks forward to working closely with Sarawak to promote two-way tourism and build a lasting partnership.

Speaking at the meeting, Dylan Redas Noel said the Sarawak government would support efforts to coordinate future direct flights between the two regions. He introduced Kuching, the capital of Sarawak and the state’s economic and political hub, affectionately known as the City of Cats. He also noted that Kuching has been recognized by UNESCO as a Creative City of Gastronomy. He expressed hope that residents of Hualien and Sarawak would increasingly visit one another, forging stronger people-to-people ties through cultural and tourism exchange.