This initiative and partnership is a world first for Malaysia. Sarawak joins the Global Destination Sustainability Index for Business Events and Tourism by launching the GDSI Partnership Programme-Sarawak Region.  The GDSI-Sarawak partnership comprises of 30 committee members; consisting of local government ministries and agencies, academia, associations, and industry partners.

GDS Index is globally recognised as a bench marking system that will rank Sarawak’s business events, and tourism sustainability performance. The assessment will be based on 71 indicators across four key areas which are: environmental performance; social progress performance; destination supplier performance; and destination management performance.

The Index is fully aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and Global Sustainable Tourism Council Destinations. Sarawak has, in its development strategy of post covid-10 to be a leading destination in ecotourism and sustainable business events by 2030, based on the criteria set by the United Nations’ GSTC.

Kuching has been selected for the pilot project of the GDS Index programme, which positions the city, as one of the 75 progressive destinations in the world to undertake the GDS Index. It will later expand to other cities such as Sibu, Miri, and major towns in Sarawak.