KUCHING: Starting in 2026, all visitors to Bako National Park will be required to take a guided tour, said Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Datuk Sebastian Ting Chew Yew.

He said this move was important to ensure a more structured visitor experience while also raising awareness about environmental conservation and biodiversity in Sarawak's oldest national park.

"When this policy is implemented, every visitor will have to use the services of a park guide. Payments will be controlled to be fairer and more standardised," he explained when met by the media after officiating the Park Guide Training Course in Bako, on Tuesday.

To date, he said that Sarawak has 231 active park guides out of 400 licensed park guides.

With the addition of 31 new guides who are currently undergoing training in Bako, the total number has increased to 262, he explained.

He added that under the Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, the government aims to train at least 300 park guides by 2030.

In this regard, Sarawak only needs 38 additional guides to achieve the target.

Meanwhile, Datuk Sebastian also shared that Bako National Park recorded over 47,000 visitors last year, while in July this year alone it had received 27,000 visitors, with the number expected to match or surpass the previous year's record.

He also expressed appreciation to the locals, especially from Kampung Bako, for participating in the training as guides and helping to strengthen Sarawak's position as a major ecotourism destination in the region. -UKASnews