Despite competition from other events in the area, the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) is anticipated to draw roughly 20,000 guests this year, according to Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

The state's tourism, creative industry, and performing arts minister claimed that RWMF has carved out a distinct market among fans of global music, with many returning attendees.

Since borders were reopened, numerous concerts and events have been held in adjacent nations, creating healthy rivalry.

"However, RWMF has been operating for 26 years and is regarded as one of the top 25 significant worldwide music festivals.

Therefore, there don't have to be comparable events in the area. He told reporters after giving tokens of appreciation to the festival's sponsors here on Friday (June 9) that "we still anticipate about 20,000 people to attend."

All 3,000 early-bird tickets have already been purchased, according to Abdul Karim, who reported a positive initial response.

He claimed that locals purchased around 60% of the tickets while visitors from other countries purchased the remaining 40%.

From June 23 to June 25, RWMF will be held at the Sarawak Cultural Village.

Abdul Karim stated in his earlier statement that RWMF would continue to promote responsible tourism to transform it into a long-lasting, environmentally friendly festival.

He claimed that RWMF acted as a forum for promoting the significance of sustainable tourism practices.

"This represents Sarawak's unmistakable intention to improve the standing and appeal of RWMF, to transform the festival into a confluence of traditional sounds and instruments from many parts of the world, bringing people together to appreciate diverse music, arts, and culture.

"It will also connect with and embrace the values of sustainability, which is in line with Sarawak's post-Covid-19 development strategy," he continued.