Wednesday July 1, 2009
More delights for rainforest music fest fans
KUCHING: Ardent fans of the 12th annual Rainforest World Music Festival at the Sarawak Cultural Village near here can expect greater comfort and new experiences.
A brand new main and secondary stage has been added so that fans will have a bigger space to move around to enjoy the music in the main performing area.
The timber walkway has also been replaced for the safety of concert-goers, all part of the RM5.8mil upgrading exercise for the village.
Popular beat: A group from India performing at last year’s festival. “Although the crowd capacity has been increased to 10,000 a night, we are capping it at 8,000,’’ Sarawak Tourism Board chief executive officer Gracie Geikie told reporters at Bangunan Baitulmakmur in Petra Jaya yesterday.
She had earlier briefed state Urban Development and Tourism Minister Datuk Michael Manyin on the final preparations for the popular festival, which kicks off on July 10.
Thirteen international and four Malaysian groups will perform during the three nights of concerts.
Eleven countries have confirmed participation in the second Rainforest World Craft Bazaar to be held in conjunction with the music festival.
Geikie said that about RM2.4mil was being spent to organise the festival, which was expected to generate some RM20mil in revenue for tourism-related businesses like hotels, transport and logistic companies, restaurants and eateries.
Last year, the festival drew 22,000 people compared with barely 300 when it was held for the first time.
She said satellite TV operator Astro, the festival’s exclusive media partner, would produce documentary features for airing on its international channels.
“This will give the festival a tremendous boost in publicity,’’ she said.
Some 200 print and electronic journalists from outside Sarawak are expected for the event.
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