ECONOMY AND BUSINESS
Traditional Melanau tall houses at Kuching Culture village
The city is the gateway to the largest and fourth most populous state in Malaysia. Although the state economy is dominated by the primary commodity production of oil and gas, timber and oil palm, recent development has made Kuching an industrial and commercial center with many state and national-level and international businesses now established there.
There are 3 industrial areas in Kuching to boost its commercial and industrial growth – Pending Industrial Estate (Mixed and Light Industries), Demak Laut Industrial Park (Mixed, Light, and Medium Industries), and Sama Jaya Free Industrial Zone (Hi-Tech and electronics industry).
The city is also a popular conference and tourist center and hosts numerous national, regional and international conferences and related events, including the highly rated Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF), an annual music festival which brings performers and spectators to the region from all over the world. Hosted by the Sarawak Cultural Village near Mount Santubong, the festival is one of the largest musical events in Malaysia.
