Sarawak woos Brunei capital for tourism linkup
Saturday, May 12, 2007
THE Sarawak Tourism Board is seeking a Bandar Seri Begawan tie-up in promoting packages for the state, in a bid to open up its Middle East market.
The board's Chief Executive, Gracie Geiki, said Middle Eastern visitors currently make up a negligible part of Sarawak's tourist arrivals, which were recorded at close to three million last year. One of the reasons for the dearth of Mid-East tourists was the limited number of international flights to Sarawak, especially Miri and other interior areas, she said at a joint press conference with Sarawak Minister of Urban Development and Tourism Wong Soon Koh and Miri Resident Ose Murang, the highest official in the city, in conjunction with the Miri International Jazz Festival here yesterday.
To counter the airlink problem, the Sarawak Tourism Board plans to promote packages to the state with hubs in countries and cities with more international flights.
Bandar Seri Begawan was a good choice, Gracie said, as the Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA) had flights to Dubai, while being just two hours away from Miri by car. The other proposed hubs are Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
The plan, called a hubbing strategy, uses Brunei as the hub of the travel packages, with some three days in Brunei and at least two days in Sarawak. The Sarawak Tourism Board said it was also hoping RBA would carry on with its plan to reinstate its Bandar Seri Begawan-Kuching flight, which is expected by the end of the year, to make more packages available to visitors from the Middle East.
Gracie said Miri was also gearing up to lure more Middle Eastern tourists by preparing the required infrastructure and facilities, like luxury resorts, one of which would open in July.
Gracie, who recently went to a travel fair in Dubai to scope out the market, said Middle Eastern tourists had a different view of "vacations" and packages were being structured to reflect their needs.
"For one thing, for the Middle East people, shopping is part of their daily lives," she said, adding it's "like breathing" for them. They also do not go for hectic programmes or strenuous activities, as they usually like to go for a siesta, or rest, from 2pm to 6pm, she said.
"They prefer to relax in a resort which has activities and all the necessary facilities, and may choose three or four tours in all. They like nature the orangutan sanctuary, river cruises and cultural villages should be a hit but they would not go for long treks."
Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines' reinstatement as the official carrier for Sarawak's rural areas was expected to help Sarawak in its tourism promotion, the Minister of Urban Development and Tourism said. Wong said although the airline was still studying logistics, the move is certain to improve the air connectivity in the state, which is about the size of the whole of Peninsula Malaysia. The Brunei Times
The board's Chief Executive, Gracie Geiki, said Middle Eastern visitors currently make up a negligible part of Sarawak's tourist arrivals, which were recorded at close to three million last year. One of the reasons for the dearth of Mid-East tourists was the limited number of international flights to Sarawak, especially Miri and other interior areas, she said at a joint press conference with Sarawak Minister of Urban Development and Tourism Wong Soon Koh and Miri Resident Ose Murang, the highest official in the city, in conjunction with the Miri International Jazz Festival here yesterday.
To counter the airlink problem, the Sarawak Tourism Board plans to promote packages to the state with hubs in countries and cities with more international flights.
Bandar Seri Begawan was a good choice, Gracie said, as the Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA) had flights to Dubai, while being just two hours away from Miri by car. The other proposed hubs are Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
The plan, called a hubbing strategy, uses Brunei as the hub of the travel packages, with some three days in Brunei and at least two days in Sarawak. The Sarawak Tourism Board said it was also hoping RBA would carry on with its plan to reinstate its Bandar Seri Begawan-Kuching flight, which is expected by the end of the year, to make more packages available to visitors from the Middle East.
Gracie said Miri was also gearing up to lure more Middle Eastern tourists by preparing the required infrastructure and facilities, like luxury resorts, one of which would open in July.
Gracie, who recently went to a travel fair in Dubai to scope out the market, said Middle Eastern tourists had a different view of "vacations" and packages were being structured to reflect their needs.
"For one thing, for the Middle East people, shopping is part of their daily lives," she said, adding it's "like breathing" for them. They also do not go for hectic programmes or strenuous activities, as they usually like to go for a siesta, or rest, from 2pm to 6pm, she said.
"They prefer to relax in a resort which has activities and all the necessary facilities, and may choose three or four tours in all. They like nature the orangutan sanctuary, river cruises and cultural villages should be a hit but they would not go for long treks."
Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines' reinstatement as the official carrier for Sarawak's rural areas was expected to help Sarawak in its tourism promotion, the Minister of Urban Development and Tourism said. Wong said although the airline was still studying logistics, the move is certain to improve the air connectivity in the state, which is about the size of the whole of Peninsula Malaysia. The Brunei Times
Business Besides Oil
