KUCHING -- The tourism industry in Sarawak has remained unaffected by the outbreak of dengue, which has claimed seven lives in the state so far this year, State Tourism Assistant Minister Hamden Ahmad said Monday.
He said the dengue menace was mainly a health problem and had not had a negative impact on the industry.
Hamden spoke at a news conference to announce the forthcoming Lundu Off Road Assault (Lora) Four Wheel Drive special stage competition here.
About 40 vehicles, including from Brunei, Indonesia and Johor, are scheduled to participate in the two-day event beginning Nov 26 at the Lundu-Sematan junction near here. The event is organised jointly by the ministry and a Kuching-based sports and tourism specialist company.
Hamden said the state government was also taking precautions to prevent any outbreak of the avian flu with a ban on the import of poultry from affected countries, including Indonesia.
On tourism development in the Lundu District, he said the ministry, in co-operation with the Lundu District Council, would implement a pilot project to turn five acres at Pandan Beach into a camping ground for outdoor lovers in a safe environment.
He said the camping lots, equipped with barbecue pits as well as toilets and shower facilities and to be rented to visitors, would be ready in nine months' time.
As part of efforts to promote the Lundu-Sematan area as a tourist destination, he said the barramundi species of fish popular in northern Australia would also be introduced into the Sematan River soon.
He said the ministry would work with the Sarawak Agriculture Department to promote angling to increase the range of tourism products in Sematan.
The coastal town of Sematan, which fronts the South China Sea, is used as a base by anglers to go out for fishing, he said.
Courtesy of BERNAMA
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