Brunei-Sabah tour package 'the best formula'

Kota Kinabalu: Brunei supplied a total of 58,544 visitors to Sabah in 2005 while Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA) can play an even

bigger role to help Sabah tap a growing China market, local operators said.

Two local tour operators here alone reported getting close to a thousand Chinese tourists per month from Shanghai, Guangzhou

and Hong Kong via Brunei and RBA.

"We are now getting a few hundred Chinese tourists each month and RBA's connecting flight and the China market must go

together," said Vivian Lee, Executive Director of Mt Kinabalu Adventure Tours.

Giving reasons, she said: "Chinese visitors want to see Brunei because it is famous - being the smallest yet the richest

Muslim country in the world."

Yet Sabah has the more to gain because most Chinese choose to stay two nights in Sabah in a three-night/four-day package,

since Brunei at night is generally quiet, she said.

"And of mainland Chinese, Hongkongites and Taiwanese, the spending power of mainland Chinese is better," Lee noted.

Eddy Chan of Tai Kar echoed generally the same story. "RBA flies four times a week to Shanghai and every month we get about

400 Chinese tourists stay a night at deluxe Hyatt in Brunei and come stay three nights in Sabah on a five-day/four-night

package," said Chan.

"My groups use RBA every flight," he added.

Since Brunei has hundreds of years of historical dealings with China and now enjoys world fame for its oil wealth, it is

well-known in China.

"We find the best way to sell Sabah in China market is the two-in-one formula, that is, a Brunei/Sabah package," said Judy

Ngui Siok Choon, RBA's Acting Sales Manager Sabah.

Brunei's Ministry of Tourism has for some years promoted Sabah together with Brunei.

Believing RBA can be of greater help for mutual benefits in the years ahead, Ngui said the airline recently staged an

awareness drive with Wisma Merdeka based on a Chinese New Year lucky draw.

"All shoppers who bought RM50 or more goods and services were eligible for a lucky draw," Ngui said.

First prize-winner was Heng Mui Kiow who won a return air ticket to Hong Kong, while Au Sok Goh won a return air ticket to

Brunei.

Since RBA flies to Perth, Brisbane, Sydney and Darwin, it is a key deliverer of Australian tourists to Sabah, especially from

Perth, Ngui said.

It also brings in good number of Britons from London, especially Saga Holidays guests.

It flies to KL and Singapore daily, Manila five times a week, Hong Kong six times, London daily, Frankfurt four times,

Auckland, New Zealand, three times and other regional destinations such as Bali, Surabaya, Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, etc.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin