Brunei tourism makes headway

By Azlan Othman

The pristine and lush green forest of the sultanate has grabbed the attention of a renowned travel magazine "Tavel Weekly" which has placed Brunei among the nominees for the best Southeast Asia Ecotourism award, CEO of Brunei Tourism Board said yesterday.

"Indeed our country has been picked to be one of the nominees," Sheikh Jamaluddin Sheikh Mohamed told the Weekend. "Anyone could just logon to its website and vote for Brunei," added Mohd Jeffrey Hj Mohd Sunny Lai, Marketing and Promotion Officer of the Tourism Board.

Speaking on the steps taken towards promoting tourism, he said the department is now busy with the "Kenali Negara Kitani" (KNK) or Discover Our Nation's domestic campaign in creating tourism sustainability. The environment must be protected to prepare the country for a better travel experience.

The campaign includes road shows at secondary schools, the diplomatic corps, business chambers and government departments in the country.

KNK's aim is to encourage members of the public to explore the wonders of Brunei, especially during the holidays, as well as to sample local delicacies, crafts and other products. Feedback forms are also being used to ensure the campaign's success.

"I want them to understand the importance of tourism, as people still perceive tourism in a negative way like having social problems. Tourism industry contributes some 1.8 per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) with tourism receipts mounting to $315 million and offers some 5,000 jobs directly.

"With a year-on-year increase of seven per cent, I am happy with our progress to lure tourists to the country where we now see more arrivals, more money changers mushrooming and more tour buses and taxis," he added.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin Weekend