Super luxury boutique in Brunei

Overview of the newly launched Pace Tempo boutique
Photo: Jason Leong; Copyright © 2007 Brunei Press Sdn Bhd.

By Sonia K

Yesterday marked the launching of Pace Tempo, a boutique carrying collections of high-end brands like Bvlgari, Audemars Piguet, Visconti, Fortis and Delta, at The Empire Hotel & Country Club.

Present to officiate the launch was Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Bini Hajah Faizah binti Dato Haji Nasir. The guest of honour was greeted by Baiduri Prestige Manager, Alvina Chung; Director of Pace Tempo, Jimmie Tay; and Director of Operations of The Empire Hotel & Country Club, Nigel Moore.

Also present at the opening were CEO of Audemars Piguet in Southeast Asia, Oliviero Bottinelli; Managing Director of Bvlgari, Mr Richard Yong; Managing Director of Fortis and Anonimo, Mr Mark Quek; as well as Baiduri Bank management including General Manager, Mr Pierre Imhof and Deputy General Manager of Retail Banking and Branch Network, Mr Ti Eng Hui.

During the opening, the guest of honour was presented with a gift from the CEO of Audemars Piguet, followed by a plaque signing and photo session with the management of Baiduri Bank, Management of Pace Tempo and their brand partners. The guest of honour and Baiduri Prestige customers were then invited to view the collections.

"It took us a long time to get here because we did a very thorough market survey when we first arrived in this place (Brunei). We agree that this (Empire Hotel) is the right place. It took a while because we were trying to understand what is the best way to get into this market and what kind of products are suitable," said Managing Director of Bvlgari Mr Richard Yong. "It actually took us three years," he added when asked how long they took to survey for a suitable place.

"The prices are competitive to that of Singapore, which is the benchmark for international pricing. Besides that, the products are updated (up to season)," Mr Yong said.

Mr Bottinelli said, "I have met few Bruneian collectors around the region, they have faith in the product and bringing the product to Brunei is a bit of a reward. We will bring to Pace Tempo the newest collection all the time with competitive prices."

Speaking on Citimex, Mr Mark Quek said that they carry three categories of products, mostly high-end and collectors' market such as Fortis and Anonimo for luxury timepieces and Visconti and Delta for writing instruments.

"Visconti has been around for 25 years. It's an Italian brand and is specially handcrafted with a price range from about $1,000 to above $300,000. We really bring the best handcrafted products to the people of Brunei for them to enjoy and appreciate," he added.

Pace Tempo aims to educate the customers in Brunei on its products by organising several educational seminars (on jewelleries, jewels, pens and watches), and to assure them that they can buy these same products in Brunei with prices that are comparable with Singapore or Malaysia, said the Director of Pace Tempo.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

A closer look at Sabah’s cultural heritage for tourists

TO promote Malaysia, particularly Sabah, as a tourist destination, a hotel here has organised a weekly cultural programme to give its guests a close look at the rich cultural heritage of various ethnic communities in this state.

Last week, for the first time, Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort treated it guests to such show.

The event, which will be a weekly fair, saw performances by a variety of Sabah’s diverse ethnic communities such as the Kadazandusun Sumazau, the Monggigol of the Rungus and DalingDaling of the Bajau-Suluks.

Local craft makers exhibited their skills by stringing together beads and weaving baskets. There was also a demonstration on how sompoton, a Kadazandusun musical instrument, is made.

The resort’s guests also had the chance to participate in traditional games like gasing and blowpipe shooting.

Continue reading (incl. pics) at: A closer look at Sabah’s cultural heritage for tourists

Heritage Trails new tourist attraction in Kuching

KUCHING: The Kuching Heritage Trails, which feature prominently the Brooke legacy, is a new tourist attraction to this city.

The trails, which comprise two routes, highlight 25 historical buildings that best capture the charm of the Brooke era.

The Brookes, who ruled Sarawak for 100 years (1841 to 1941), were responsible for most of the early archietectural and urban development of the state capital.

The landmarks built during the Brooke's reign include the old Courthouse, which has been renamed Sarawak Tourism Complex, Fort Margherita, the Square and the Pavilion.

Continue reading (incl. pics) at: Heritage Trails new tourist attraction in Kuching

Sarawak finds niche in musical tourism

MIRI: Following the global attention to the Rainforest World Music Festival and the Miri International Jazz Festival, Sarawak is ready to stage more music fests to draw visitors.

“There is no doubt that such festivals have extraordinary power to attract tourists.

“We are going for more such festivals in the future,” said Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) chief executive officer Gracie Geikie.

“What we want to do is promote such festivals by integrating them with tourism products that we already have, such as our natural assets,” she told The Star yesterday.

She said the STB has found that musical fests have extraordinary drawing power to bring in the tourists.

Continue reading at: Sarawak finds niche in musical tourism

Eastern Europeans flocking to Sarawak in droves

KUCHING: An increasing number of tourists from eastern Europe are coming to Sarawak, drawn by the state’s nature attractions and tropical weather.

Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) chief executive officer Gracie Geikie said some 5,900 visitors from the region came last year; almost triple the number of arrivals in 2005.

She said the surge was significant as the board had not carried out any tourism road shows there, like it had done in western Europe, its traditional market.

Ironically, the number of visitors from the western European countries had slipped to just 1,900 last year, down from 2,300 in the previous year.

She said this was largely because of the rationalisation exercise by Malaysia Airlines, which saw the rural air service, including flights to Mulu, handed over to Fly Asian Xpress (FAX) in August last year.

She said the STB has found that musical fests have extraordinary drawing power to bring in the tourists.

Continue reading at: Eastern Europeans flocking to Sarawak in droves

Sarawak plans to lure visitors from China and mideast

KUCHING: Sarawak, which has projected four million visitor arrivals this year, plans to lure more tourists from China and the Middle East, State Assistant Tourism Minister Hamden Ahmad said.

He said the government’s tourism agencies and local industry players were now intensifying their promotion campaigns to attract the Chinese and Arabs with the help of the federal Tourism Ministry during the ongoing “Visit Malaysia Year.”

Continue reading at: Sarawak plans to lure visitors from China and mideast

Taiwan tourists for Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Kuala Lumpur: Sanbumi Air Transport Sdn Bhd, which provides charter flight services, is aiming to get about 1,000 passengers per month from Taiwan in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia Year 2007, its group chairman Datuk Noorazman Adnan said.

He said the company through Taiwan-based Far Eastern Air Transport (FAT) would provide six flights per month with about 150 passengers per flight.

The collaboration with FAT will allow foreign tourists to make their way to Malaysia via charter flights using FAT's aircraft, facilities, crew and expertise, he said.

Continue reading at: Taiwan tourists for Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Sarawak Indigenous Culture - A tale of beads

More than mere costume jewellery, beads hold social, economic and cultural meaning for Sarawak's indigenous folk.

AS a little girl growing up in Bario, Sarawak’s Kelabit highlands, Datin Seri Garnette Jala Ridu would watch her mother string beads.

For the Kelabits, one of the smallest indigenous groups in Sarawak, beads were a big part of their lives. Garnette would count every single bead and knew by heart where her mother would place them. Her mother would regale her with the story of the beads.

“My mother would say, ‘Don’t you ever sell the beads or give them away. Look after them’,” recalls the 50-year-old former English lecturer.

Continue reading (incl. pics) at: Sarawak Indigenous Culture - A tale of beads

Facelift for Kampung Air into a major tourist attraction soon

KOTA KINABALU: Plans are afoot to beautify Kg. Air and turning it into a major tourist attraction this year, Mayor Datuk Iliyas Ibrahim announced yesterday.

He said the Proposed Development for Kg. Air will include repairing and upgrading existing public amenities especially replacing broken slabs along pavements and dilapidated benches.

It will have a colourful landscape dotted with shady trees, added lighting, more parking bays and an overall aesthetically pleasing design.

Continue reading (incl. pic) at: Facelift for Kg Air into a major tourist attraction soon

RBA to promote VBY 2008

By Azlan Othman

Brunei national carrier Royal Brunei Airlines is promoting the sultanate through special packages, increased frequencies, chartered golfing tours and overseas advertising.

It plans to adorn the Visit Brunei Year 2008 logo on its aircraft towards the end of this year, RBA said.

"Starting next year, it is no more an on/off campaign. We are aggressively promoting Brunei as a destination of choice. We had a discussion with Brunei Tourism on this matter (fixing the logo) and they support it," Rozman Junaidi, RBA Vice President for Corporate Communications said yesterday.

"RBA's marketing promotion is to prioritise Brunei on top of its 22 destinations, to support Brunei Tourism, create special packages and carry out advertising campaigns abroad.

"RBA works very closely with Brunei Tourism and Brunei Tourism Board and holds quarterly meetings with hoteliers and travel agents.

"RBA has 22 destinations to sell and Brunei is going to be the main focus during the VBY. Our staff abroad are promoting Brunei with packages and fares designed to accommodate visits to Brunei. For markets like Australia, we have created good attractive packages for them to come to Brunei, like a two-day stop-over package instead of just waiting at the airport transit lounge enroute to London.

"There are plans to increase flights to Hong Kong and China to accommodate the demand. The potential for the China market is vast and they like to travel in groups. We are focusing on 'twin city package' where tourists from China will stay both in Brunei and Kota Kinabalu.

The Chinese Embassy said recently there were over 40,000 Chinese travellers in 2005.

"For golfing, RBA will carry out some chartered flights bringing in premium travellers from South Korea.

"They seem to like playing golf here and the demand is encouraging.

"Feedbacks from them indicate the golfing price is competitive, and the facilities are of high quality and not congested.

Koreans go for signature golf courses like the one at the Empire Hotel and Country Club. Golfing is a good segment and Koreans travel in hundreds to Brunei. Golfing journalists were also invited to Brunei last month to test all its golf courses.

"Golfing is certainly on the top of their minds, attracting the premium Korean travellers through chartered flights. Besides, the target markets are Australia, Hong Kong, China and Asean, primarily Singapore and Malaysia.

"Travel journalists on familiarisation trips to Brunei produced very good documentaries about the sultanate. Majority of them labelled Brunei as a 'hidden gem' or 'mystical place' waiting to be discovered.

"Journalists from Europe took a while, up to six to eight months, to publish write-ups on Brunei as the articles had to 'queue-up'. It is not appropriate to highlight the tropical paradise during winter, when freelance writers would highlight skiing promotion, for instance.

"Next month, Hong Kong and Singapore journalists will travel to Brunei. Only selected journalists from renowned travel and lifestyle magazines will come," he said.

On efforts to lure the Middle East market where Malaysia is aggressively promoting, Rozman said, "It is a competitive market. The limited air route is a constraint because RBA flies only to Dubai and Jeddah, unlike in Malaysia where Middle Eastern airlines such as Qatar Airways and Emirates fly to Kuala Lumpur.

"However, we almost have the same attractions to lure them here like ideal family leisure holiday, safety, availability of halal food and being a Muslim country," he said.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

Sarawak to lure Chinese, Arab tourists

KUCHING - Sarawak, which has projected four million visitor arrivals this year, plans to lure more tourists from China and the Middle East, State Assistant Tourism Minister Hamden Ahmad said yesterday.

He said the government's tourism agencies and local industry players are now intensifying their promotion campaigns to attract Chineses and Arabs with the help of the federal Tourism Ministry during the ongoing "Visit Malaysia Year".

"China and the Middle East has been chosen based on their population volume and their similarities, including food and culture, thus making them feel at home," he told reporters after a joint live radio talk show "Destinasi" over Radio Television Malaysia's (RTM) Sarawak FM and Terengganu FM at RTM.

The weekly programme, conducted in collaboration with other RTM radio stations nationwide, is aimed at promoting Sarawak as a popular tourist destination.

He also said local tourist operators, such as hoteliers, should give equal service and attention to foreign and domestic visitors to the state, which anticipates a revenue of over RM5 billion from four million visitors this year.

Last year, Sarawak recorded three million visitors, mostly from Western Europe and the Asean region, generating a revenue totalling RM5 billion.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

Hyatt Regency Kinabalu Hotel, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Reopened in June 1998 after 18 months of renovation, the Hyatt Regency Kinabalu is located in the heart of shopping, banking, government, and entertainment districts, including the popular Filipino market, where a lot of handicrafts can be bought at bargained price - although you must be warned that these handicrafts are not indigenously assembled or made by local Sabahans.

Hyatt Regency Hotel overlooks the beautiful islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman (TAR) Marine Park (see Tropical Islands for more information). High standards are offered throughout with an wide variety of services and facilities on offer which include a 22 meter swimming pool, and Shenanigan's Fun Pub.

Continue reading plus more photos at: Hyatt Regency Kinabalu Hotel, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Sarawak operators revert to sending tourists by boats to Mulu park

KUCHING: Some tour operators have reverted to sending tourists to Mulu National Park in northern Sarawak by river in view of accessibility problems by air.

Sarawak Tourism Board's chief executive officer Gracie Geikie said tourists would take express boats from Miri to Marudi and Long Terawan, and then ride on longboats upriver to Mulu.

``This is a day-long trip tourists, Europeans in particular like to travel by river and enjoy the scenery,'' she added.

Geikie said the board was encouraging tour operators to reintroduce the river travel for big tourist groups as this was one way to ease the flight problems to Mulu.

Continue reading at: Sarawak operators revert to sending tourists by boats to Mulu park

American couple madly in love with Sabah and Sarawak's spicy food

KUCHING: American couple Dr Raymond C. Murray and Dr Maureen J. Fleming have fallen in love with Malaysia's spicy food.

Apart from the country’s natural beauty and friendly people, this is what has drawn the retired professors from Montana University in America back to Malaysia again and again for their vacation.

“We return to Malaysia every two or three years for holidays. This is the first time we are visiting Sabah and Sarawak.

“Malaysia is a beautiful country and its people are very kind.

“We love your spicy food,” said Dr Fleming, who taught at Petaling Jaya Community College for six months in 1986.

Continue reading at: American couple madly in love with Sabah and Sarawak's spicy food

Tourists in Sarawak puzzled over different ways of celebrating New Year

KUCHING: As they were driven through the city, the first thing that Chinese tourists Fan Rui and Zhong Hua noticed was that the city was terribly quiet.

Baffled why all the shops were shuttered up, they asked their tour guide and his reply was: “To welcome Chinese New Year.”

Fan and Zhong said they found this strange because in China no shops would close their doors during the Chinese New Year holidays.

"We had not expected this,” they said when met at the open house of Sarawak Tourism Federation president Wee Hong Seng yesterday.

Continue reading at: Tourists in Sarawak puzzled over different ways of celebrating New Year

Mukah getting ready for VMY 2007

MUKAH: MORE than 100 staff of government departments, agencies and local community leaders took part in the Tourism Awareness Programme which included the planting of flower trees along the road near Batang Mukah Bridge on Friday afternoon.

The programme, which featured the gotong-royong team to clean the bridge area and the distribution of fliers, was managed by Mukah Resident office as one of its "Visit Malaysia Year 2007" tourism projects.

Continue reading (incl. pic) at: Mukah getting ready for VMY 2007

MAS Must Be Given Priority On International Flights To Sarawak

MIRI -- Sarawak Assistant Infrastructure Development and Communications Minister Lee Kim Shin said foreign airlines would be pursued only after the national carrier, Malaysian Airlines (MAS), has been given the priority to operate international flights to Sarawak.

Foreign airlines would be pursued to provide additional international flights only when MAS cannot provide such services, he said.

Flying to Sarawak has the potential to generate profits for the national carrier and boost tourist arrivals to the state, he said.

Speaking to reporters here today, he suggested that MAS considered re-directing its present flights of Guangzhou in China or Hong Kong to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah to include Miri to start their international services to the state.

Continue reading (incl. pic) at: MAS Must Be Given Priority On International Flights To Sarawak

Gong Xi Fa Cai 2007 from e-borneo.com

Please be informed that our office will be closed for four (4) consecutive days from 17 to 20 February 2007 in conjunction with the Chinese New Year Celebration public holidays nationwide.

For travel and related requests, do note that all your e-mails enquiries may be replied during this holiday period (depending on priority and/or importance) but earliest confirmation can only be processed on Wednesday, 21 February 2007 (working hours +0800 GMT MYT).

Any inconvenience caused is very much regretted.

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Best wishes,

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Email: travel@e-borneo.com

Govt wants review of flight schedules in Sabah, Sarawak

MIRI: The Transport Ministry has asked Malaysia Airlines (MAS), AirAsia and Fly Asian Xpress (FAX) to review their flight schedules in Sabah and Sarawak immediately to provide a better spread, benefit more people and meet the demands of travellers.

Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said today he has received numerous complaints from the people that the present schedules did not meet the demands of travellers in the two states.

“We do not want them to operate only for a certain two to three hours a day and later have no services. We want to see a better spread of services which will be convenient to the people in Sabah and Sarawak,” he told a news conference after attending a closed-door briefing by the FAX management at the airport here.

Continue reading (incl. pic) at: Govt wants review of flight schedules in Sabah, Sarawak

KKIA Terminal Two to also cater for international flights

KOTA KINABALU: The KKIA Terminal Two building is not only to cater for domestic flights, but would also serve international carriers.

The Prime Minister said although low cost carriers Air Asia and FAX are the main players for now, they would also serve the international sector.

“It is not merely a domestic terminal,” he said.

Speaking at the launching yesterday, he said that although the terminal is meant to cater for budget airlines, it doesn’t mean that the services rendered at the terminal are sub-standard in nature.

“On the contrary, we hope for quality services to be rendered and that these services must be able to guarantee the comfort of passengers,” he said.

Continue reading (incl. pic) at: KKIA Terminal Two to also cater for international flights

More cheap flights from Sabah soon

KOTA KINABALU: More cheap flights leading to other destinations will soon be introduced at Terminal Two of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport.

Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman disclosed in his speech at the launch of the Terminal Two yesterday that one of the destinations is Brunei Darussalam.

He said that the State Government, along with the Federal Government are also encouraging flight operators, especially those operating at the terminal to develop new routes, not only domestically but also within the region.

He also said that air travel communication will help to strengthen national integration among Malaysians as well as foster unity and communication at both regional and international levels.

At the same time, Musa also commended Global Upline Sdn Bhd for their success in completing the LCCT ahead of schedule.

He added that the swift completion of the terminal had allowed the state to prepare for tourist arrivals in time for Visit Malaysia Year 2007.

Continue reading (incl. pic) at: More cheap flights from Sabah soon

Kota Kinabalu Terminal 2 a boost for Sabah Tourism

KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman yesterday said that the addition of a second terminal at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) would help boost tourism in the state.

He said that it would also help create more opportunities in the sector, especially under the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 campaign.

Continue reading at: Kota Kinabalu Terminal 2 a boost for Sabah Tourism

Heart of Borneo ticks for green world

By Azlan Othman

The Heart of Borneo Declaration, signed by ministers from three Southeast Asian countries - Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia - has thrown a lifeline to Borneo's rainforests that are threatened by unsustainable logging, forest fires and conversion for plantations.

The historic declaration, which will conserve nearly a third of Borneo, was officially signed on Monday in Bali between the three Borneo governments.

"It has become clear since we started to discuss cooperation on the vision for the Heart of Borneo that the world outside our countries is excited by what we are doing and is prepared to lend us support," said Pehin Dato Dr Awang Haji Ahmad bin Haji Jumat, Minister of Industry and Primary Resources of Brunei Darussalam.

WWF reported that the tri-country declaration will conserve and manage one of the most important centres of biological diversity in the world, covering approximately 220,000 square kilometres of equatorial rainforests.

WWF said the agreement also ended plans to create the world's largest palm oil plantation in Kalimantan, along Indonesia's border with Malaysia.

"The scheme - supported by Chinese investments - was expected to cover an area of 1.8 million hectares and would have had long-lasting, damaging consequences to the 'Heart of Borneo'," it said.

"This is a historic occasion which marks new collaboration between our three countries," said Mr MS Kaban, Indonesian Minister of Forestry. "This will put the Heart of Borneo on the world stage as one of the last great blocks of forest in the world."

Since 1996, deforestation across Indonesia has increased to an average of two million hectares per year and, today, only half of Borneo's original forest cover remains.

The island is home to 13 species of primates, 150 species of reptiles and amphibians, over 350 species of birds, and around 15,000 species of plants, and continues to be the source of many new discoveries - more than 50 new species were discovered last year alone.

"This event is more than symbolic as it represents a commitment between our three countries to conserve and sustainably manage the Heart of Borneo," said Dato Seri Azmi bin Khalid, Malaysian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.

"Future generations will look back on this occasion and admire the leadership and courage shown by the three governments today to conserve the Heart of Borneo," said Dr. Dionysius Sharma, WWF-Malaysia's Chief Executive Officer.

"That three countries have come together with a shared vision that will promote sustainable development, protect vital natural resources and reduce poverty. It should be an inspiration to everyone."

WWF has supported the three governments in their desire to conserve the Heart of Borneo since the announcement of their joint intention at the Convention on Biodiversity in Brazil in March 2006. "WWF stands ready to assist Borneo's three governments in realising the groundbreaking commitment they have made today," added Sharma.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

Call to tap local Sarawak tourism potentials

MIRI— Tourism entrepreneurs especially the Bumiputera are urged to tap the full potential of Sarawak's eco-tourism and cultural diversity to position the State aggressively with Cultural, Adventure and Nature (CAN) tagline which is different from the tourism concept in the world market.

In fact, most of these nature wonders in the State are located in rural areas.

Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management, Dato Sri Awang Tengah Ali Hassan, would like the Bumiputera in the rural areas to make their surrounding nature wonders and the uniqueness of cultural diversity into a comprehensive strategy to promote the precious asset in an aggressive manner.

"Nature-based tourism is not new to Sarawak because all this while the tourism players via the State government makes every effort to develop the potential. This is in line with the State government’s aspiration in making the tourism as one of the major sources of income to boost the State's economy," he said in his address when officiating at Kedayan HomeStay at Bungai Bekenu yesterday.

Continue reading at: Call to tap local Sarawak tourism potentials

Agro-tourism abound in Sibu hinterland

SIBU: SARAWAK Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer, Gracie Geikie visited some of the interesting places in the Central Region yesterday. This time Gracie came down to see for herself several places of interest in Sarikei Division.

Despite her tight schedule, such as meeting tourism stake players in Sibu, she had earlier on took the time to visit a Durin handicraft shop, Sebangkoi Forest Park, Sebangkoi Height Resort, Sebangkoi Deer Farm and Sarikei town.

Expressing her amazement, Sarikei, billed as the Food Bowl of Sarawak, had indeed so much to offer in agro-based tourism destinations. “Local tour operators should take this opportunity to organise either one day or two-day and one night tours from Sibu to Sarikei by land excursion.

“Even for those from Kuching, they too can organise such tours to Sebangkoi Park, which has many tourist spots, Sebangkoi Height Resort and Sebangkoi Dear Farm.

Continue reading (incl. pic) at: Agro-tourism abound in Sibu hinterland

Kuching's Satok Sunday Market has it all

KUCHING: The Satok Sunday market has been synonymous with Kuching, in existence for more than 20 years and is the centre of attraction every Saturday night and Sunday morning where Kuchingites and those from surrounding areas converge to get their supplies ranging from daily necessities to plants for the garden, and also exotic jungle products.

The Satok Sunday market, which is operated on every weekend is also a must visit destination for tourists, as it is at this market that they can get the famous Ikan Terubok Masin (salted fish) at a bargain price, and also many hard-to-find jungle produce.

The market is a melting pot of racial diversity where trader comprises of various ethnicity carried out their businesses trading from traditional handicraft to the more modern items.

Continue reading (incl. pic) at: Kuching's Satok Sunday Market has it all

Aim to boost low-cost air links via Kuching

KUCHING: The Sarawak government and AirAsia are working closely to improve air connectivity here via the low-cost carrier’s Kuching hub.

AirAsia deputy chief executive Datuk Kamarudin Meranun said the airline was looking at ways and means of adding more domestic and regional flights to Sarawak.

“We are hoping to get permission to fly to Brunei from here in the next two or three months,” he told a press conference at the launch of AirAsia’s inaugural Kuching-Penang flight at Kuching International Airport on Wednesday.

However, he said that landing rights for regional destinations such as Indonesia and Singapore were subject to bilateral arrangements.

“The airline and government are working hard to turn Sarawak into a budget carrier hub in Borneo. This will indirectly promote tourism here.”

Continue reading at: Aim to boost low-cost air links via Kuching

Jesselton Hotel, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Sabah's first hotel, the Jesselton Hotel, which was set-up in 1954 during an era when Sabah was known as British North Borneo, and its capital city was Jesselton town - hence the name Jesselton. It is the only boutique hotel in Sabah.

Jesselton hotel was refurbished and tastefully "preserved" in the mid-1990s to meet growing demand for its uniqueness compared to other city hotels - still retaining the serenity of bygone days in the style of a refined English Country house with a mix of Chinese antique in the décor, while offering all the conveniences of a modern hotel.

Continue reading plus more photos at: Jesselton Hotel, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Lok Kawi Park open to public from Feb 17

KOTA KINABALU: Lok Kawi Park, which comprises a mini zoo and a botanical park, will be open to the public from next Saturday.

Deputy director of Sabah Wildlife Department, Laurentius Ambu said work on the 90-hectare park began in 1996 and now has various species of animals at the mini zoo.

Among them are the Borneo Pygmy elephants, Sumatra Rhinoceros, Orang Utan, Proboscis monkeys, Malayan Tiger, as well as several types of deer and birds.

In the botany section, visitors will be able to experience a jungle walk along botanical trail, he told reporters at a media conference at his office here yesterday.

Continue reading at: Lok Kawi Park open to public from Feb 17

Seri Selera Kampung Air offers Sabah's finest seafood

KOTA KINABALU : Seri Selera Kampung Air is the latest in-place to dine and savour Sabah’s finest seafood.

Formerly known as Sedco Square open-air food court after the Sabah Economic Development Corporation shop houses, the food square offers five seafood restaurants and 21 other food stalls, all under a single roof.

City Hall decided to transform the place from its drab past. The centre is now managed by Sebumi Magnetik Sdn Bhd.

The concept is to integrate all the restaurants into a seafood complex or haven for seafood and other cuisine lovers.

Visitors are greeted by welcoming neon lights and upon stepping in, they have choices to make.

The five established restaurants are Twinsky Seafood Restaurant Sdn Bhd, Kam Boh Seafood Restaurant Sdn Bhd, Wa Heng Seafood Restaurant Sdn Bhd, Sri Mutiara Seafood Restaurant and Amansutra.

Diners can check out the menus and select their choise of fish and crustaceans.

Rows of giant aquariums line the seafood restaurants, giving diner glimpses of their favourite wide selection and varieties of live seafood, from shellfish, groupers, soon hock, giant crabs, lobsters, tiger prawns, ikan puteh, ikan merah, among others, can be cooked to one’s liking.

The entire place is indeed a one-stop centre to dine. There are also Malaysian cuisines that can be picked from 21 stalls, from varieties of noodles, dumplings, char kway teow, curry laksa, satay, BBQ chicken to wings.

Continue reading at: Seri Selera Kampung Air offers Sabah's finest seafood

Guide book to Loagan Bunut National Park launched in Miri

By George Francis

MIRI - A first ever informative Visitors' Guide on Loagan Bunut National Park was yesterday launched here, providing a guide on the park's diverse plants and animals as well as the rich cultural heritage associated to the lake and useful for future planning.

It is part of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/Global Environment Facility (GEP) funded project in collaboration with the Sarawak Forestry Corporation on the conservation and sustainable use of tropical peat swamp forests and associated wetland ecosystems, launched in 2002.

Chairman of Miri City Incorporated Tourism Committee, Lee Kim Shin who launched the Visitors' Guide, said, "Loagan Bunut National Park with an area of 10,736ha can be one of the must-see tourist destinations if it can be marketed well."

Therefore, he said, the guide book can provide exciting facts and information about the park to entice tourists to visit there.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

FLY Asian Express (FAX) to improve customer travel

MIRI: FLY Asian Express (FAX) is making special arrangement with AirAsia to improve customer travel in East Malaysia.

FAX’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Raja Mohd Azmi Raja Razali disclosed that the arrangement was part of FAX’s solution to tackle the problem of flight service connectivity.

According to the arrangement, FAX will guarantee to connect passengers on the next available FAX or AirAsia flights in the event of flight delays and cancellations by both agencies.

"As part of our continuous efforts to improve the overall customer travel experience, we have revised our terms and conditions to benefit passengers who have connecting flights on AirAsia and FAX in East Malaysia," he said in the press conference at FAX Miri headquarter office yesterday.

Continue reading (incl. pic) at: FLY Asian Express (FAX) to improve customer travel

Lahad Datu needs bigger airport

LAHAD DATU: This district in Sabah has a million hectares of oil palm, a population of 200,000 as well as two internationally renowned eco-tourism destinations, but only one small airport.

Hence the desire for a new airport that can accommodate aircraft bigger than the Fokker now in use.

The airport was built in 1965, about a kilometre from the coastal town centre.

FlyAsianXpress (FAX) has been providing two or three flights a day to Kota Kinabalu since it took over the route late last year. Before that, Malaysia Airlines operated four or five flights a day on that route.

Continue reading (incl. pic) at: Lahad Datu needs bigger airport

AirAsia launches direct Kuching-Penang flights

KUCHING: AS part of the 2nd AirAsia Plan, the leading low cost carrier in Asia continues its efforts to connect all the cities in the region. Starting yesterday, both of the airline’s hubs in East Malaysia are serving direct flights to Penang, the Pearl of the Orient and the introduction of the Kuching-Penang and Kota Kinabalu-Penang would make AirAsia the sole operator serving these routes.

The inaugural flight from Kuching to Penang via AK5951 yesterday carrying 100 guests was sent off at 5:35p.m. by Yang Berhormat Dato’ Sri Wong Soon Koh, Minister for Finance (II) & Minister for Urban Development & Tourism Sarawak and Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun, Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer, AirAsia Berhad at a ceremony held in Kuching Airport.

Passengers were presented with souvenirs from the airline and Sarawak Tourism Board as they boarded the aircraft. The inaugural flight from Penang is scheduled to touch down at 10:10p.m. with 141 guests on board.

The inaugural flight from Kuching to Penang will be received at the Penang International Airport by YAB Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Khoon, Chief Minister of Penang and Dato’ Tony Fernandes, Group Chief Executive Officer, AirAsia Berhad.

AirAsia will operate four flights weekly (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday) to Penang from its hub in Kota Kinabalu and Kuching respectively.

Continue reading at: AirAsia launches direct Kuching-Penang flights

Tourism safety priority for Sabah

Kota Kinabalu: Tourism, Culture and Environment Assistant Minister Datuk Karim Bujang said efforts on the safety of tourism attractions must remain a priority for all concerned including the tourism stakeholders and relevant government agencies in the State.

They should not allow "lack of attention" or "greed for profits alone" to tarnish Sabah's image as a popular destination, he said.

"We have to work hard to achieve the target set by the Chief Minister to receive 2.7 million arrivals and RM3.2billion in tourism receipts during this Visit Malaysia Year 2007," he said.

This would be an increase from the 2.09 million visitors to Sabah last year. "We have to work hard to achieve this goal. The success of VMY 2007 is within our grasp but concerted efforts to ensure our tourism attractions are safe and safety measures are in place must remain our priority," said Karim.

Continue reading at: Tourism safety priority for Sabah

Malaysia going all out to attract tourists

KUALA LUMPUR: This multiracial nation's tourism tagline is "Malaysia Truly Asia,'' and true to its slogan, it is home to a unique potpourri of Asian cultures - Malay, Chinese, Indian - along with many indigenous groups on Borneo island.

Malaysia is one of the most pleasant, hassle-free countries to visit in Southeast Asia. Aside from its gleaming 21st century glass towers, it boasts some of the most superb beaches, mountains and national parks in the region.

Malaysia is also launching its biggest-ever tourism campaign in effort to lure 20 million visitors here this year.

More than 16 million tourists visited in 2005, the last year for which complete statistics were available.

While the majority of them were from Asia, mostly neighboring Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei, China, Japan and India, a growing number of Western travelers are also making their way to this Southeast Asian tropical paradise.

Of the 885,000 travelers from the West, 240,000 were from the United Kingdom, 265,000 from Australia and 150,000 from the U.S.

Any tourist itinerary would have to begin in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, where you will find the Petronas Twin Towers, which once comprised the world's tallest buildings and now hold the title of second-tallest.

Continue reading at: Malaysia going all out to attract tourists