Sunday, June 22, 2008

7-up on Brunei tourism


By Amie PDH Ishak

Tourism in Brunei is being targeted to grow by seven per cent over the next five years.

Dato Paduka Awg Hj Hamdillah bin Hj Abd Wahab, Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, revealed the optimism in an interview during the launching of mega posters at Brunei International Airport yesterday.

"Tourism in Brunei is growing and we have a target of reaching seven per cent of growth in the next five years but hopefully we will be able to increase that number to a double digit," he said.

The Deputy Minister of MIPR also cited that "for example, the number of Korean tourists coming into Brunei over the first five months of this year is equivalent to the number of Korean tourists coming in for the whole year of 2007. Therefore, Brunei Darussalam has the potential of doubling the number of Korean tourists coming into Brunei".

On the first BIA Tourist Information Centre built to enlighten tourists on the many attractions of Brunei, which will open on July 7 at the transit hall of the Brunei International Airport, Dato Paduka Awg Hj Hamdillah applauded the project by the Department of Civil Aviation and the Tourism Development Department.

He said: "The upcoming opening of the new Tourist Information Centre on July 7 will further compliment what we already have right now. This centre is also another good initiative that will give information to tourists and travellers who are transiting in Brunei about the interesting places that can be found here."

He added, "The mega posters being launched (yesterday) are a wonderful idea and a good initiative suggested by the Department of Civil Aviation and the Tourism Development Department in creating a good impression of Brunei Darussalam to visitors and tourists."

The Department of Civil Aviation in collaboration with the Tourism Development Department yesterday launched eight mega posters at the concourse of Gates 6, 7 and 8 of the Brunei International Airport, where the Deputy Minister of MIPR was the guest of honour.

In his welcoming remarks Pg Hj Abd Rahman bin PSI Pg Hj Ismail, Director of Civil Aviation said, "The mega posters displayed at the passenger terminal building are intended to promote interesting places in Brunei Darussalam, with the hope that tourists will visit these places.

"Altogether, eight mega posters in dimensions of 6.8 metres x 2.5 metres are being displayed. Three of the pictures are the top-three winners of the photography competition held earlier this year jointly-organised by the Department of Civil Aviation in cooperation with the Tourism Development Department and Royal Brunei Airlines," he added.

"Besides the collaboration with the Tourism Develop-ment Department on displaying these mega posters, the Department of Civil Aviation with the cooperation of Brunei Shell Petroleum have also displayed along aerobridges and corridors in the passenger terminal building 42 interesting posters of the different fish, animals, birds, insects, flowers and plants that can be found in Brunei Darussalam," he added.

Pg Hj Abd Rahman also revealed the Department of Civil Aviation's plans to provide variety and enhanced services and facilities at the airport, for the convenience of the tourists, travellers as well as the general public.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin Sunday

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