Saturday, October 02, 2010

BIMP-EAGA wants to boost tourism

TOURISM is one of the key talking points of the on-going Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Conference.

The Sarawak Government, the host this time, is urging for better government-to-government ties to collectively identify key problem areas.

At a gala dinner in Kuching on Thursday, Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said marketing and promotional strategies must be improved.

“The sub-region needs to provide good transport infrastructure and facilities,” Taib said in the text of his speech, which was read out by his deputy Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang.

“More importantly, we need to improve accessibility, especially air linkages between member countries. As for Sarawak, I urge private sector players to jointly develop and promote innovative packages, which will give mutual benefits to member countries.”

Air-linkages has been one of the critical areas of Sarawak’s tourism sector.

The State Government has many times made known its hope for airlines to make Kuching International Airport (KIA), the second most active airport in Sarawak and Sabah, after Kota Kinabalu International Airport, an aviation hub.

Meanwhile, KIA also faces stiff competition from Brunei, which recently unveiled a multi-million transformation programme with the aid of Singapore’s Changi Airport Group.

Taib said good linkages must come with good travel packages and attractive destination products.

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