LABUAN: Labuan is on track towards making tourism an active generator of its economic development.
Member of Parliament for Labuan, Datuk Rozman Isli, said to increase the economic benefits of tourism, it was essential for it to adopt and implement a tourism strategy focusing on sustainable development.
“The government has approved an allocation of RM18 million to improve the tourism facilities in all the marine parks such as on Rusukan Island.
“The tourism facilities will be further improved to give better impression to both domestic and foreign tourists to ensure they will return in the future.
“Otherwise, we might face difficulties and need to do ‘repair’ works,” he said at the closing of the Natural Tourist Guide Course (Level 2) Labuan yesterday.
He said the annual tourism programme, Remembrance Day, a memorial day to commemorate the sacrifices of the First World War armed forces, would be celebrated historically and joyfully with participants from participating countries such as the United States and local hoteliers and eateries.
“We need to accelerate our domestic economy after the slump in global oil prices that led to the slowdown in the oil and gas sector.
“Local traders are badly hit with more than 10,000 oil and gas workers with their families having left the island, and there are hotels ceasing operations.
“We need a sustainable development to stimulate our economy and create employment opportunities for the locals,” he said.
Rozman who is also the Labuan Corporation chairman said a number of investors had submitted proposals to the corporation and top government leaders for future investment especially relating to a marine park on Kuraman Island and other prime areas including sea reclamation areas near the downtown area.
Continue reading at: Tourism set to be Labuan’s economic engine
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