Tourists expected to pour into Sabah during the CNY holidays

KOTA KINABALU: Some 3,000 visitors from 23 charter flights are scheduled to set foot in the capital during the Chinese New Year holidays next month.

An estimated RM9 million in receipts is expected to be generated when the passengers from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan have their holidays in Sabah, State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said.

The visitors will arrive in staggered dates beginning Feb 7 to 24. In addition, two extra flights from Hong Kong will commence especially to carry Chinese passengers to Sabah for the festive season.

“I am pleased to disclose that our tourism industry will have a roaring start in the Golden Tiger year because of these incoming flights. The receipts expected to be generated will be a huge angpow for the tourism industry,” he said.

To accommodate these flights, the Transport Ministry has agreed to open the Kota Kinabalu International Airport round the clock for the duration of the special flights.

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Promoting Brunei tourism

Viewpoint by Abang Jit Manis

The Asean Tourism Forum hosted by Brunei Darussalam had just ended recently. Actually, Brunei benefited a lot from this forum, which enabled it to improve and gain more knowledge in promoting its own tourism.

As the tourism in Brunei is still very young, there are still many things left unexplored in this Kingdom of Unexpected Treasures.

As we all know, the Sultanate is mainly covered with green forests, and some of the people living in the rural areas still practise their traditional ways of life.

Therefore, we should introduce a train journey service to explore the jungles and view the rich flora and fauna.

The residents of rural areas could also benefit from this transportation, as they can go to town and return back to their homes without any difficulties.

Currently, the only mean of transportation to visit Kampung Ayer is by boat. Why not in the future we build cable cars?

From the cable cars, the tourists could view the sceneries of Kg Ayer, the state mosque, Nurul Iman Palace and the whole of Bandar Seri Begawan.

The cable cars should also be connected to nearby islands and, if possible, to Muara Port. I am pretty sure the sceneries there would be magnificent, and the tourists would enjoy viewing it from the cable cars.

Beside that, delicacies such as ambuyat, kuih cincin, kelupis and other local food items should also be introduced to the tourists. Well-known hotels should serve these local delicacies to their guests.

Even the presidents and prime ministers from other countries should taste our local food, such as the ambuyat. There is no reason to be embarrassed in introducing our national food - we do this to promote Brunei.

I read in the Internet recently that someone suggested the royal courthouse (Balai Singgahsana) should be built in Kg Ayer.

The writer said, according to history books, that it was obvious in the past if foreign envoys arrived in Brunei that they were welcomed at the Balai Singgahsana.

There are even sketches of how the Balai Singgahsana looked like in the Water Village by early European sailors.

It could be a tourist attraction if a replica of the old Kg Ayer palace is ever built in the future.

The artists' community, such as painters and caricaturists, should display their artworks in order to promote Brunei's tourism.

They all should be stationed at the tourist destinations, such as the Kg Ayer jetty.

Once the tourists arrive there, the artists should immediately sketch caricatures or portraits of the tourists. The small paintings of Kg Ayer and local sceneries with reasonable prices must be available.

Actually, I did this before, but not at Kg Ayer. I drew caricatures for the tourists at hotels and beaches, and they seemed to love my artworks.

Promoting tourism in the Sultanate is not only the responsibility of the government alone, but it also involves all of us.

We should be proud of our local cultures and unspoiled green heritage (forest) - this is the true identity of Brunei Darussalam.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin Weekend
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Sabah, Johor to further boost win-win tourism cooperation

KOTA KINABALU: Tourism products in Sabah and Johor can be further promoted through greater cooperation between the two states.

Johor, being the gateway to Malaysia, would also help boost tourism industry in other states, said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun, yesterday.

“This close rapport would definitely benefit both Sabah and Johor. Being the gateway to the country from Singapore means that it is one of the most important states in Malaysia in terms of the tourism industry,” he explained.

Speaking when welcoming 33 visiting tourism industry players from Johor here, Masidi said it would be an opportunity to exchange views and information on the tourism packages and destinations available in each state.

The delegates were led by the Johor State Tourism and Trade Domestic Committee (JSTTDC) chairman, Hoo Seong Chang.

“We know that what is good for Johor is good for all states. We would also like to learn how Johor handles the high number of tourists arrivals, which are more than ours. We will counter-visit Johor at a later date,” he said.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sabah, Johor to further boost win-win tourism cooperation
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Sarawak goes for common tourism packages

KUCHING -- A common tourism package to any domestic and international destination that has a direct air route from or to Sarawak will be introduced this year.

Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF) president Wee Hong Seng said detailed discussion between key players in the tourism industry and state government on the proposed common tourism package was expected to be held after the Chinese New Year celebration next month with the aim of creating more choices for local and foreign tourists who wished to visit Sarawak or other destinations.

"We are looking at the existing direct air link like Kuching-KL, Kuching-Singapore, and Kuching-Brunei," he told Bernama here Saturday.

The tourism industry in other countries which have direct air links with Sarawak would come up with similar common packages so that they would create a win-win situation, he said.

He said more tourism packages for the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) would also be formulated this year.

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Tawau Hot Spring, a tourist attraction

TAWAU: When Bernama reported the existence of hot springs in Kampung Air Panas some one year ago, the spot was a pitiful sight with the presence of thick undergrowth and puddles of water on the ground.

Then, the hot springs there could have numbered about 100 but they were spread all over the place including the riverbanks as well as in the river itself.

The only evidence of these hot springs is the existence of hot air bubbles and froth on the river surface.

Even among the Tawau folks themselves, not many were aware over the existence of the hot springs, further compounding the area’s neglect.

At that time, there were only a handful of visitors even though on the weekend or public holiday.

FACE LIFT

Now that scenario is no more as the hot springs have been given a face lift.

A private company has moved in and developed the hot springs into a tourist draw and the place is known as the ‘Taman Rekreasi Air Panas’(Hot Springs Recreational Park).

As soon as the visitors arrive at the park’s entrance, they would be greeted by the beautiful landscape where the foliage of shrubs at the park was trimmed and ‘carved’ to form the words ‘1Malaysia’ and ‘Hotspring’.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Tawau Hot Spring, a tourist attraction
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