| 1.1 mln tourists expected with RBA’s reinstatement 1.1 mln tourists expected with RBA’s reinstatement
As a destination Kuching will not disappoint: Ministry official KUCHING: Sarawak expects 1.1 million tourist arrivals a year from Brunei following the reinstatement of Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA) flights to the State starting this month. Permanent secretary to the Ministry of Urban Development and Tourism, Akit Sebli, said this at a news conference at the Kuching International Airport Saturday night to welcome the arrival of the first RBA flight. The airlines suspended its services to the State some three years ago. “We welcome Royal Brunei Airlines. It is a boon to the local tourism industry now that international link between Bandar Seri Begawan and Kuching is reinstated.” Akit pointed out that tourists would not be disappointed with Kuching having one of the best museums in the region, apart from the famed Sarawak Cultural Village and also its many nature reserves. “The ministry on its part will come up with new tourist attractions, and the focus will be on nature. A few more shopping complexes are coming up that should be able to attract some Bruneian shoppers and their currency,” he added. RBA senior vice president (commercial) Captain Sheikh Rashid Salam meanwhile said he was confident that the airlines would be able to fly other foreigners to Sarawak apart from Bruneians. “We also fly to and from Australia, Hong Kong and Shanghai, and its people from these places that we will also bring to Sarawak. So, I think Sarawak will be very popular,” he said, adding that RBA had scheduled three flights per week to Kuching. Asked why the reinstatement, Rashid said the airlines had different priorities now. He believed that Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei could work closely together to help one another to uplift their respective tourism industry to greater heights. “With drastic changes in the past three years, it’s high time for us to reinstate the services.” To another question, he said: “We cannot run away from competitions. AirAsia and RBA have varied customer groups and we differentiate ourselves with our own products.” Meanwhile, Sarawak Tourism Federation president Wee Hong Seng said that a tourism council would soon be formed to help develop tourism industry in the BIMP-EAGA region. A BIMP-EAGA working committee would be visiting the city soon to work out plans on the setting up the council, he added. Published by:
The Borneo Post
03 December 2007 | 
