| Wong: SCORE’s tourism potential to be exploited Wong: SCORE’s tourism potential to be exploited THE TOURISM Ministry will capitalise on tourism potential in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), said Urban Development and Tourism Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh in his winding-up speech yesterday. He explained that SCORE between Tanjong Manis and Similajau and the interior of the central region offers a wide range of tourism products. He said the extensive physical infrastructure that comes with the development of SCORE provided a good platform for creation of tourism businesses like hotels, resorts and river cruises. He added that a detailed study would be carried out to uncover the full tourism potential of the corridor. “In keeping up with the pace of the Internet, my ministry is embarking on a project to develop a comprehensive e-tourism portal to address the needs of the tourism industry,” said Wong. The portal will include a database of information on the whole range of tourism products and players; interface system to enable global access and reach; and an e-commerce engine that enables online transactions. On the same note, he said that the Sarawak Tourism Board would also be revamped to make it user friendly and interactive. Meanwhile, Sarawak Convention Bureau had a busy and successful first year of operation, confirming 24 new meetings with an average of 320 delegates, said Wong. He said that more than 40 bids were presented up to December last year and 24 were won, 17 lost and decisions are still pending on 10. The 24 confirmed meetings will bring in 7,775 delegates, generating an estimated RM16.3 million in direct delegate expenditure over the next two years. “Although we are only four months into the new year, the bureau has already exceeded its last year’s results by successfully bidding for 10 conventions and events that will attract 8,020 delegates over the next two years.” The biggest win to date was the recent successful bid in association with the Hornbill Hash House Harriers to hold the 2010 World Interhash here, said Wong. The 4,800 participants in this year’s event in Perth voted for their preferred bidder between Kuching, Kenya, Bali and Kuala Lumpur. The major tourism event will see 5,000 participants from all over the world descend on us for four days in July 2010. Already over 1,000 participants have registered and they will be encouraged to stay on for the renowned World Rainforest Music Festival that will take place one week later. Wong who is also second finance minister informed the august house on the progress of the 34 tourism infrastructure projects approved by the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia under the Ninth Malaysia Plan with a total scheme value of RM130.1 million. “To date, 31 projects have been tendered out, and the ministry has also approved nine maintenance projects this year worth a total sum of RM2.16 million.” His ministry targets the arrival of visitors to increase eight per cent this year as compared to 3.9 million from last year’s arrival. Published by:
The Borneo Post
13th May 2008 | 
