Rokiah Mahmud
To support the tourism industry, which has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tourism Development Department is joing forces with tourism service providers have taken the initiative to review and identify tourism products and activities that can be packaged as tourist attractions in each district.
Yesterday, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Apong officiated the Temburong Product Packages at The Abode Resort & Spa in Temburong District.
Legislative Council (LegCo) member and Penghulu of Mukim Bokok Yang Berhormat Haji Emran bin Haji Sabtu, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) Hajah Tutiaty binti Haji Abdul Wahab as well as Brunei Tourism Board members, Temburong District Officer and representatives also attended.
The minister presented an award on ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Award (Rural Category) to Freme Travel Services Sdn Bhd for their two-day one-night Discover Temburong package.
Freme Travel Services Director Pengiran Dato Paduka Osman bin Pengiran Haji Patra was on hand to accept the award.
The theme for this year’s ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Award for Rural Category – ‘Safe Tourism’ – covers the whole course of domestic and foreign guests starting from their arrival at the airport until their departure.
The ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Award theme was adopted to encourage businesses to introduce new measures across a wide spectrum, ranging from transportation to accommodation, facility, personnel, to visitors’ state of health.
A familiarisation trip was also conducted, starting at The Abode Resort & Spa, for media and travel agents followed by a trip to Bumiputera Main Complex in Pekan Bangar. Four village consultative councils (MPK) – MPK Batu Apoi, MPK Belais and Buda-Buda, MPK Senukoh and MPK Sibut Longhouse – were included in the Temburong District package to showcase their local products and cultural performances.
The launch’s objectives were to promote places of interest that offer experiential tours service which will combine all primary, emerging and MPK products; to assist tourism stakeholders such as hotels, tourist guides, tourist agents and tourism service providers in offering an inclusive and flexible itinerary; promote new tourism attractions that are less known but have potential to be developed as main attractions; prepare for the school term holiday promotion in April, August and December; and prepare for tourist arrivals from abroad once borders re-open.
The promotion of tourism product packages will continue with the launch of Brunei-Muara District Product Packages at the Centre of Islamic Calligraphy and Arts Studies of Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah tomorrow.
