The Tourism Development Department, in collaboration with the Department of Customs, conducted a briefing on local customs to enhance the knowledge and expertise of tourist guides in Brunei.
Some 30 licensed tourist guides attended the briefing at the Department of Customs on August 27 and 28.
The topics covered the history of the Lapau building and an understanding of Bruneian customs, focusing on traditional practices and bahasa dalam (formal language).
Activities included demonstrations on traditional customs such as menambat dastar, menapih sinjang and memakai kain kapit.
Participant Mohammad Affendi bin Abdul Rahman said, “Knowledge about customs, especially the use of bahasa dalam, is useful and can guide us when interacting with locals, such as during national celebrations.”
He added, “It boosts our confidence in addressing members of the royal family.”
Meanwhile, another participant Muhammad Fikri bin Haji Bakar said the training is vital for preserving customs for future generations.
“Understanding traditions like those associated with the Lapau building and local wedding customs ensures their relevance in modern times,” he said.
The briefing marked the third training organised by the Tourism Development Department.
The training is an initiative by the agency to deepen tourist guides’ understanding of historical buildings and customs.
The training also aims to ensure that licensed guides deliver accurate and comprehensible information, enhancing the quality of service to tourists and promoting tourism to the Sultanate. – Fadley Faisal
