Aziz Idris
The Brunei December Festival (BDF) 2020 will be back for the fourth consecutive year, featuring a diverse range of events and activities throughout the month.
With the ongoing pandemic restricting international travel, there has never been a more fitting time to consider an end-of-year staycation in the country.
The festival will this year features 88 events and activities (a jump from 60 last year) appealing to all walks of life, based around five themes: Food Festival; Islamic Festival; Culture and Creative Arts; Sports and Adventure; and Recreation and Shopping.
The Recreation and Shopping theme tops the campaign with 28 events, followed by the Food Festival and Sports and Adventure with 22 events each, Culture and Creative Arts (17 events) and Islamic Festival (two events). The Brunei Tourism Board has picked 60 event partners to run the events.
Deputy Permanent Secretary (Tourism) at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) cum Brunei Tourism Board Secretary Wardi bin Haji Mohammad Ali at a press conference yesterday highlighted a combination of returning events from last year and exciting new ones.
Among them are Pasar Rakyat (community market) hosted by the Indonesian Embassy in Brunei Darussalam, showcasing mouthwatering Indonesian dishes; an Islamic virtual lecture by renowned Malaysian speaker Ustaz Ahmad Dusuki at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) Mosque; Watertastic Weekend at the Brunei Darussalam Yachting Association (BDYA) featuring watersports activities at Serasa Beach; and the Betta Fish Show Competition – seeing local breeders displaying their unique fish collections.
As a precaution against COVID-19, Wardi advised organisers and event management companies to adhere to the public health measures to prevent the COVID-19 spread. This includes conducting body temperature checks, scanning the BruHealth QR code and practising social distancing.
“The level of safety, cleanliness and comfort of visitors must be emphasised when hosting these events and activities,” he said, adding that the public must also take responsibility by monitoring their health and surroundings, and staying at home if they feel unwell.
The public is encouraged to plan their visit for the upcoming events or make appointments with the respective events partners.
The BDF was introduced in 2017 to encourage locals to participate in activities locally, particularly during the end-of-year school holidays; to stimulate domestic tourism growth; open business opportunities for entrepreneurs and stakeholders; and to highlight local attractions and accommodations.