THE Brunei Tourism Board (BTB) discussed a proposal to make December full of recreational activities in an effort to grow tourism during its fourth meeting yesterday.
The BTB yesterday discussed a proposal by the Tourism Development Department regarding the first Brunei December Festival – planned for the end of this year – which aimed to make Brunei Darussalam one of the preferred holiday destinations by providing more leisure and recreational options, exciting activities and events during the holiday seasons to increase international visitors and stimulate the growth of domestic tourism.
The December Festival generally will ride on existing events such as Bandarku Ceria, Brunei Salebration and various activities at the Jerudong Park Playground.
Other events like the International Food Fairs, International Marathon, cycling expedition, beach festival, fishing challenge, kite festival, and fruit festival were also discussed.
About 20 tourism events are expected throughout December. The possibilities of organising short film festivals and mass wedding event were also proposed in the meeting.
The BTB hoped to work closely with various government agencies, event management companies, hotels and restaurants, travel agents, airline companies, local companies, and foreign embassies in Brunei Darussalam to ensure the Brunei December Festival will become a “must sell” package among tour operators in the medium to long terms.
Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, and Chairman of the Brunei Tourism Board, during the Brunei Tourism Board’s fourth meeting. – MINISTRY OF PRIMARY RESOURCES AND TOURISM
Among the topics discussed during the meeting were tourist arrivals into Brunei Darussalam for the first quarter of 2017, the average occupancy rate of hotels and updates by hotels and travel agents in Brunei Darussalam.
The BTB meeting at the Setia Pahlawan Hall, Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism, was chaired by Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, and Chairman of the Brunei Tourism Board.
Present at the meeting were members of the Brunei Tourism Board comprising representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Development, Ministry of Communications, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Ministry of Health, Royal Brunei Airlines, Association of Travel Agents Brunei (ATAB), Brunei Association of Hotels, representatives from restaurants and key stakeholders in the tourism industry.
YB Haji Abdul Hamid @ Sabli bin Haji Arshad, President of ATAB and a member of the Legislative Council, welcomed the Brunei December Festival initiative.
“This event will attract more tourists to Brunei Darussalam. This will encourage the locals to stay in the country and take part in the activities or events.”
The BTB was established on November 30, 2016. One of its responsibilities is to formulate tourism policies and strategies, as well as planning for the country’s promotion and marketing.
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