| Daniel Lim |
OVER 70 foreign delegates were yesterday taken on a technical tour of several landmarks and locations within the Belait District.
Comprising of senior officials and officials from Asean, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and India, the group of delegates was led by Deputy Permanent Secretary (Tourism) at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) Wardi bin Haji Mohammad Ali.
The tour also presented an opportunity for the delegates to learn about the history of the Belait District, as well as its contributions to the country’s cultural heritage and economy.
The first stop of the tour was the Belait District Museum, where the delegates were particularly impressed by the exhibit on oil and gas exploration.
Following the visit to the Belait District Museum, the delegates were taken to the Billionth Barrel Monument in Seria, which commemorates the billionth barrel of crude oil produced back in 1991.
The last stop of the tour was the residence of Village Head of Kampong Mumong Haji Mohd Yusof bin Haji Dulamin, where the delegates were welcomed with a gulingtangan performance by the Belait ethnic tribe.
During the visit, the delegates also witnessed a display of dances and local handicrafts by the Belait ethnic community, as well as a cooking demonstration by the Village Consultative Council (MPK) of Kampong Mumong.
Also present at the proceedings was Senior Administrative Officer of the Belait District Abdol Hazis bin Haji Ahad.
Afterwards, Assistant Secretary of the Tourism Development at the Department of Tourism in Philippines Roberto P Alabado III told the Bulletin that the Belait tour had left him eager to learn more about Bruneian history and customs.
“With its own culture, dances, songs, and food developed over the course of many years, Brunei’s rich culture, history, and environment is one of the many key aspects in encouraging Filipinos to visit Brunei, not just as workers and executives, but as tourists,” he said.
A similar sentiment was shared by Director of the International Promotion Division (Southeast Asia) of the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture in Malaysia.
Syed Yahya said that he was impressed by the efforts of the Belait District Museum in preserving the country’s traditional games and items.
“Such efforts should be commended and highlighted, as they help to showcase the unique culture and heritage of the country,” he said.
When asked on his opinion on how the Belait District can be further developed in regards to tourism, Syed Yahya said that tourists would normally prefer to see the differences between their own home country and Brunei.
“Of course Brunei is different, but it is important to showcase how vastly different Brunei can be, by encouraging those visiting to try out all the activities that it has to offer,” he advised.
“I also hope that Brunei would also conduct something similar to a Muslim Tour, which would be interesting as Brunei is built on the foundation of Islam. Perhaps some form of collaboration between Malaysia, Indonesia and others could be possible, in bringing more visitors to Brunei.”
The delegates are currently in Brunei for the third Asean Tourism Marketing Partnership Working Group Meeting (ATMP-WG); the 48th Meeting of Asean National Tourism Organisations (ASEAN NTOs); the 33rd Meeting of the Asean, China, Japan and Republic of Korean National Organisations (ASEAN Plus Three); and the 20th Asean-India Working Group Meeting at the V-Plaza Hotel in Kuala Belait.
These meetings are being hosted by the MPRT through the Tourism Development Department.