SARAWAK PROMOTES TRAVEL FAIR ON RBA FLIGHT COMEBACK
The re-introduction of Royal Brunei Airlines' (RBA) Bandar Seri Begawan - Kuching direct flight has brought on the launching of the Sarawak Travel Fair 2008, held yesterday at The Mall, Gadong.
The fair aims to lure more Bruneian tourists to visit Sarawak with Kuching being promoted as the main destination.
RBA is offering for a group of two fares as low as $140, excluding taxes, for the direct flight from Bandar Seri Begawan to Kuching.
They are also promoting special fares for a family, where passengers under the age of 19, can qualify for the child's ticket.
The offers were made in conjunction with the Sarawak Travel Fair and will expire after March 9, 2008.
"Bruneians are currently visiting Miri and Limbang ... hopefully with the re-introduction of the RBA flight, they will go further," said Michael Lu Yian Hock, an executive of the Sarawak Tourism Board, referring to the advertisement of Kuching as a tourist destination for Bruneians.
The travel fair was launched by the High Commissioner of Malaysia to Negara Brunei Darussalam, Dato' Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari.
A soothing musical performance on the sape, a traditional Malaysian guitar, by Sarawak's Jerry Kamit was one of the highlights of the opening of the fair.
Sagak Lasam, a cultural dance, was also performed by a group of Ulu people, dressed in vibrant costumes, decorated with peacock and hornbill feathers, as a show of welcome for the guests attending the launching of the fair.
Sarawak Travel Fair 2008 is being co-organised by Tourism Malaysia, Brunei and Sarawak Tourism Boards.
RBA, hotel representatives and travel operators set up stands at the Atrium Concourse on the ground floor of The Mall.
Brunei Darussalam is surrounded by two Unesco (United Nations' Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) World Heritage sites, Kinabalu National Park of Sabah and Gunung Mulu National Park of Sarawak, making Bruneian tourists a good market for the Sarawak Tourism Board.
It was reported last year that Bruneians accounted for 1.48 million of the visitors to Sarawak, which is a 21 per cent increase since 2006.
It was hoped that the re-introduction of the RBA flight along with the launching of the fair, would boost this year's figures.
Courtesy of The Brunei Times