Tourism industry a big boost to state economy

The tourism industry has been identified as one of seven industries capable of boosting Sarawak’s Economic Transformation Programme.

Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan said on implementation of eight initiatives under the tourism sector, Sarawak would be able to generate RM68.3 million and up to 1,500 jobs by 2020.

The eight initiatives are health tourism, education tourism, eco-tourism, homestay, sports tourism, cultural and environmental tourism, and property and infrastructure tourism.

The tourism industry has broad-based products to offer in Sarawak including her natural environment, forests, rivers, culture, diverse ethnicity and handicraft.

The Ducati Multistrada Borneo Experience 2011, which arrived here Monday, comes under the sport tourism sector.

Sagan had the honour of welcoming the riders (of Ducati Multistrada 1200 Borneo Experience 2011) prior to having dinner with them at Mega Hotel here.

Fifty-two riders in 20 Ducati motorcycles were here Monday enroute to Brunei and then to Sabah. Among them are riders from United States, Italy, New Zealand, Uzbekistan, India, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and Thailand.

The Ducati Borneo experience hopes to promote the huge tourism potential in Sarawak and create rapport among the riders and members of the public at their every stop. The expedition will be shown through 13 episodes on television, targeting local and overseas audiences.

Naza Ducati Malaysia is the main organiser of the event in collaboration with Tourism Malaysia, Sarawak Tourism Board, Sabah Tourism Board, Brunei Tourism Board, MITI, Chevrolets, Eftra, Shell, SMF.net.my and Royal Bandits.

“Another programme implemented under the tourism sector is the E-Committee Portal which is developed by Borneo Tourism Alliance (BTA) to give better impact and exposure to tourism destinations in Sarawak. The portal will also provide ease of accessibility of tourism information in Sarawak.

“BTA has expanded its tourism information database, which touched 12,000 hits in the last two months, by working together with the tourism players to attract more inbound tourists to Sarawak.”

Meanwhile, Sagan also flagged off the Ducati troupes in the hotel’s vicinity yesterday morning.

The riders led by NAZA group chief operating officer Datuk SM Zulkifli SM Amin were flagged off by Sagan on their way to Brunei yesterday. Their final destination is Kota Kinabalu.

Source - theborneopost