Korean Honeymooners Flocking To Brunei
By Azlan Othman

Bandar Seri Begawan - Korean newlyweds are choosing Brunei as their honeymoon destination.

Assistant Director, Promotion and Marketing for Brunei Tourism, Hj Mohd Tali Hj Abd Raliman, revealed yesterday that last week a chartered flight from Korea brought in over 100 passengers.

"Koreans are choosing Brunei as their honeymoon destination," he said.

He said that eight chartered flights from Korea would touch down in Brunei in October.

He said the recent establishment of the Brunei Tourism Board means an enhancement in the manpower, finance and administration that are needed to woo foreign tourists.

These include the sales missions, the establishment of overseas representative to look after the tourist market and the setting up of statistics division for carrying out analysis to answer questions such as why tourists visit other countries and not Brunei.

Hj Mohd Tali Hj Abd Rahman in an interview with the Bulletin said, "It's like a department where the scope of work and function expands, organisational structure gets bigger. Output will also be quickly done," he said.

He said that the establishment of the board is "timely ... when we're just revitalised our branding with the appointment of a Thai-based agency".

His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam consented to the establishment of the Brunei Tourism Board with effect from July 1 l , 2005.

The board will be chaired by the Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, with the Permanent Secretary at the ministry as the Deputy Chairman.

Its other members comprise the Director of Tourism Development Department as the Secretary; Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance; Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communications; the Controller of Immigration and National. Registration; the Director, of Youth-and Sports; Chief Executive Officer of Royal Brunei Airlines; and presidents of the Brunei Hotels Association, Brunei Tourism Agency and the Brunei International Trade Association.

His Majesty had also directed the upgrading of the administration of the Tourism Development Section of the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources and the renaming of the section as the Tourism Development Department.

The move was aimed at expediting the development of the tourism industry and ensuring its effectiveness in enhancing its development in line with the country's aspiration.

Asked about the upcoming events in the tourism calendar, Hj Mohd Tali said the International Marathon Challenge would be held in December, while Bukit Patoi Challenge and Borneo Ethnic Culture would both be held in September.

On next year's tourism calendar he said that the department would organise tourism activities in line with the five-year 9th National Development Plan which will commence next year.

"But the tourism calendar far next year will still emphasise on three major aspects, namely, eco-tourism, sports-related activities as well as cultural and heritage aspects." he said. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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