Brunei Joins Incentive Tour Circuit
By Zan Hosni

Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei has become the target of incentive tours, a major pillar of the worldwide tourism industry, which sends millions to far off countries.

Brunei will get a bite of this huge cake for the first time when 200 Italians descend upon the country today as part of an incentive tour package.

Beta - a top Italian manufacturer of auto parts and tools for motorcycles and sport wear and also one of the sponsors of Formula 1 - has chosen Brunei to be the destination for their "First Beta Convention in Brunei". Massimo Ciceri, the President of Beta, will also be attending this first ever convention.

The Italian group totaling 220 members as part of the Incentive Group include 200 of the best dealers/businessmen in Italy, hostesses, entertainers and five members of the Top Team. The Top Team, a travel agent based in Milan and the main organiser of this prestigious event, arrived in the country yesterday to oversee last minute preparations.

This large tourist group will be escorted to the Empire Hotel and Country Club in 60 limousines from the airport.

Mr Enrico Cesati Cassin was on hand to relate to the Bulletin of Beta's grand intentions in Brunei. The programme will start off with the convention taking place this afternoon at the Empire Hotel and Country Club, followed by a polo competition and culminating in a gala dinner where performers, one of which is Gigi Vigliani, a top Italian TV presenter, will be entertaining the guests.

In line with most of the activities of other tourist groups, the Italian group is scheduled to visit some of Brunei's famous landmarks, from the great mosques of the nation to the Water Village - one of the cultural heritages of the Sultanate - and also take a peep into Brunei's history at the local museum.

Brunei has been chosen as the place for this grand convention because of the reputation that it has built over the years. Brunei is becoming more well-known in Europe and is turning out to be a popular stopover as the nation is becoming more pro-active in promoting itself to the European market, Mr Enrico said.

In the eyes of the organisers of the Beta Convention Brunei is a grand and luxurious nation. And that's one of the reasons Brunei was chosen.

The Top Team representatives said this convention will be the first of many activities. According to the organisers, besides having an aesthetically-pleasing environment, Brunei is the ideal place to hold such a convention for this affluent group at a top quality 5-star hotel.

The group will be leaving the country tomorrow to Kota Kinabalu before heading home.

Incentive tours are rewards companies bestow periodically on their best staff members for their efforts.

The super achievers are required to put extra efforts to attain their targets thus boosting company production.

Incentive tours have become a major tool companies big and small use to boost productivity and size of groups may vary from tens to a thousand and more.

In Brunei's case attracting incentive tours were a little difficult because it lacked facilities. But the Empire Hotel & Country Club has changed all that as there are now sufficient facilities for conventions, golfing, polo and other sports.

Brudirect.com