Tourism Malaysia targets more than 800,000 arrivals from Brunei in 2023 with estimated receipts of RM1.9 billion, said Director of Tourism Malaysia Brunei.
Hazrina Azman in her speech at a reception recently said that in September 2022, Brunei tourist arrivals to Malaysia showed growth of 87,038 with a total receipt of RM204 million.
Previously, there were only 773 and 136,020 arrivals in 2021 and 2020, respectively.
“To reach this target, we look forward to more collaboration and smart partnership initiatives that give benefits to all of us,” she said.
The director highlighted that in 2022, Tourism Malaysia Brunei collaborated and participated in several programmes.
Some of them include discounts promo on the purchase of air tickets and packages to Malaysia, ‘Rindu-Rindu Malaysia’ virtual tour, familiarisation trips to Kuching and Sabah for media and travel agents as well as to Miri and Niah for foreign missions, Jom2Borneo advertising campaign, hybrid webinar with state tourism boards and Malaysian product owners, Malaysia Food Festival and Sabre Brunei Travel Fair.
She noted that the initiatives marked a good start for Tourism Malaysia since the uplift of Brunei’s travelling ban on 1 August 2022.
Hazrina further said that the tourism office eyes continuing existing programmes especially in organising more seminars, familiarisation trips and exhibition participation.
“We are also planning to emphasise advertising and promotion campaigns with our potential partners. Hence, we are looking forward for all of you (stakeholders) to jump on the bandwagon and meet potential collaborators,” said the director.
Malaysia Tourism hopes to continuously uphold its good reputation and relationship with other Malaysian counterparts such as the state tourism boards of Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan as well as Penang, Johor and other potential tourism authorities.
The director also expressed appreciation to the media and partners for the support given to Tourism Malaysia in promoting Malaysia as the go-to holiday destination among Bruneians.
“InsyaAllah for this year, we will continue to explore more avenues in expanding our collaboration with all parties and with the established relationships, we can strive and continue to make Malaysia as Brunei’s preferred destination,” concluded Hazrina.
The reception also saw the farewell of Tourism Malaysia Brunei Acting Director Hjh Latifah Dato Hj Ismail who ended her five-year tenure at the Brunei office.
She is expected to leave the country for Tourism Malaysia’s headquarters in Putrajaya on 24 February 2023.
THE BRUNEIAN | BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
