Tourism
From The Report: Brunei Darussalam 2013
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With a near-pristine environmental record and more than 70% of its territory covered by tropical rainforest, Brunei Darussalam has strong potential to capture a sizeable share of the growing Asian ecotourism and family holiday market. The country is host to an abundance of natural attractions, from rainforests to beaches, rare wildlife to the legacy of tribal cultures, and a rich vein of Islamic history. Despite these strengths, the industry remains relatively small as a share of the Sultanate’s overall economy. There is recognition by the government and various stakeholders that the current tourism model is unlikely to contribute much towards economic growth, and efforts moving forward will focus in particular on high-end and low-volume tourism with a minimum impact on the Sultanate’s environment and local culture.

This chapter contains an interview with Mariani Haji Sabtu, Acting Director, Tourism Development Department.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Niche market: Potential is slowly being realised, but barriers remain
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With a near-pristine environmental record and more than 70% of its territory covered by tropical rainforest, Brunei Darussalam has strong potential to capture a sizeable share of the growing Asian ecotourism and family holiday market. Indeed, having avoided the brash materialism that typically characterises petrodollar wealth, the country is host to an abundance of natural attractions, from rainforests to beaches, rare wildlife to the legacy of tribal cultures, and a rich vein of Islamic history.…

Interview

OBG talks to Mariani Haji Sabtu, Acting Director, Tourism Development Department (TDD)
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Interview: Mariani Haji Sabtu What are your priorities for developing the tourism industry in your role as head of the TDD? MARIANI HAJI SABTU: Our department completed its Tourism Master Plan (TMP) in 2011, identifying nature and Islamic heritage as two major growth clusters. These are further supported by secondary product offerings and the optimisation of current products. The TMP puts forward 25 initiatives and 69 projects to be implemented, of which more than 60% are to be driven by agencies…

Analysis

Branching out: New product development could spur interest
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The meetings, incentives, conference and exhibitions (MICE) segment of Brunei Darussalam’s tourism market represents an important area of potential growth. While the Sultanate’s facilities are relatively limited when compared to those offered by major MICE destinations, such as Singapore, they are still suitable for smaller conferences where a quieter and more secure environment may be a key selling point. FACILITIES: The largest event space in the country is the International Convention…