Tourism & Culture
From The Report: Brunei Darussalam 2014
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Home to unspoiled jungle habitats, unique and rich cultural heritage, and miles of pristine sand beaches, all of which is supported by modern and efficient infrastructure, Brunei Darussalam has all the makings of an attractive holiday destination. Already a leading segment within the tourism sector as a whole, the cruise ship industry provides the Sultanate with perhaps its greatest single avenue to increase visitor footfall and spending in the country. Cruise ship tourists from 24 ports of call visited the Sultanate in 2013, up 40% over 2012. Boosting this segment further remains a priority. If further developed, other niche categories, such as ecotourism, bird watching, scuba diving and trekking journeys could also prove to be strong draws, particularly if developed in conjunction with larger Borneo travel packages including Malaysian and Indonesian components.

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

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Lush jungles await luxury and adventure travellers alike
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Home to unspoiled jungle habitats, unique and rich cultural heritage and miles of pristine sand beaches, all of which is supported by modern and efficient infrastructure, Brunei Darussalam has all the makings of an attractive holiday destination. Belying a country of its size, the Sultanate boasts a wide variety of leisure options for visitors ranging from perusing its numerous museums and mosques to more adventurous pursuits including scuba diving and jungle treks. In addition, the well educated…

Interview

OBG talks to Mariani Haji Sabtu, Acting Director, Tourism Development Department
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Interview:Mariani Haji Sabtu Through which niche markets can Brunei Darussalam develop its tourism sector, and what initiatives are being deployed to that end? MARIANI HAJI SABTU: Our strategic approach is to market Brunei Darussalam in several niche tourism segments. The country is a premier destination for ecotourism. Brunei Darussalam has had a no-cut policy in place since the 1990s, so virgin forests exist in the country on a large scale. This means that visitors can experience firsthand…

Analysis

Cruise ship arrivals are rising rapidly
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The economy of Brunei Darussalam has relied heavily upon the sea, from its traditional roots as seafaring traders to offshore oil and gas fields, which now account for the lion’s share of the country’s GDP. These same waters could now also provide a substantial boost for the Sultanate’s fledgling tourism sector by delivering tens or even hundreds of thousands of tourists to Brunei Darussalam’s shores each year. Cruising Along The country hosted 45,560 cruise ship tourists from 24 port calls…