Plans to make Miri, Mulu key stop-overs for RBA
MIRI: Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) is currently working with Royal Brunei Airlines to position Miri and Mulu as key stopover destinations for its flights, particularly those under the Melbourne-London route.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said towards this end, the board took the first step last month in that it flew in agents from Melbourne for a familiarisation trip to Miri and Mulu.
“This familiarisation trip would allow agents from Melbourne to be familiar with the local products and experiences, which would then assist them to sell Miri and Mulu as muststop destinations,” he said during the New Year Countdown event at Miri Central Park on Sunday, which also hosted the launch of Visit Miri Year (VMY) 2018.
The chief minister’s text of speech was read by Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin.
“We will continue with our marketing initiatives and work jointly with Royal Brunei Airlines to make sure that more of our agents ‘Down Under’ would be able to package Miri and Mulu in their stop-over packages.
“For tourists from China taking chartered flights to Bandar Seri Begawan, Miri would be their choice for two-day, one-night tour extension.”
Abang Johari also said while continuing to work with relevant government agencies to facilitate easier movement of tourists from China through the immigration checkpoint at Sungai 7 Customs, Immigration Quarantine Complex (CIQ), he hoped that the Mirians would make themselves ready for the influx of tourists from China.
In this regard, he viewed VMY 2018 would serve as a good platform for the people here to ‘open Miri to visitors’ and be able to offer them ‘our natural beauty, warm hospitality and colourful traditions’.
The chief minister also noted that last year, there was a marked improvement in the state’s connectivity to the outside world.
“Only last Wednesday, we saw Kuching being connected with Shenzhen, China and also Bintulu (connected with) Singapore. The inaugural flights mounted by AirAsia marked a significant step in addressing our connectivity to hubs outside Malaysia.”
Miri, he added, had its fair share with last November Xpress Air’s inaugural direct flight from Pontianak, West Kalimantan.
As a result from this, Miri is now connected directly with Jogjakarta and Bandung in Indonesia, with immigration stop-over at Pontianak.
“The direct flights that we have secured would give us more encouragement to move further in bringing in more direct flights not only to help the tourism industry, but other business sectors as well.
“This augurs well for the overall economic development of the state. We are also currently working with AirAsia in exploring more opportunities to open up routes, especially to North Asia and the region.”
On this, Abang Johari called upon the local business sector to complement efforts in bringing in direct flights to Kuching and also to Miri.
“We need the business traffic as well to complement the tourist arrivals, towards ensuring sustainability of new flights and also attracting new airlines to look at Sarawak as a viable destination to mount a direct flight.”
Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau, Piasau assemblyman Datuk Sebastian Ting, Miri Mayor Adam Yii, Miri District Officer Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusuf and Tourism Development Standing Committee chairman Councillor Ernest Goh were also present at the event.