Tourists to experience nature at its best in Miri
MIRI: Having natural assets that money can’t buy such as beaches, caves, natural forests and bio diversity greatly help in promoting ‘lung washing’ tourism for both local and foreign tourists to Sarawak.
Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin said Sarawak had all those natural attractions which tourists could enjoy, apart from breathing real fresh air and seeing the uniqueness of Sarawak’s multiracial population.
“It is a trend now for tourists to go for ‘ lung washing’, and we want to promote Sarawak as a free- from-pollution destination, targeting tourists yearning for a better natural environment to spend their holidays.
“Here, tourists get to experience culture, nature and adventure, and I hope photographers and others will get to see how beautiful Sarawak is,” he said during a welcoming dinner for participants of the inaugural Miri International Tourism Photography competition coorganised by Miri City Council, Photographic Society of Malaysia, and Miri Photographic Society on Monday.
Thirty photographers and members of the media from Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia and Taiwan were invited to the competition held from Oct 15 to 20. The winner will take home RM8,000, while the first and second runner-up will take home RM5,000 and RM3,000 respectively.
“This competition is quite unique as the photographers come from outside Miri, and as such, they will be able to produce a variety of photographs as each photographer has their own different perspective.
“A good photo tells stories, and it is something to appreciate especially in terms of tourism promotion and publicity.
“The photographers will be brought to experience culture, nature, food and the surroundings of Miri, and hopefully this experience will be brought back to their hometowns or published in their own blog and other social media because we want people to know what Sarawak has to offer,” he said.
He added that Sarawak was continuously promoting nature tourism, as if has about 40 natural parks, not to mention the coral reefs that are well preserved.
The photographers and journalists will cover major tourist destinations in and around Miri such as Niah National Park, Iban longhouses, the natural geographical arts in Tusan, Lambir Hills National Park, Miri’s first oil well ( Grand Old Lady), Miri Crocodile Farm and many more.
The closing ceremony of the competition on Oct 19, will have Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah as guest-of-honour.
The organising chairperson Sylvester Wong Sing Hee and his committee members were among those present at the dinner.