State needs worldclass technological infrastructure for tourism
SARAWAK needs to develop a worldclass technological infrastructure for tourism, injecting elements of innovation and creativity if it wants to compete at the global level.
Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said Sarawak Tourism Board ( STB) which had been tasked to spearhead the promotion and marketing of Sarawak as a tourism destination had been asked to leverage on technology and the social media to promote Sarawak to the world.
“A very comprehensive digital tool known as ‘Sarawak Apps’ is now being developed,” he said in his ministerial winding-up speech yesterday.
In as far as digital initiatives were concerned, Abang Johari said effort to leverage on digital technology was realised with the setting up of the digital photo library accessible to users 24/7 and from all over the world.
“The virtual photo library with a total of 800 Sarawak photos, highlighting the uniqueness of destinations has the capability of storage and retrieval by users. This enables STB to monitor, track and analyse destination photos which are most downloaded.”
He said STB’s digital promotion effort leveraging on the Trip Advisor portal was started in December 2015, focusing on the Singapore market. He said the campaign allowed STB to ‘park’ its website on the Trip Advisor portal, allowing STB to integrate and engage with interested travellers.
“To date, it recorded a total of 8,223 views from potential travellers.”
Besides that, Abang Johari said STB’s E-learning module introduced in Germany early this year was well received among its German- speaking agents as a training platform for front liner staff for virtual research of the destination to facilitate better information sharing with their customers. To date, he said 300 German- speaking agents had benefited from this training, adding that this module would be expanded to the China market.
Abang Johari also said STB had increased its familiarisation trip initiative as it was seen to be one of the most powerful and effective ways to increase awareness about destinations.
“This year, STB has conducted more than 10 familiarisation trips from all major markets and these are done in strong partnership with airlines and Tourism Malaysia. A group of 18 top agents from the Netherlands and Belgium has just concluded a five- day familiarisation trip in collaboration with Singapore Airlines.
“This year, STB organised three series of travel agent familiarisation trips from Hong Kong and China in collaboration with Hong Kong Airlines. STB, in collaboration with Tourism Malaysia, has also organised a familiarisation trip for agents from Hungary together with Qatar Airways.”