Be creative to attract more tourists — Lee

KUCHING: Tour operators and promoters were urged to diversify their range of products offered and add new ideas to existing packages to attract more tourists to the state.

Assistant Minister of Tourism Datuk Lee Kim Shin said this when officiating at the launching of a new tourism product at Wayang Street here recently. Lee said tourism players also needed to be resourceful in pulling tourists to return to the state, adding that tour operators should not simply copy what they see as attractive overseas.

“It is ok if they modify the products they (tour operators and promoters) saw elsewhere. What is important is that Sarawak has products worth mentioning about when visitors come here,” he added.

Lee said the government was always supportive of new products and nowadays tourists were more likely to surf the Internet fi rst to find their holiday destinations. Tour operators need to add new inspirations into existing packages as the industry is very competitive, he added.

“In the country, Sarawak is in competition with other states in attracting tourists.

“We must be aware of that and constantly fi nd new ideas all the time,” he said.

At the launching ceremony, Lee also fl agged off the fi rst batch of tourists who signed up for a new tourism cycling product which allows them to cycle and visit places of interest around the city.

Also present were Ministry of Tourism Permanent Secretary Datu Ik Pahon Joyik and Sarawak Tourism Federation president Philip Yong.