Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Sarawak expects more tourists from China this year


KUCHING: Tourist arrivals from China to Sarawak are expected to exceed last year’s record of 38,000.

Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said the state’s collaboration with major tourism companies from China would help boost the arrival of Chinese tourists to the state.

“We are fortunate to be able to have collaborations with four major companies involved in tourism sector from China,” he told a press conference after witnessing the signing of memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the state government and a group of China based companies.

Abang Johari, who is also Minister of Sarawak Tourism, Arts and Culture, said the MoU was important and the state government was determined to follow up on it.

He said last year, the state received some 38,000 tourists from China compared to 32,000 in 2015.

On the MoU, he said it was a follow up effort by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to attract investors from China.

Signing on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture was its permanent secretary Datu Ik Pahon Joyik while signing on behalf of Beijing Glory International Culture Development Co. Ltd was its president Liu Ning.

BTG-Jianguo Hotel Management Co. Ltd was represented by its chief strategy officer Wang Qiang, China Comfort Travel Group Co. Ltd by its vice president Gao Shuoshan and China Express Airlines Co. Ltd its director and vice president Henry Qiu.

The objective of the MoU signing was to explore areas of cooperation and collaboration for investment in the tourism sector in Sarawak.

The scope of the MoU includes assessment of tourism resources and local culture, standard and conditions of the current tourism facilities, current and future capacities of reception an hospitality; managing of existing hotels; redevelopment, operation and management of national parks; building and development of new tourism facilities; and new air routes development and charter flight services.

Beijing Glory International Culture Development Co. Ltd is an international culture company with a wide range of business scope in culture and tourism industry, including tourism and commercial real estate, museum and museum shops, international cultural exchange, restaurants, F&B culture and online tourism services.

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