ministry of tourism brunei

Home | Webmail | Contact Us | Mindef Library | News

• About Brunei
• Consular Services

bruneitouristinformation   //

• Home Currently selected
• Drop Off Library
• News Headline2
• Announcement
• examination result form2
• Page not found
• Site Contents

GOVERNMENT LINKS

• Working in Brunei
• Studying in Brunei
• Business in Brunei
• Scholarship in Brunei
• Invest in Brunei
• Link of Interest

• Entertainment
• Advertise With Us
• Letters to Editor
• Subscription Plan

Developing Brunei’s tourism through upskilling workshop

A tourism package development workshop was held for local agents yesterday at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism.

The workshop, organised by the Tourism Development Department, aimed to equip local travel agents with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop compelling travel packages that cater to diverse customer preferences and showcase Brunei’s rich tourism offerings.

The sessions were led by tourism officials, who emphasised the importance of using digital tools for marketing and promotion. The programme included a series of presentations, discussions, and exercises that fostered a collaborative learning environment.

The workshop also prepared the participants to effectively promote their packages at upcoming international expos throughout this year and into 2025, including the Singapore NATAS Holiday, Tourism Expo Japan 2024 and other potential events.

The department hoped that the travel agents are able to create better and enticing packages, including ones for a unique Ramadhan experience in the Sultanate. – James Kon

Thai finance minister and central bank to discuss inflation target

Kaspersky denies it’s a hazard after us bans its software, ditching paper money has made sweden a haven for online scams, us jobless claims fall to 238,000 from 10-month high, verstappen aims for another f1 win in barcelona.

Social Media

National se asia world business technology, lifestyle sports entertainment features opinion, subscribe now borneo bulletin digital media permata brunei press sdn bhd commercial printing services.

Borneo Bulletin is the leading English daily in the country. It was first published by Brunei Press. Today, Borneo Bulletin has become the foremost source of information on local and foreign affairs, and the region’s business news.

© 2013 Borneo Bulletin Online - The Independent Newspaper in Brunei Darussalam, Sabah and Sarawak

• Legislative Council

MPRT to draft Tourism Industry Roadmap Relaxation of travel restrictions puts focus back on improving tourism

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – The Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) is drafting a Tourism Industry Roadmap and compiling a database of tourism products and services nationwide.

The Tourism Industry Roadmap, drawn up in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Economy, will outline the short, medium, and long-term plans to develop Brunei’s tourism industry, said Primary Resources and Tourism Minister Dato Dr Hj Abdul Manaf Hj Metussin, though he did not provide any further details.

Speaking at the Legislative Council meeting on Tuesday, Dato Dr Hj Abdul Manaf explained that with the help of a comprehensive inventory database, the Department of Tourism Development will continue to work with the country’s major tourism operators to provide more attractive tourism packages for domestic and international markets.

“There is a gap between tourism service providers in the village and district levels, and travel and tourism agents. With the industry roadmap, we will be able to ‘match’ service providers with tourism agents to create unique tourism packages,” he said.

“One of the regions the department is targeting is Japan and Korea. To promote the country’s tourism packages, the department will assist local tourism agents in promoting and marketing these packages at tourism expos in those countries,” the minister added.

The relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions has boosted tourist arrivals from 3,543 in 2021 to 35,701 in 2022, according to the latest statistics provided by the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications (MTIC).

However, MTIC projected that pre-COVID air passenger level of 2,186,825 arrivals in 2019 will not be reached again until 2026.

Tourism development through PPP

The government has allocated approximately $580,000 towards developing the tourism industry in the 2023/24 fiscal year budget.

Dato Dr Hj Abdul Manaf said MPRT does not want to be reliant on government funding to develop tourism infrastructure and is seeking public-private partnerships to upgrade tourism facilities around the country.

Citing an example, the minister said the government is partnering with Sundaland Resorts Pte Ltd (registered in Brunei as Mandai Global Pte Ltd), a subsidiary of Singapore’s Temasek Holdings, to develop the facilities at Ulu Temburong National Park into a luxury resort, which will be managed by an international hotel chain.

MPRT has also signed a separate PPP contract to build a $450,000 luxury restaurant in Temburong’s Bukit Patoi Recreational Park.

Share this:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Trending Stories

• Brunei to introduce mandatory carbon reporting in 2021
• Insurans Islam TAIB launches iCare app for roadside assistance  
• MoFE: Brunei's fiscal deficit unsustainable
• Nine potential sites identified for floating solar farms
• US$9 billion for expansion of Pulau Muara Besar complex

Discover more from The Scoop

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

MPRT   Gov.bn //

• perkhidmatan
• SAYANGKAN ANDA, HUBUNGI KAMI
• aplikasi mudah alih
• direktori kerajaan
• hab media sosial
• GovernmentServices
• test left sidenav
• Rate This Website

Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism

Departments

• Mission and Vision
• Organization
• History and Milestones
• Annual Reports
• AMRO Factsheet
• AMRO Agreement
• Surveillance
• Regional Financing Arrangements (RFA)
• Technical Assistance
• Regional Knowledge Hub
• ASEAN+3 Finance Process
• ASEAN+3 Regional Economic Outlook (AREO)
• ASEAN+3 Financial Stability Report (AFSR)
• Annual Consultation Reports
• Policy Position Papers
• AMRO History Book
• Working Papers
• Analytical Notes
• Market Insights
• Policy Perspectives
• Other Research
• Press Releases
• Newsletters
• Courtesy Visits
• Infographics
• Presentations
• Brunei Darussalam
• Hong Kong, China
• Philippines
• Full Time Positions
• Consultancies
• Procurement Opportunities
• ASEAN+3 Officials Login

Boosting the Tourism Sector in Brunei

A version of this article was first published in Borneo Bulletin on June 19, 2024.

For decades, the hydrocarbon sector has been the primary driver of Brunei’s economic growth and development. Since the first oil discovery in 1929, Brunei’s oil and gas sector has expanded significantly and remained the cornerstone of the nation’s economy. In 2022, the oil and gas sector accounted for nearly half of the country’s GDP, underscoring the dominance of the hydrocarbon sector.

However, Brunei’s hydrocarbon-based economic model has come under increasing pressure in recent years. Global energy prices have become more volatile, while challenges in rejuvenating the country’s maturing oil and gas fields have resulted in more frequent production disruptions.

Global decarbonization efforts have added complexity to the sector’s development. As the world transitions from hydrocarbon to renewable energy, Brunei’s oil and gas sector, as its main source of export revenue, is at risk.

To safeguard growth and the future prosperity of the country, the government has placed economic diversification as a key policy thrust in its national development plans. Under the Wawasan Brunei 2035 , tourism has been identified as one of the five priority sectors for economic diversification.

A vibrant tourism sector will not only bring in foreign visitors and forex revenues, but also foster the development of related industries and help job creation. Despite an encouraging rebound in the number of foreign visitors since 2022, the recovery of Brunei’s tourism industry lags behind that of its regional peers (Figure).

Limited activities, infrastructure

The country’s emphasis on preserving its rich cultural and natural heritage helps place Brunei in a unique position to attract visitors interested in authentic cultural experience. However, this could be a two-edged sword because new tourism activities, such as the introduction of more contemporary and diverse attractions, might be overlooked as a result. Compared to its ASEAN peers, Brunei has fewer number of tourist attractions, such as amusement parks, sporting arena, and other entertainment establishments.

Brunei’s limited tourism-related infrastructure is also a key challenge. Hard infrastructure, including airport connectivity, ground infrastructure, and tourist service infrastructure such as accommodation and car rentals, appear to be insufficient. Soft infrastructure in terms of skilled workers and labor market conditions also trail behind regional peers, reflecting some challenges in attracting and retaining talents for the sector.

Over the years, there has been also a lack of marketing and promotional campaigns to help drive the tourism sector’s growth. Furthermore, the strength of the local currency vis-a-vis regional peers’ can make Brunei look more expensive to foreign tourists and influence their decision to visit.

Investing in both hard and soft infrastructure is thus necessary to foster growth of the tourism sector. The planned establishment of a new Brunei-based airline, which is expected to enhance Brunei’s connectivity with several Chinese cities, bodes well for tourism. Enhancement of infrastructures, such as equipping hotels with better facilities and internet connection, should also be a priority.

Promote niche markets

Given the competitive tourism landscape in the region, Brunei should also focus on establishing niche markets for its tourism sector by leveraging its rich culture and biodiversity. The establishment of ecotourism resorts in Temburong district is a step in the right direction.

Another viable option to spur the growth of the tourism industry is to promote Brunei as a premier destination for Islamic tourism. Brunei has the potential to further develop this niche market, given the extensive availability of prayer facilities, Halal dining and Muslim-friendly hotels and resorts in the country.

Setting policy priority is the first step to boost the growth of Brunei’s tourism sector. Encouraging signs are emerging with the ongoing development of an industry roadmap and a database of nationwide tourism products and services. Subsequently, comprehensive strategic development plans should be formulated to unlock the potential of niche segments around eco-, Islamic and community-based tourisms. With clear directions in place, Brunei has a good opportunity to eventually become a top niche tourism destination in the region.

You might also like

• The Star ePaper
• Subscriptions
• Manage Profile
• Change Password
• Manage Logins
• Manage Subscription
• Transaction History
• Manage Billing Info
• Manage For You
• Manage Bookmarks
• Package & Pricing

Insufficient infrastructure, lack of promotion holding back Brunei's tourism, says economist

Wednesday, 19 Jun 2024

Related News

Brunei female athlete scores gold in Asian University wushu championship

University launches women engineering society in brunei, brunei female athlete scores gold in asian university wushu championship.

This picture taken on Jan 14, 2024 shows women taking selfie photo after disembarking from a boat in Brunei's capital Bandar Seri Begawan. - AFP

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Brunei Darussalam is facing a host of challenges to its tourism industry, including insufficient infrastructure and lack of promotion, said an economist from the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO).

Country economist for Brunei Darussalam at AMRO Vanne Khut noted hard infrastructure such as airport connectivity, ground and tourist service infrastructure such as accommodation and car rentals appear to be insufficient.

There is also limited ‘soft infrastructure’ such as skilled workers and the labour market conditions which trail behind regional peers, reflecting some challenges when attracting and retaining skilled talent in the sector.

“Over the years, there has been also a lack of marketing and promotional campaigns to help drive the tourism sector’s growth.

"Furthermore, the strength of the local currency vis-a-vis regional peers’ can make Brunei look more expensive to foreign tourists and influence their decision to visit,” he said.

Khut said investing in both hard and soft infrastructure is thus necessary to foster growth in the tourism sector.

“The planned establishment of a new Brunei-based airline, which is expected to enhance Brunei’s connectivity with several Chinese cities, bodes well for tourism.

"Enhancement of infrastructures, such as equipping hotels with better facilities and Internet connection, should also be a priority,” he added.

“Given the competitive tourism landscape in the region, Brunei should also focus on establishing niche markets for its tourism sector by leveraging its rich culture and biodiversity.

"The establishment of ecotourism resorts in Temburong District is a step in the right direction,” he said.

Khut said another viable option to spur growth of the tourism industry is to promote the country as a premier destination for Islamic tourism.

“Brunei has the potential to further develop this niche market, given the extensive availability of prayer facilities, halal dining and Muslim-friendly hotels and resorts in the country,” he said.

“With clear directions in place, Brunei has a good opportunity to eventually become a top niche tourism destination in the region.” - Borneo Bulletin/ANN

Tags / Keywords: Brunei , insufficient , infrastructure , lack , promotion , tourism , economist , AMRO

Found a mistake in this article?

Report it to us.

Thank you for your report!

FUTURE GUARDIANS OF ENERGY

Next in aseanplus news.

Trending in AseanPlus

Air pollutant index, highest api readings, select state and location to view the latest api reading.

• Select Location

Source: Department of Environment, Malaysia

Others Also Read

Best viewed on Chrome browsers.

We would love to keep you posted on the latest promotion. Kindly fill the form below

Thank you for downloading.

We hope you enjoy this feature!

We’re sorry, this site is currently experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again in a few moments. Exception: request blocked

• Fri June 21, 2024

Tourism ministry reveals special content aimed to boost arrivals

TEHRAN – On Wednesday, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts held a ceremony to unveil innovative tourism content aimed at attracting more foreign visitors.

Speaking at the event, Moslem Shojaei, who presides over the office for Foreign Tourism Marketing and Development, provided detailed insights into the ministry’s latest offerings and answered questions asked by the attendees.

The first product unveiled was a multimedia tourism booklet, comprising nine booklets and 108 PDF files in 13 foreign languages, all available in various formats.

“This content will be accessible offline and distributed to cultural attachés, embassies in Iran, Iranian embassies abroad, and tourism professionals to be disseminated in target markets,” Shojaei said.

“This new content covers a wide range of tourist attractions along with various images from across the country’s geographical landscape,” Shojaei noted.

The official highlighted that these new collections represent a significant advancement from the traditional books and brochures previously produced by the ministry.

Arash Nouraghaei, a well-known tourism expert who played a crucial role in developing these materials, explained the meticulous process of categorizing the images and texts to achieve the desired result.

Nouraghaei also addressed the long-standing tourism brand “Majestic Iran,” promoted by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage. He lamented that this brand has not gained significant visibility and is rarely seen. “Compared to other countries that even display their tourism brands on paper tablecloths, we have a lot of work to do to highlight our brand,” Nouraghaei stated.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Shojaei announced the second tourism content product: a motion graphic package introducing Iran, which will be sent to 28 countries with which Iran has established visa-free agreements.

“Following Iran’s unilateral visa waiver with 28 countries, we compared data from March and April 2023 with the same period last year, revealing a 20% increase in tourist arrivals,” Shojaei reported.

He added that the visa waiver has prompted some countries to reciprocate, resulting in mutual visa-free arrangements, as seen with Oman and recently Tunisia.

The Islamic Republic expects to reap a bonanza from its numerous tourist spots such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 27 are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Shojaei also mentioned another marketing initiative. “We found a more effective approach to roadshows, where Iranian and foreign private sectors meet and negotiate.”

The official elaborated on the success of roadshows in Oman and China, which included government and private sector delegations. Future roadshows are planned for Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and India, with preparations underway for Turkey and Russia, he added.

“Typically, tourism agencies involved in attracting tourists to Iran participate in these roadshows, meeting with agencies in target countries focused on outbound travel,” Shojaei underlined.

Last year, the ministry produced 25,000 gigabytes of [multimedia] content distributed to various countries, with 7,400 gigabytes of diverse content shared at different tourism events or provided to various delegations.

In conclusion, Shojaei reminded the ministry’s commitment to more accurately showcase Iran’s attractions on a global scale.

Earlier in April, the tourism minister, Ezzatollah Zarghami said that the Islamic Republic had granted visa-free access to approximately half of the world’s population, “totaling around four billion people.”

“Currently, half of the world’s population can travel to Iran without visas,” Zarghami said.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the minister addressed concerns over negative portrayals of Iran in foreign media, attributing them to a phenomenon known as “Iranophobia.”

“We are facing an issue called Iranophobia, and tourism can counteract this phenomenon,” Zarghami said. “Unfortunately, some foreign media outlets, by pursuing the Iranophobia project, seek to hinder the growth, development, and prosperity of tourism.”

The visa-waiver program was approved for India, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Indonesia, Brunei, Japan, Singapore, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brazil, Peru, Cuba, Mexico, Bolivia, Venezuela, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Belarus, Lebanon, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Mauritania, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, and Seychelles.

Besides, the Islamic Republic has previously had visited cancelations with some countries like Turkey, the Republic of Azerbaijan, Oman, China, Armenia, Lebanon, and Syria, in various forms - unilateral, bilateral, and group visa cancelations, including airport visas, which were implemented in some cases.  The privilege has been granted to tourist groups from Russia based on a mutual agreement inked between Tehran and Moscow.

According to available data compiled by the tourism ministry, more than six million foreign tourists arrived by air, road, and sea in the country during the past Iranian calendar year, which came to an end on March 19. The figure marks a substantial year-on-year increase compared to a year earlier (1401) in which approximately 4.23 million tourists visited the Islamic Republic.

The Islamic Republic expects to reap a bonanza from its numerous tourist spots such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 27 are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

• Moslem Shojaei
• content creation
• foreign arrivals
• visa-waiver
• Cultural Heritage
• Multimedia 
• Iranophobia
• Ezzatollah Zarghami
• Social Media
• Afshin Majlesi

Leave a Comment

• Mirror Site

state information service Your Gateway to Egypt

• Egyptian women's beach volleyball team defeats Ghana
• Egypt delivers 28,000 cars to beneficiaries of old car replacement presidential initiative
• Sports min. congratulates women's handball team for 2nd consecutive victory in 2024 Women's Junior Handball Championship
• Investments in New Sohag city hit EGP 5.7b – Housing min.
• Social Solidarity Ministry opens 37 clinics in 20 governorates under 2 Kefaya project
• Health Ministry: 454,879 newborns examined as part of presidential initiative
• EgyptAir operates 8 flights Friday to bring pilgrims back home
• Egypt vows punishment to companies behind unregistered pilgrims' travel after Hajj deaths
• Sisi Directs the Formation of Crisis Cell to Follow-up on Deaths of Egyptian Pilgrims

Over 2 million surgeries performed under presidential initiative to end waiting lists: Health ministry

• Media Center
• Reports & Strategies
• National Political Dialogue
• Presidential News
• SIS Website in a week
• Political News
• Economic News
• Tourism News
• Cultural News
• Miscellaneous
• Security News
• Thursday، 20 June 2024 - 03:11 PM

The Ministry of Health and Population announced that it had performed 2,245,738 surgeries as part of the national initiative to end waiting lists and prevent new ones from forming for critical surgical interventions. The initiative, which started in July 2018, covers surgeries for heart, bone, eye, tumor, brain, heart, nerve, kidney, liver, and cochlear implant conditions.

Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the official spokesperson for the ministry, said that the ministry had received 194,591 calls from patients on waiting lists since the beginning of the project until June 14.

Abdel Ghaffar said that the patients were assigned to hospitals affiliated with the initiative according to a central distribution system, to ensure that they received medical service as quickly as possible. He also said that the services of the initiative were completely free of charge, and the patient did not have to pay anything, as the initiative aimed to ease the suffering of those who could not afford it, and to perform urgent and critical surgeries with the highest quality and speed.

Abdel Ghaffar highlighted the ministry’s efforts to improve the performance of hospitals and provide the best medical services to patients, through continuous training of medical staff and equipping hospitals with the modern supplies and devices needed to perform surgical interventions. He also mentioned the ongoing development of the automated system for the initiative to facilitate follow-up and data extraction.

The initiative has also helped to activate a unified electronic system, linking the entities that issue treatment decisions, whether at state expense or health insurance, based on the capacity of each hospital, with the option of transferring cases between the service providers.

Related Stories

Most visited.

President El-Sisi Meets Vice President of Republic of Equatorial Guinea

Sisi flies to Saudi Arabia to Perform Hajj

Thursday، 13 june 2024 05:30 pm.

PM reviews Magnom Properties' bid to construct Forbes International Tower in NAC

Thursday، 13 june 2024 11:26 pm.

CAPMAS: Egypt ranked world’s 6th country on expats’ remittances in 2023

Saturday، 15 june 2024 10:55 am.

Egyptian Meteorological Authority

Exchange rate - cbe, prayer times, egyptian national railways.

• Related Links