members from Sarawak and China.
KUCHING: Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Datuk Lee Kim Shin is leading 22 Sarawak delegates on an official working visit to Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China and to participate in the 15th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) in Nanning, Guangxi, China from September 9 to September 16, 2018.
Lee was accompanied by representatives of Sarawak tourism industry agencies including Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB), Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF), Sarawak Association of Hotel (MAH) Sarawak, Association of Sarawak Inbound Agencies, Sarawak Restaurant Association and Borneo Convention Centre (BCCK).
With the help of the Consulate General of Malaysia based in Nanning, China, Bong Yik Jui and Director of Tourism Malaysia China Southern Region, Sharon Ho, Lee was invited to participate in the Malaysia (Sarawak) Tourism Road Show at Wanda Vista Hotel on September 10, 2018.
The event was participated by 11 Malaysian tour operators, hoteliers, tourism associations, product owners and 120 operators from China. The objective of the road show was to enhance ties between the tour operators from Sarawak and Nanning and increase the number of tourist arrivals from China to Sarawak in conjunction with the Visit Sarawak Year Campaign. Lee, in his speech, highlighted that Sarawak was indeed privileged and honoured to attend the Tourism Roadshow and Business to Business (B2B) session.
He said: “This platform was very timely as we are preparing for our Visit Sarawak Year Campaign to attract more tourists, especially from China to Sarawak. “During this event, our Sarawak tourism industry players briefed China operators on our tourism products and strengthened the mutual cooperation and tourism promotions in order to promote Sarawak as a prime destination. “Apart from product briefings, familiarization trips, joint promotions and incentives were proposed to China’s big-scale tour operators, hoteliers and airlines to generate more tourism business deals.
“Director of Tourism Malaysia Guangzhou, Sharon Ho, highlighted that this was the event where both Sarawak and China could have mutual exchange of information tailored to their own personal travel goals and preferences.”
Apart from the Roadshow and B2B session, Lee also met Sales Manager of AirAsia Sales and Distribution China, Kormen Luo Ming to follow up on the earlier meeting held on July 4, 2018 in Guangzhou, China.
“My ministry and AirAsia are looking into the possibility of engaging direct flights from 2nd tier cities of China to Sarawak.
“In addition, Sarawak is looking into chartered flights and scheduled flights from China to enhance international air linkages to bring in more China tourists to boost our local economy. “This event ended with luxury lucky draws with many grand prizes such as Kuching-Shenzhen return air tickets, Kuala Lumpur-Nanning return air tickets, hotel accommodation, bird nest, moon cake, Bario Highland rice, etc.”
