Tourism can help curb rural poverty: Minister

Tourism can help curb rural poverty: Minister


Positive: Dato Paduka Hj Hamdillah Hj Abd Wahab feels tourism can create more jobs. Picture: BT file photo
SHAREEN HAN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Sunday, December 9, 2007



Brunei can be a unique tourist destination because of Heart of Borneo, says Dato Hamdillah

THE Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources yesterday urged for the promotion of Brunei's tourism sector adding it will be the key to reduce poverty in rural areas by creating employment opportunities for the residents.

Dato Paduka Hj Hamdillah Hj Abd Wahab said residents in rural areas could be self-reliant and would no longer need to come into the city to seek work, if the country's tourism sector would continue to improve.

"Tourism is about giving equitable distribution of wealth and giving people meaningful jobs," he said in a telephone interview with The Brunei Times.

He noted the tourism industry generates the highest employment rate and highest contribution to the economy in the world.

Brunei may not be a well-established tourist destination yet, but "the improvements are visible there," he said.

He added that Brunei's tourism sector has just only started to work in a "more concerted and coherent manner".

He said the country can be a different and unique tourist destination because it is involved in the Heart of Borneo (HoB) conservation initiative, which is the only one available in the world.

"The HoB project is distinctively different from other countries in the region because we have the global support," he said, adding that this comes at a time when the world is tackling issues in climate change.

Brunei has a competitive edge because it has a rich diversity of rainforests and biodiversity is getting more attention than before, said the deputy minister, who is also the chairman of Brunei Tourism Board.

"Brunei is ahead of the game (in the HoB project) compared to Malaysia and Indonesia, even though we are a smaller country," he said.

He explained that Brunei already has a clear direction and clear timelines from His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei, as evident through his titah on the country's commitment to the HoB initiative.

"We are now facing the challenge of addressing the implementation process, such as the structural issues because we need an integrated approach to land utilisation," the deputy minister said.

As part of the HoB initiative, Brunei is also planning to build a canopy walk, similar to Temburong, in Andulau, he said.

Dato Hamdillah said Brunei could also capitalise on the surge of tourists to Singapore next year, when the Formula 1 Grand Prix starts in the country, and tourists can "hop over" to Brunei and enjoy its peace and tranquillity.

The Brunei Times