Sarawak Needs More Direct Flights To Lure Tourists

KUCHING, June 9 (Bernama) -- To lure more visitors to Sarawak, Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem says the state needs an increase in direct international flights to Kuching, like Kota Kinabalu.

"We have to get more direct international flights to Kuching to beat Kota Kinabalu and bring in more tourists to the state," said Adenan when officiating the Boulevard Group of Companies' four new properties here today. The properties were Imperial Hotel Kuching, Boulevard Shopping Mall, Lexus and Toyota outlets here today.

Adenan said the state was looking forward to the 'open sky' policy among the 10-member Asean countries and a more liberal air transport policy in the region would see more direct flights linking Kuching.

He said the state expected more tourists to visit the state this year, in conjunction with the Visit Sarawak Year 2014 and Visit Malaysia year 2014, adding that the state tourism industry had grown steadily over the last few years.

"Sarawak anticipates 4.6 million visitors this year and for the first quarter of the year, we have already received 1.11 million visitors, an incease of 5.3 per cent, as compared to the same period last year," he said. He said the visitors would spend an estimated RM9.2 billion, which would kick off the economy on a good note.

According to Adenan, the private sector is the driving force in the development of the tourism industry while the government provides the guidelines and policies. Hence, Adenan commended the Boulevard Group of companies for its role in the development of the state tourism industry.

The chief minister also pointed out that meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions had great potential to the Sarawak tourism industry.
-bernama.