Kg Benuk for eco-tourism flagship project

By Jack Wong
jackwong@thestar.com.my

KAMPUNG Benuk homestay near Kuching has been nominated as a community-based eco-tourism flagship project in the Brunei/Indonesia/Malaysia/Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).

The nomination is part of the joint efforts by BIMP-EAGA member countries to facilitate active community participation as a source of extra income for local villagers.

The Asian Development Bank, according to Tourism and Heritage Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam, has provided technical aid and carried out a study on the flagship project.

The bank is expected to present its findings at the Seventh BIMP-EAGA joint tourism development cluster meeting in the Philippines next week.

Festive air: Kampung Annah Rais in the outskirts of Kuching, is a hive of activity for Gawai. The village will host a special event later this month.

Kampung Benuk, a Bidayuh village, was first selected by Dr Chan’s ministry, Tourism Malaysia and several local tour operators, to host a special Gawai Dayak celebration tourism package on June 18 and 19.

Kampung Annah Rais, also a traditional Bidayuh village, will host a similar package on June 11 and 12.

There are now 19 villages statewide which provide homestay programme for tourists.

“Tourism players in the Asean sub-region had packaged BIMP-EAGA as a culture, adventure and nature (CAN) destination and have come up with regional tourism promotional materials like video, brochures and posters,” said Dr Chan.

With funding from a German technical agency, they had adopted “Equator Asia” as the tourism brand for the sub-region.

Dr Chan said the East Asian Tourism Forum would soon publish a quarterly magazine featuring major tourism events, such as festivals and travel fairs, in member provinces.

Meanwhile, Sarawak Tourism Federation is collaborating with the Association of Indonesia Tour and Travel Agencies in marketing a medical tourism package.

Dr Chan said the BIMP-EAGA Tourism Council was in talks with AirAsia to open up new routes in the sub-region to improve air connectivity, and would initiate discussions with MASWings.

The proposed new air services are between Kuching and Brunei, Kota Kinabalu and Brunei, Tawau and Tarakan as well as Muli and Brunei.