ID :
201544
Tue, 08/16/2011 - 08:56
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/201544
The shortlink copeid
SARAWAK KEEPS ITS TREES ENROUTE TO A WORLD CLASS MICE HAVEN
A Special Report By Shanti Ayadurai
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- There are some things that you cannot do in some parts of Kuching, Sarawak, like constructing a building taller than the tallest tree in the area. Indeed there is a story that a prominent developer who lost a major project all because he chopped off some trees that was "in the way" of his project.
How true this is, nobody would readily confirm, but if it is, it has to be enforcement at its best in keeping with East Malaysia state of Sarawak's pledge to retain its natural environment as much as possible in its awakening as an advanced, world class city to reckon with.
But, with this pledge to retain its proud heritage as among the final rainforest frontiers of the world -- a natural pull for tourists running away from concrete jungles and seeking the wild and adventurous like the Borneo Island for their holiday retreats -- how is Sarawak faring in its more recent quest to carve a name in the international scene as the ideal destination not only for tourism and investments but also in the global Meetings, Incentives,
Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) industry?
As records show, the city of Kuching has successfully hosted several major international conferences, the last few years, and continues to increase the number, backed by a tremendous growth in its accommodation and conference facilities, holiday resorts, transportation, communication as well as other infrastructure and, better and competitive air connectivity with many cities in the region and further out.
Supporting this growth in business tourism has been the Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB), an agency set up by the state government, to solely facilitate and support the development and growth of the state's MICE industry.
Since its establishment, the SCB has helped to win 146 bids to host
international events in the state which covered 260,250 delegate days and with over RM160 million in direct delegate expenditure. (US$1=RM2.9)
The industry is definitely expanding in Sarawak but the state is aiming for a bigger slice of the international business tourism market where business tourism visitor expenditure in 2011 has been estimated to go up to RM11 billion.
To begin with, Sarawak is not difficult to sell, says the Chief Executive Officer of SCB Jill Henry during a recent interview with Bernama.
The requisites of the MICE industry, which caters to the business visitor or delegate, are different and certainly calls for more than an exciting time at atropical beach resort or the deep jungle and it is along this line, that the SCB
assumes a central role in bringing together various entities around the city to
work together in attracting and fulfilling the needs of business travellers.
All the ingredients are there in Kuching as a major tourist destination; the
food is good, a wide choice of entertainment and dining outlets, the people are
laid-back and friendly while the city offers a variety of activities for
visitors whether right in the city centre or further away and closer to nature,
and even activities like kayaking are all within two hours of Kuching, she said.
On the investment made by the SCB on its branding, advertising and
promotional campaign to position Sarawak as a top MICE industry, globally, Jill
explained that it took a little under a million and two years to get it right.
The tag line for promoting Sarawak as a MICE destination goes "Recharge In A
New World" while "Where Business and Adventure Meet" are among themes it uses in
promoting the state.
This is to ride on the global appeal of Borneo Island with its distinctive
culture and offer of exotic travel adventure and at the same time to bring to
attention the practicality of the modern facilities that Sarawak's cities offer
for business travellers, Jill said.
Meanwhile, with the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy and other
development plans for the state, the buzz in Kuching is growing.
A major development is the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK), a world
class venue, with a capacity to cater to a large crowd of 5,000 as well as for
more smaller and mid-sized international conventions, conferences and
exhibitions.
Ultra-modern with some of the latest audio video facilities befitting a
world class convention centre, the BCCK also offers top dining facilities and a
team that tailor makes events as required by associations ranging from a dental
association's meeting to a banquet style dinner.
The BCCK, which overlooks the Sarawak River, also spots a rainforest plant
design for its roof structure which also doubles up as a rain collector, as
rain from the centre or the "vein" of the roof is collected and used for
irrigating its gardens and grounds.
Among the latest swanky new hotels in the city is the Pullman Kuching, which
offers 3,660 sq metres of meetings and event space and a state-of-the-art
ballroom, the largest hotel banquet space in the city, capable of accommodating
up to 1,500 people for a sit-down banquet.
The hotel also participates in a unique programme, Heart 2 Heart with
Orangutan, a conservation initiative run by the Sarawak Forestry. The hotel's
guest keen on the programme get to see the Orangutan in their natural habitat.
Indeed, the city has a lot to offer and the SCB works with meeting planners
to present competitive bids, maximise delegate attendance through delegate
boosting and develop tailor-made incentive proposals, says Amelia Roziman who is
with SCB's Global Marketing and Corporate Affairs unit.
Apart from formal convention and conference facilities planning for the
business delegate, the SCB also helps with the facilitation of events from a
"wedding amid the caves" to beach parties to team building programmes revolving
around the Sarawak Cultural Centre as well as excursions into the rainforest,
Amelia said.
With development inevitable amid its growing importance in the country's
MICE industry, the challenges for Sarawak perhaps would be in a development that
would keep in focus its very core attraction, which is being home to the world's
oldest rainforest and hence some of the most beautiful untouched flora and
fauna.
Considering that Sarawak has had and will continue to have some advantages
over other older cities -- the world's latest green building and energy and
resources saving technologies -- and this could very well see its cities
becoming the model cities for more nature-based living in the future.
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- There are some things that you cannot do in some parts of Kuching, Sarawak, like constructing a building taller than the tallest tree in the area. Indeed there is a story that a prominent developer who lost a major project all because he chopped off some trees that was "in the way" of his project.
How true this is, nobody would readily confirm, but if it is, it has to be enforcement at its best in keeping with East Malaysia state of Sarawak's pledge to retain its natural environment as much as possible in its awakening as an advanced, world class city to reckon with.
But, with this pledge to retain its proud heritage as among the final rainforest frontiers of the world -- a natural pull for tourists running away from concrete jungles and seeking the wild and adventurous like the Borneo Island for their holiday retreats -- how is Sarawak faring in its more recent quest to carve a name in the international scene as the ideal destination not only for tourism and investments but also in the global Meetings, Incentives,
Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) industry?
As records show, the city of Kuching has successfully hosted several major international conferences, the last few years, and continues to increase the number, backed by a tremendous growth in its accommodation and conference facilities, holiday resorts, transportation, communication as well as other infrastructure and, better and competitive air connectivity with many cities in the region and further out.
Supporting this growth in business tourism has been the Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB), an agency set up by the state government, to solely facilitate and support the development and growth of the state's MICE industry.
Since its establishment, the SCB has helped to win 146 bids to host
international events in the state which covered 260,250 delegate days and with over RM160 million in direct delegate expenditure. (US$1=RM2.9)
The industry is definitely expanding in Sarawak but the state is aiming for a bigger slice of the international business tourism market where business tourism visitor expenditure in 2011 has been estimated to go up to RM11 billion.
To begin with, Sarawak is not difficult to sell, says the Chief Executive Officer of SCB Jill Henry during a recent interview with Bernama.
The requisites of the MICE industry, which caters to the business visitor or delegate, are different and certainly calls for more than an exciting time at atropical beach resort or the deep jungle and it is along this line, that the SCB
assumes a central role in bringing together various entities around the city to
work together in attracting and fulfilling the needs of business travellers.
All the ingredients are there in Kuching as a major tourist destination; the
food is good, a wide choice of entertainment and dining outlets, the people are
laid-back and friendly while the city offers a variety of activities for
visitors whether right in the city centre or further away and closer to nature,
and even activities like kayaking are all within two hours of Kuching, she said.
On the investment made by the SCB on its branding, advertising and
promotional campaign to position Sarawak as a top MICE industry, globally, Jill
explained that it took a little under a million and two years to get it right.
The tag line for promoting Sarawak as a MICE destination goes "Recharge In A
New World" while "Where Business and Adventure Meet" are among themes it uses in
promoting the state.
This is to ride on the global appeal of Borneo Island with its distinctive
culture and offer of exotic travel adventure and at the same time to bring to
attention the practicality of the modern facilities that Sarawak's cities offer
for business travellers, Jill said.
Meanwhile, with the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy and other
development plans for the state, the buzz in Kuching is growing.
A major development is the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK), a world
class venue, with a capacity to cater to a large crowd of 5,000 as well as for
more smaller and mid-sized international conventions, conferences and
exhibitions.
Ultra-modern with some of the latest audio video facilities befitting a
world class convention centre, the BCCK also offers top dining facilities and a
team that tailor makes events as required by associations ranging from a dental
association's meeting to a banquet style dinner.
The BCCK, which overlooks the Sarawak River, also spots a rainforest plant
design for its roof structure which also doubles up as a rain collector, as
rain from the centre or the "vein" of the roof is collected and used for
irrigating its gardens and grounds.
Among the latest swanky new hotels in the city is the Pullman Kuching, which
offers 3,660 sq metres of meetings and event space and a state-of-the-art
ballroom, the largest hotel banquet space in the city, capable of accommodating
up to 1,500 people for a sit-down banquet.
The hotel also participates in a unique programme, Heart 2 Heart with
Orangutan, a conservation initiative run by the Sarawak Forestry. The hotel's
guest keen on the programme get to see the Orangutan in their natural habitat.
Indeed, the city has a lot to offer and the SCB works with meeting planners
to present competitive bids, maximise delegate attendance through delegate
boosting and develop tailor-made incentive proposals, says Amelia Roziman who is
with SCB's Global Marketing and Corporate Affairs unit.
Apart from formal convention and conference facilities planning for the
business delegate, the SCB also helps with the facilitation of events from a
"wedding amid the caves" to beach parties to team building programmes revolving
around the Sarawak Cultural Centre as well as excursions into the rainforest,
Amelia said.
With development inevitable amid its growing importance in the country's
MICE industry, the challenges for Sarawak perhaps would be in a development that
would keep in focus its very core attraction, which is being home to the world's
oldest rainforest and hence some of the most beautiful untouched flora and
fauna.
Considering that Sarawak has had and will continue to have some advantages
over other older cities -- the world's latest green building and energy and
resources saving technologies -- and this could very well see its cities
becoming the model cities for more nature-based living in the future.
