BRUNEI-MUARA

BRUNEI is pushing for sustainable tourism to be the focus of Asean Tourism Forum (ATF) 2010, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources (MIPR) told The Brunei Times yesterday.

“Brunei will be trying to push for the sustainability of tourism. So we want to ensure that all the factors should be captured (within the Asean Tourism Strategic Plan 2011-2015),” said Hjh Suriyah Hj Umar during the second day of the ATF held at The Empire and Country Club..

She said the details would be announced over the next few days during the ATF, in a joint statement by Brunei and other Asean countries.

She said it would be aligned with the ATF 2010 theme, “Asean, the Heart of Green: 10 Destinations, One Conservation Vision” and focus on the preservation of the environment as a priority when carrying out tourism activities.

“If we can maintain our nature and culture, we can sustain our tourism industry and ultimately, our economy,” said MIPR Minister Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar.

The minister cited some countries that have had their economies affected from the lost of their cultures.

He added that the Sultanate was rich in biodiversity as well as culture, which were regarded as a national heritage that needs to be preserved by the people of the nation.

Brunei Tourism Chief Executive Officer Sheikh Jamaluddin Sheikh Mohamed explained that sustainable tourism was about striking a balance where the community and economy could benefit, while the environment was protected.

“So there is no point to do tourism just for the sake of gaining profit. We have to also take a balanced approach so that the community, people living in a village for example, can get something out of tourism (by) enriching their culture, their way of life. The environment, in the meantime, has to be maintained,” he said.

“So tourism has to be sustainable. It can’t be after three or four years, that’s it, you burn out,” he added.

Sheikh Jamaluddin said that it was an advantage for Brunei to have joined international organisations such as the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organisation) and Apec (Asia-Pacific Economic Community), since “we got access to the best practices, so we know what not to do”.

The Brunei Times

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