By Nancy Nais
LUNDU, June 22: Some 60 international beauty queens contesting at the Miss Tourism International 2022 World Final will leave behind their footprints, literally, at the International Friendship Pathway in Lundu Town Square this November.
The organiser is set to create a cement walkway reminiscent of Hollywood’s Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, where the beauty queens will be imprinting their footprints for posterity.
Calling the event a significant and historical moment, Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Datuk Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said this is the first time ever, where beauty queens from 60 countries will set foot in Lundu.
The International Friendship Pathway at Lundu Town Square will be ready to greet these contestants on Nov 17 this year.
“This can be a good landmark that serves as an attraction for tourists, It can be an Instagram-able spot as well, where it will become a digital content that will last a long time in the virtual realm, making Lundu a sustainable tourism brand over the digital world, promoting this beautiful township 24/7, borderless across the globe.
“Consistent promotion and branding activities are the keys to bring in more tourists and visitors. Through global events like this Miss Tourism International World Final, we can create global impact directly through beauty queens from 60 countries. They will definitely share about their encounters in Sarawak with their community upon their return to their home country,” Abdul Karim said at the launch today.
He added that the first Miss Tourism International was held in Kuching, Sarawak back in 1994.
After 24 years, for its 25th year anniversary, the pageant is finally returning to the Land of Hornbills.
As Lundu is a unique township with beautiful nature resources such as Sungai Batang Kayan, Gunung Gading, Jangkar Waterfall, beaches like Pandan Beach, Pugu Beach, Sematan Beach, Siar Beach, with its world’s biggest rafflesia flower and the only Selakau ethnic group in the world, Abdul Karim asserts that Lundu is well equipped naturally as a tourist destination which can potentially becoming an international attraction like Bali or Phuket.
From a government’s perspective, he said it is good to see activities and contributions that is going to benefit the communities, laying the foundation for a sustainable tourism development.
“The YAST Group has set a good example by developing the digital platform and ecosystem for people to know Lundu, eventually Sarawak as a whole, through a series of pre-events before the Miss Tourism International 2022 World Final this November.
“At the same time, I am also touched by their corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts where merchandises are created and allowing local people to participate in related businesses, completing the tourist ecosystem from upstream to downstream,” Abdul Karim said.
As branding will take time, he believed the upcoming two to three years will see Lundu as one of Borneo’s top tourist spots in the making especially with YAST Group piloting a metaverse project by including Lundu as one of its unique contents to be presented to the digital world. — DayakDaily
