KUCHING, Oct 11: The DayakDaily D’Drift 2021 team will once again take to the road to on a State-wide trip with the aim of featuring three national parks and highlighting any issues they come across while passing through small towns, settlements and outposts.
This year’s D’Drift which is DayakDaily’s annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) project is sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac).
Working closely together with the ministry as well as Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), the three-man team will start its journey from Kuching. The trip is scheduled for Oct 11 to 20.
The three national parks will be the team’s main focus, as an effort to increase awareness on the existence of local tourism destinations to encourage domestic as well as national and international tourism.
MTAC minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said with the closure of State borders due to the Covid-19 pandemic since March 2019, his ministry and its agencies have been actively promoting domestic tourism in the State.
“The ‘Sia Sitok Sarawak’ campaign was launched in 2020 offering deals and discounts of up to 50 per cent for over 60 exciting attractions, tours and activities in all divisions throughout Sarawak.
“From unique traditional food to natural pools, amazing waterfalls, stunning cliffsides, exotic rivers, sandy beaches, lush rainforest, exciting trekking and hiking trails, cultural jewels, diverse festivals, sublime sunsets and the many tucked-away-hidden-gems, travellers can definitely find the pumping pulse in every nook and cranny of Sarawak.
“The variety of activities and packages including day trips and non-overnight tours as well as full-board multiple-day trips with accommodation and means are perfect for single travellers, couples or even families with children in need of a weekend escapade, for a round of sightseeing, a fun dive or simply to be mesmerised by nature,” he said during the D’Drift flag-off ceremony held at DayakDaily’s office in Kuching today.
He also hoped that through D’Drift 2021, the team can traverse the roads less travelled and give a voice to those who are voiceless, especially the rural communities by featuring and reporting their stories and issues.
“This will help the ministry and its agencies to chart our strategies to empower our local communities to get involved in tourism,” he added.
At the same time, Abdul Karim said the media plays a very big role in promoting tourism products as well as highlighting shortcomings along the way such as lack of parking spaces at a tourist hotspot, for instance.
“And that is where the agencies that are looking after the tourism places will be able to acknowledge the issues and in a way, we will be able to assist each other apart from educating the general public on the do’s and don’ts of visiting the places,” he emphasised.
Also present were the ministry’s permanent secretary Hii Chang Kee, SFC chief executive officer Zolkipli Mohamad Aton and HWS Development Sdn Bhd Group director Datuk William Wei. — DayakDaily
