By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Dec 14: The 1st International Conference on Design for Sustainable Living (ICDeSL) 2021 is expected to boost innovative ideas and sustainable solutions in improving Sarawak’s tourism industry.
Tourism, Arts and Culture (MTAC) Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the rapid advancement of smart tourism technology brings new opportunities for tourism development.
He took note that more travel destinations are relying on smart technology to attract more tourists to visit and enrich their travel experience and most tourists use smart technology such as location queries, local restaurant reviews, or mobile payments through smartphones during their travel.
“Smart technology is used throughout the whole travel process, including by destination marketing organisations (DMOs) websites, tourism apps, social media, and virtual reality for tourists to arrange and enrich their trips.
“Researchers have recognised the potential of smart technology and predicted that the smart technology used by tourists will become more diversified.
“Hence, I wish to see the extended version of this knowledge to be explored in depth by all prominent researchers who are participating in this conference,” he said in his speech text read by MTAC permanent secretary Hii Chang Kee at the opening ceremony of ICDeSL 2021 at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) today.
Abdul Karim believed that there is a need to develop technology-based tourism in the State as a way forward, which will help to ensure that the industry could recover amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“For example, the utilisation of Sarawak Travel App as part of our Sarawak Tourism Promotion Campaign is vital as it can be a great promotion and marketing tool for our tourism.
“Among other digital initiatives planned include S-MM2H (Sarawak/Malaysia My Second Home Programme) online application, Digital Visitors Landing App, digitalisation of Sarawak Tourism Satellite Account (STSA) and Digital Visitor Tracking App.
“Nevertheless, I believe that we still can revive our tourism industry and people’s confidence to travel and explore the Land of Hornbills, Sarawak,” he added.
The event also witnessed three memoranda of agreement (MOA) virtual signing ceremonies involving Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) with Dalian University of Technology, China; University of Stavanger and TERP AS, Norway; and University of Évry Val d’Essonne, France. — DayakDaily
