KUCHING, Feb 17: The proposed Malaysia-Brunei vaccinated travel lane (VTL) is a positive development for Sarawak’s tourism sector and the recovery of the industry hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic in the year ahead.
Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) chief executive officer (CEO) Sharzede Salleh Askor thus welcomed the proposed implementation of VTL by air and land VTL to ease cross-border movement between the two countries announced on Feb 15 following Prime Minister Dato Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s official visit to Brunei.
“We are encouraged by the announcement made by the Malaysian and Brunei governments as we believe that this decision will aid in boosting the country’s economic recovery, in tandem with the growth of the tourism sector.
“We are confident that the reopening of Brunei’s borders will bode well for us, as Miri, Limbang and Lawas’s borders are the closest to Brunei, and Sarawak has always been a State that attracts travellers from Brunei and around the world,” she said in a media release today.
In ensuring the safety of all, Sharzede gave assurance that the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee has in place intelligent risk management along the borders, as well as stringent standard operating procedures (SOPs).
STB is also encouraged by the decision made by the Ministry of Transport on the sale of bus and airline tickets under VTL between Malaysia and Singapore, which has resumed 100 per cent seating capacity, with immediate effect.
Additionally, STB is also heartened by Scoot Tigerair’s expansion of its route into Sarawak, following news that it will commence direct flights from Singapore into Miri starting Feb 23, apart from its existing flights from Singapore to Kuching three times weekly.
“The opening of this new route between Singapore and Miri reinforces the confidence the airline has in Sarawak as an investment destination, given the stability and growth potential of the State. It is very timely for the airline to operate from Singapore to Miri and vice-versa as Miri is designated as the northern gateway to Sarawak.
“STB is optimistic that these recent developments will contribute towards realising Sarawak’s tourism targets for the year. 2022 is a chapter of resilience, resurgence and growth for the travel industry, and STB will continue focusing on building and creating new ways of doing business beyond the Covid-19 pandemic,” she added.
Citing Sarawak’s unique blend of culture, adventure, nature, food, and festivals (CANFF), Sharzede emphasised that these values will remain as the driving force, and STB remains committed to creating meaningful experiences for all travellers whilst spearheading responsible tourism initiatives. — DayakDaily
