Red and yellow ambassadors take Visit Sarawak Campaign stickers on promo tour
KUCHING: Approximately 2,000 taxis sporting Visit Sarawak Campaign (VSC) stickers will cruise the city in an effort to increase visitors and tourists’ awareness of Sarawak as a brand and a geographical name.
Sarawak Tourism Board chief executive officer (CEO) Shazede Salleh said the QR codes featured on the stickers offer tech-savvy visitors and passengers instant connection to the state’s tourism website, the main source of information for visitors.
Taxi drivers as frontliners who raise awareness of the campaign are reminded to be proud of their roles as Sarawak’s tourism ambassadors who carry the brand ̶ Sarawak.
“As our brand ambassadors, you are showing that you are essential partners in our campaign. We believe that there is more to discover in Sarawak than meets the eye, and we want to lead the curiosity of our visitors to look deeper into what Kuching has to offer, and experience it for themselves. The purpose of these VSC stickers are to help visitors and tourists discover these hidden aspects of Sarawak through the QR code,” she said to taxi drivers during the launch of VSC car stickers at Plaza Merdeka’s taxi stand yesterday.
She added the campaign is an opportunity to instantly share our different cultures, adventure, nature, food and festivals throughout the state that will excite visitors and tourists even before they step out of their taxis.
They are also encouraged to strike meaningful conversations with tourists while driving them to their destinations.
She believes that many who enter Sarawak know just enough to plan their visits, but we believe that on arriving there are more to know and yet to be discovered.
“They may have arrived in Kuching to see the different historical monuments along the Kuching Heritage Trail, and not know that just 50 minutes from the city they could visit the Wind and Fairy Caves in Bau or even take part in rock climbing along the steep walls of the nearby cliffs,” she said.
Hence, tourists and visitors could have come hoping to see the orang utan feeding at Semenggoh wildlife centre, not knowing that just half an hour drive away are Bidayuh food trails and traditional cooking classes in the authentic setting of a longhouse.
“Often, tourists’ experience of their destinations is determined by the treatment they receive from their taxi drivers. Thus we firmly believe that you can represent Sarawak hospitality and generosity, treating every visitor with warmth as though they are guests in your own house,” she said.
“As they say, we have only one shot at a first impression, so we should make it a good one.”
Shazede noted that the sticker campaign is just one of the many steps to push our Sarawak brand into the limelight as well as to acknowledge and thank taxi drivers for their continuous contribution towards the promotion of the state among visitors and tourists.
“The promotion of tourism in your work is greatly appreciated and has gone a long way all these years. We are here today to enable us to understand better your roles and how we could enhance your contributions,” she said.
“The session today (yesterday) will also enable us to share our vision to ensure that fellow Sarawakians can work together to share the benefits of tourism business.
“I believe that with the cooperation of our diligent taxi association members, we will be able achieve the desired results while improving your income as the result of more visitor arrivals.”
