KUCHING: The cleanliness of the environment including the sea needs to be maintained to ensure Miri’s popular tourism product – diving – remains as one of the main contributors of the state’s economy.
When pointing this out, Miri City Council mayor Adam Yii said that Miri was a diving centre which had gained attention with the beauty of its seabed and coral reefs making up the Marine National Park.
He urged tourism operators to promote the Miri-Sibuti Coral Reef National Park while also boosting the water sports tourism industry.
“The Miri-Sibuti Coral Reef National Park is the largest marine national park in the state, namely it an attractive destination for tourists, especially for diving activities.
“Promotions or efforts should be made to commercialise the marine park to diving enthusiasts,” he said when attending the “Coral Reefs Cleaning Awareness Workshop” held at the Miri-Sibuti Coral Reef National Park recently.
He said that in terms of ecotourism, the park could be made an attraction for both local and foreign tourists, adding that besides diving, deep sea fishing was also growing and could become a tourism product.
“We must protect the beauty and cleanliness of the Miri-Sibuti Coral Reef National Park,” Yii emphasised.
He also commended the Northern Sarawak Journalists Association (NSJA) for making the workshop programme a success.
“NSJA actively performs various social and community works and their active involvement in contributing to the community is commendable,” he said, adding that the association was a good example for the community.