BAU: Stakeholders must work hard to maintain and improve tourism facilities and products in order to continue to attract tourists.
Utilities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said tourism is a major economic contributor in many countries including Malaysia.
“In Sarawak, we are attracting tourists through programmes like MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) and eco-tourism,” he said when officiating at the annual Fairy Cave Festival here last Saturday.
He noted that Sarawak was blessed to have a lot of caves such as the renowned Mulu and Niah caves in Miri and Fairy Cave here which were famous tourist attractions.
“I fully support the efforts to upgrade and restore the tourism facilities in this cave in order for it to attract more tourists to come over to Bau,” he stated.
Dr Rundi said the influx of tourists would boost not only the national economy but would result in spin-off economic activities that would benefit the local communities.
“We want tourism to be the driver of our economy. That is why we are looking into our air connectivity very seriously so that we can attract more visitors.
“For instance, Sabah has good air connectivity whereby there are direct flights from Hong Kong, Tokyo and so on which helped boost their state’s tourism industry,” he explained.
At the function, Dr Rundi presented government grant of RM20,000 to local community leader penghulu Joryim Ngayop to finance the festival and upgrade tourism facilities in Krokong.
Among those present were Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh, Industries and Investment Assistant Minister Malcolm Mussen Lamoh, Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Research permanent secretary Datuk William Patrick Nyigor and Bau district officer Anelia Siam.
