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03
ITB BERLIN:
WHEN QUALITY
COUNTS…
AS THE INDUSTRY GETS A
“RESET”, WHERE WILL THE
FUTURE LEAD US?
ITB BERLIN CONVENTION
Alain Dupeyras
Head of Regional
Development and
Tourism Division,
OECD
#13
#29
DESTINATION
SPOTLIGHT
ASIA
A tourism powerhouse
in 2019
SPECIAL FEATURE
LUXURY
GERMAN REGION
BAVARIA
#17
#38
EDITORIAL
Richard Barnes
Editor-in-Chief,
ITB Berlin News
Where is this all leading us?
As we work on this third “special edition” of
ITB Berlin News 2020, the global health and
financial crisis is paying a particularly heavy
toll on the tourism industry. But where is it
leading us, and what will change as a result of
the crisis?
As they say “in any crisis lies opportunity”,
so what will be the opportunities after this
one? One of the industry’s biggest bugbears
– overtourism – is suddenly no longer a
problem. Distribution is another question, in
which hotel operators and OTAs are finding
themselves at loggerheads about how this
situation should have been handled. Activity
has ground to a halt.
In the months and years “post Covid-19”, ITB
– in all its forms – will play a very major role
in pressing the “reset” button, and helping
the industry trace a new roadmap, thanks to
unprecedented thought leadership, bringing
the greatest minds of the industry together
through the ITB Berlin Convention. Indeed,
as we mentioned last week, this has already
been the case in the absence of the physical
event, thanks to the virtual event on ITB.com.
In future, the role of the show will be more
important than ever in this sense.
One thing is sure. When the crisis is over,
people will want to get back out into the world.
And ITB – the travel network – will be there to
help ensure they do it in the right way
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CONTENTS
#05 NEWS
#12 ITB BERLIN
CONVENTION
#14 RESPONSIBLE
TOURISM
#29 REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT
ASIA
#38 GERMAN REGIONS
BAVARIA
SPECIAL FEATURES
#17 LUXURY ACCOMMODATION
& TRAVEL
#25 CITY BREAKS
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020 • 3
I NEWS I
TOUR PARTNER
GROUP
PRESENTS
IDEAS...
VIRTUALLY
The cancellation of ITB is not
stopping Tour Partner Group
from promoting new ideas.
The group is presenting its latest travel
ideas for the United Kingdom, Ireland
and the Nordics in virtual form during a
webinar, fielding questions concerning
their new brand presence.
ITB.com – a new
window to the world
Networking, industry news and the ITB
Virtual Convention available on an innovative
platform
With 300 employees in 6 offices, Tour
Partner Group, previously known as Hotels
& More, Irish Welcome Tours and Trans
Nordic Tours – claims to still provide
the same kind of personalised service as
before.
The B2B experts will be contacting their
clients shortly to arrange meetings and
bring travel trends into client’s offices.
Head of Sales Hinrika Busemann's webinar
on March 12 presented the new Tour
Partner Group brand and brochure tours,
as well as answer questions in connection
with the re-branding.
Despite its cancellation this year, ITB is offering
digital services 365 days a year by launching itb.com.
The show has thus established a completely new
networking platform for the world’s travel industry
on a website spanning a bridge between real-life
meetings and digital networking.
“In these very difficult times the
tourism industry needs ITB more
than ever”, said Dr Martin Buck,
Senior Vice President, Travel &
Logistics, Messe Berlin GmbH.
The ITB Virtual Convention
features leading speakers from
ITB looking at how the world’s
travel industry can harness
intelligent strategies to make sure
it remains future-proof even in a
challenging environment. In the
wake of the latest developments,
discussions on how the industry
can deal with the coronavirus
are playing a key role. Between 5
and 11 March 2020 viewers were
able to follow more than 20 live
streams and videos on itb.com.
Since, they have been made
available as videos on demand.
Recordings were done in a
specially equipped studio on the
Berlin Exhibition Grounds, from
which numerous sessions have
been streamed. Some speakers
also joined-in from remote
locations via Skype.
“By launching this new website,
we are establishing a key platform
and travel network which has no
parallel and which can be made
use of in every market around
the world. The aim is to ensure
business, content and networking
availability 365 days a year. This
underscores our year-round
leading international standing in
terms of the market and opinions
and consolidates the position of
our USPs, contacts and content”,
Dr Buck said.
NETWORKING
MADE EASY
The AI-based Travel Network
is a self-teaching system
which continually offers users
relevant travel industry contact
information. All registered
attendees at ITB Berlin 2020 are
able to access the Travel Network.
Even if you had not previously
planned to visit the show in Berlin,
it is possible to register. Travel
Network users can set up a profile,
match interests, be contacted
and can network. They can also
follow other users, exchange
contact details, chat and set up
appointments. “Virtual rooms”
are being made available online
where users can hold meetings
which they had scheduled prior
to ITB Berlin 2020. A video link
enables face-to-face meetings –
it is also possible to communicate
via an audio link only
“Our brand new 2021 idea-giver for
group and individual travel to the United
Kingdom, Ireland and the Nordics will
arrive in our customers' mailboxes next
week. If you would like to take an early look
at our new catalogue, check out our new
Tour Partner Group website or register
for our webinar,” commented Hinrika
Busemann
Hinrika
Busemann
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020 • 5
I NEWS I
Selangor – determination and
positive attitude reign
The Malaysian state targets more European visitors from UK,
Germany and France
Tuan Azrul Shah
bin Mohamad
General Manager
of Tourism Selangor
The delegation from the State of Selangor continued its tourism
promotional pursuits in Berlin, despite the cancellation of
ITB Berlin 2020. We asked Tuan Azrul Shah bin Mohamad,
General Manager of Tourism Selangor what contributed to
such determination.
The European travel market made
up 7.5% out of the total tourist
arrivals to Selangor from
January to September 2019.
The top three countries
were the United Kingdom,
France and Germany.
Various international and
domestic promotional
initiatives have been
planned for execution
in 2020. The Berlin
promotional pursuit
from March 2-6
paved the way for the
acknowledgement
of Selangor in
the European
travel market, despite
the cancellation of ITB
Berlin 2020, through
arranged Businessto-business
(B2B) sessions
with local tour, travel and PR
agencies, and a Government-to-
Government (G2G) session with H.E.
Datin Sarah Albakri Devadason,
Ambassador of Malaysia to the Federal
Republic of Germany and Tourism
Malaysia officers in Berlin.
Can you elaborate on the promotional
initiatives pursued by Tourism
Selangor in 2020?
For the year 2020, the State of Selangor
will be involved in more than 10
established overseas travel trade fairs
and sales missions. For a closer-toheart
approach, Tourism Selangor
will be involved in a local Roadshow
to other States in Malaysia and
participate in local Travel Fairs,
Expos and Conventions to entice the
domestic market. Tourism Selangor
also focuses on mainstream media and
digital advertising local and overseas
with frequent media-buys, and other
advertising approaches such as
LED, stand-still Billboards and in-flight
advertising. Tourism Selangor has also
launched its brand-new and revamped
official website, Selangor.Travel which
boasts an interactive interface and
smooth user experience.
What is your vision for fostering the
tourism industry in Selangor?
The State of Selangor through
Tourism Selangor is committed
Selangor, just a stone’s throw from
Kuala Lumpur, boasts numerous
attractions, such as Batu Caves,
Kuala Selangor Fireflies, the
Royal Selangor manufacturing
plant, Bukit Melawati, Sekinchan,
Selangor Fruit Valley, Mah Meri
Cultural Village, Sunway Theme
Park, the “Sky Mirror”, and
Selangor River Flireflies.
Site of a Hindu temple and shrine,
Batu Caves attract thousands
of worshippers and tourists,
especially during the annual Hindu
festival, Thaipusam. Incorporated
with interior limestone formations
said to be around 400 million
years old, the temple is considered
an important religious landmark
by Hindus. Monkeys frolic around
the caves, and it is a popular spot
for rock climbing enthusiasts.
in strengthening the tourism industry
from its core by leveraging in distinctive
tourism segmentation such as
medical, golf, MICE and eco-tourism.
It is crucial to prepare the State
for the official Visit Selangor Year
2021 Campaign tailing down from the
Visit Malaysia Year 2020 Campaign.
The State has taken several measures
to enhance the tourism industry such
as the Selangor P3S Programme which
was implemented to encourage
tourism operators in Selangor to apply
for a proper licence to ensure a wellsupervised
operation on their end and
the safety of their visitors. The State has
also come out with a 5-year Tourism
Master Plan commences 2021
until 2026, mostly to support the
upcoming Visit Selangor Year 2021
Campaign initiatives.
SELANGOR – HOME TO
COUNTLESS ATTRACTIONS
Not far from here, visitors are
also able to get a look behind the
scenes at Royal Selangor, the
world’s foremost name in quality
pewter. The factory now features a
“first”, as visitors are able to make
their very own pewter objects,
using traditional tools, in the
“School of Hard Knocks.
Batu Caves
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020 • 7
8 • ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020
www.itb-berlin-news.com
I NEWS I
NEW
IDeaS
The revenue management
software company IDeaS has
launched a new cloud-based
module to complements its
existing portfolio.
Bespoke Inc has
announced the official
launch of "Bebot", which
informs and assists
residents and travellers
about Covid-19.
Bespoke is described as the
“world's first AI-powered
chatbot developed specifically
for travellers”. The designated
chatbot can be easily accessed
by anyone at http://bit.ly/
coronavirus-bebot. Bebot
provides information on what's
happening with the virus,
prevention methods, what to do
when infected, updates on travel
bans and contact information for
government and health services.
"When the devastating
earthquake hit Japan on March 11,
2011, I was on the 20th floor of a
high-rise. Monitors started falling,
and as I hid under a desk, I tried
calling my mother but the phone
lines were down. Not knowing
what would happen next, this
became the longest 15 minutes
of my life," says Bespoke's CEO
Akemi Tsunagawa. "From my
personal experiences of that
disaster, I wanted to create a
service that could assist people
in the middle of any emergency. I
empathize with people's fears and
the need to receive immediate
and accurate information
wherever they are."
As the year began with the
Covid-19 pandemic, Bebot can
help to address the concerns
of residents and anxious
visitors. With Bebot, users
have immediate access to
critical information about the
coronavirus in English, Simplified
Chinese and Traditional Chinese
from any mobile device. Bebot
shares health and virus-specific
information, such as symptoms
to look out for, preventative
Bebot will provide information on what's
happening with the virus, prevention
methods, what to do if infected, updates
on travel bans and contact information
for government and health services.
AI Chatbot provides
assistance during
Coronavirus
measures to take and treatment
procedures. Additionally, Bebot
shares the latest news about
the outbreak, current statistical
information like transmission
rates and contact information to
government agencies.
Headquartered in Tokyo, Bespoke
Inc. describes itself as the world's
leading developer of multilingual
Artificial Intelligence solutions
serving the travel and tourism
industry. Bespoke provides
solutions to major airports, cities
and transport authorities to aid
in congestion management,
emergency communication
and driving in-market spend.
Bespoke's customers include
the Narita International Airport,
Sendai International Airport, the
Tokyo Metro, JR East's Tokyo
Station, the Mie Prefecture,
Holiday Inn and Sofitel Hotels &
Resorts
IDeaS, a SAS company, is a leading provider
of revenue management software and
services. The company delivers “revenue
science” to more than 13,000 clients in 140
countries. The company has now launched
its new “RevPlan” software package, a
cloud-based module built to complement
its flagship RMS products. The module is
designed to take the pain out of budgeting
and forecasting a hotel's total business,
including food and beverage outlets.
Until now, hotels have relied on manual
forecasting and data collection to plan
operations for their total business.
This error-prone, time-consuming
process leads to inefficient labour costs,
siloed decision-making and smaller profits.
Sanjay Nagalia, co-founder and
Chief Operating Officer, IDeaS,
said, "While others talk about the future
of hotel technology, for the past 30
years, IDeaS has invented it. Hoteliers
face many challenges when it comes to
the planning and budgeting of their total
business. Essential data is spread out
and isolated, the manual process is prone
to errors and non-rooms revenue is left on
the side-lines. That's why we developed
RevPlan, a budgeting and planning solution
built for and by hoteliers"
Sanjay Nagalia
Co-founder
and Chief Operating Officer,
IDeaS
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020 • 9
I NEWS I
ADVERTORIAL
New brand
ambassador for
Fairmont
Discover MICE
opportunities
in Latvia
Riga, Latvia
With new hotels and venues opening every year, Latvia
is becoming an ever more attractive events destination:
easy to reach and with ample meeting space in pictureperfect
historical and natural surroundings.
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has
named film icon Susan Sarandon as
its new global brand ambassador.
The Oscar-winning actress will star
in a soon-to-be-launched global
brand campaign that will portray
the transformative power of travel,
connecting Fairmont's history
and majestic hotels with modern
sensibilities and the dreams of a
new generation of travellers.
Fairmont's links with the world of
cinema go back a long way. Fans of
the golden age of film might spot
Fairmont hotels in such movie
classics as North by Northwest,
River of No Return, Vertigo,
Breakfast at Tiffany's, and The
French Lieutenant's Woman. Ms.
Sarandon herself has appeared in
a number of films shot on-location
at Fairmont hotels, including Little
Women, The January Man and King
of Gypsies.
"Fairmont and Susan Sarandon
share a spirit of adventure, a passion
for thinking globally and acting
locally, and a history of turning
words into action," said Sharon
Cohen, Vice President, Fairmont
Hotels & Resorts. "We chose
Susan to represent the essence
of Fairmont - representing
a strength of character and
timeless sophistication."
The collaboration between Ms
Sarandon and the Fairmont brand
will focus on their shared values.
With Oscar, BAFTA, and SAG
awards, along with a filmography
of over 100 films, Ms Sarandon
continues to inspire audiences with
new work, including roles in The
Meddler, The Jesus Rolls and Ray
Donovan.
"It is a privilege to work with
Fairmont, a company for whose
values I have great respect and
whose extraordinary hotels are a joy
to experience," said Ms Sarandon.
"Together, we hope to convey a
sense of life as a grand journey
that we hope will be meaningful
and inspiring to guests and fans of
Fairmont around the world"
RIGA – CONVENIENT
TO REACH FROM
DESTINATIONS
WORLDWIDE
Riga - The Baltic's biggest airport
is directly connected to over 100
destination in Europe and it is
located only 1h from Stockholm,
2h 10min from Frankfurt, 2h
40min from London and Paris.
National airline Air Baltic has the
youngest jet fleet in Europe with
many routes served by the ultramodern
Airbus A220. Lufthansa,
SAS, Finnair and Turkish Airlines
are among the airlines connecting
Riga International Airport to
destinations worldwide.
Daily ferries connect Riga to
Stockholm, and comfortable buses
travel between Riga, Vilnius and
Tallinn on a near-hourly basis.
COMING SOON: Rail Baltica,
meanwhile, is a major infrastructure
project currently in the planning
stages, and will connect the Baltics
to the rest of Europe by high speed
railway.
FROM FAIRY-TALE
BALLROOMS TO
LEADING-EDGE
CONFERENCE SUITES
The Historic Centre of Riga – a
UNESCO World Heritage Site –
tells just part of the city’s story
with popular venues including
the House of Black Heads and
Latvian National Museum of
Art. Visitors are able to discover
Riga’s industrial heritage, wooden
architecture and markets on a city
rally, or choose a venue such as the
brand new Hanzas Perons, which
was once a railway loading station.
Riga is also close to beaches and
national parks should one wish to
add outdoor elements to an event
programme or be closer to nature
for the duration of a meeting
Susan
Sarandon
© Jonas Unger - CNW Group/Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020 • 11
I ITB BERLIN CONVENTION I
Cities get
smart
Former UNWTO senior officer and
current advisor to the Secretary
General of the World Tourism Cities
Foundation, Esencan Terzibasoglu
was set to participate in an
important presentation at the ITB
Berlin Convention, entitled, “Better
City Life Through Smart Tourism”.
We asked Ms Terzibasoglu to tell us
a little more about what was to be
covered at the session.
The World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF)
has recently released the “Global Report on
Smart Tourism in Cities” sharing the results
of a comprehensive research on smart
tourism in urban destinations. The concept
of “smart tourism” is closely related to the
concept of “smart city”. “Smart tourism” has
gained significant momentum in destination
governance policies and management
strategies over more than a decade because
the tourism industry has been facing a
tremendous paradigm shift as regards
the behaviour of the traveller as well as the
structure of the supply chain.
What are the keys to becoming
a “smart urban tourism
destination”?
Context wise, one can say
that “smart cities” are those
which have developed smart
(intelligent) physical, social,
institutional and economic
infrastructure while ensuring
the centrality of citizens in a
sustainable environment. We
can also say that “smart urban
destinations” are those which
show the above-mentioned
characteristics and likewise,
which have also developed
efficient strategies to enhance
tourism competitiveness by deploying
their natural and cultural resources in a
sustainable manner and by creating innovative
products for the visitor. Within this context,
it is significant that smart urban destinations
should take the advantage of the fast changing
digital technology, smart devices and in the
meantime create strategic information and
knowledge by using smart tools and platforms
and share all this with the stakeholders for
better governance and management
Esencan
Terzibasoglu
12 • ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020
www.itb-berlin-news.com
I ITB BERLIN CONVENTION I
POLICY MAKERS NEED TO
WORK WITH INDUSTRY AND
COMMUNITIES TO (…) IMPLEMENT
A LONG-TERM AND SUSTAINABLE
VISION FOR THE FUTURE
Alain Dupeyras
Head of Regional Development
and Tourism Division, OECD
Tourism trends and policies 2020
OECD releases important new industry reports
A keynote panel at ITB was set to tackle “Re-thinking Tourism
Success: Managing Destinations for Sustainable Growth”,
with the release of a new OECD report entitled "Tourism
Trends and Policies 2020" .
In the absence of the keynote, we asked Alain Dupeyras,
Head of Regional Development and Tourism Division, OECD
to give us some details about the report.
The 2020 edition of OECD Tourism
Trends and Policies 2020 analyses
tourism performance and policy
trends across 51 OECD countries and
partner economies. It highlights the
need for coherent and comprehensive
approaches to tourism policy
making, and the significance of the
tourism economy, with data covering
domestic, inbound and outbound
tourism, enterprises and employment,
and internal tourism consumption.
The chapter on “Rethinking tourism
success for sustainable growth”
explores the economic, social and
environmental benefits and costs
associated with tourism growth,
and the need for policy makers and
industry to better understand the
potential implications for destinations
striving to achieve more sustainable
tourism growth. The analysis
highlights that for many countries,
regions and destinations, tourism
growth remains economically, socially
and environmentally unbalanced,
often as a result of rapid and
unplanned growth in visitor numbers.
A selection of key policy
considerations are highlighted to help
both established and new destinations
to strike a balance between the
benefits and costs associated with
tourism development and implement
a sustainable vision for the future.
For many destinations, tourism
remains unbalanced, and as a result,
policy makers need to work with
industry and communities to strike
a balance between the benefits
and costs associated with tourism
development and implement a longterm
and sustainable vision for the
future.
Do you have any examples of best
practices?
The report is a rich source of country
examples and best practices. In terms
of sustainability, the examples below
are some of the most recent and
innovative initiatives introduced in
OECD countries:
• Mainstreaming sustainability.
Built upon extensive stakeholder
consultation, Plan T – Master Plan for
Tourism defines sustainability in all
its facets as the overarching guiding
principle for tourism in Austria. While
Perspective 2030 provides a new
vision of Destination Holland with the
ambition that by 2030, every Dutch
citizen will benefit from tourism. In
order to build a loved, valuable and
liveable destination.
• Engaging the industry. The
Tourism Sustainability Commitment
initiative in New Zealand is an industry
led initiative established by Tourism
Industry Aotearoa, which aims to
ensure that every New Zealand
tourism business is committed
to sustainability by 2025 (www.
sustainabletourism.nz). Developed by
industry for industry, it has established
8 industry-level sustainability Goals
and 14 Commitments.
• Designing new tourism strategies.
Under Canada’s new tourism strategy,
Creating Middle Class Jobs: A Federal
Tourism Growth Strategy, two of the
three main pillars have a specific focus
on investment to support sustainable
growth, with one of the key objectives
being to grow international visitation
outside of gateway cities and the
country’s most iconic tourism
destinations, and beyond the summer
season
THE OECD WORKS
TO DELIVER
BENEFITS TO
PEOPLE, PLACES
AND BUSINESSES
THROUGH
TOURISM
While overall growth trends
in this dynamic sector are
positive – despite potential
short-term impacts due to an
uncertain economic outlook
and external shocks (such as
health scares and extreme
weather events) – governments
are increasingly developing
policies that seek to maximise
the economic, environmental
and social benefits that tourism
can provide.
Governments are currently
facing two critical issues
in terms of managing the
tourism sector: leveraging
the benefits of the digital
transformation, and the need to
implement sustainable tourism
policies. Both of these topics
are addressed as thematic
chapters in the current OECD
flagship publications, Tourism
Trends and Policies 2020, and
Rethinking tourism success for
sustainable growth
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020 • 13
I RESPONSIBLE TOURISM I
ADVERTORIAL
Costa Rica
capitalises on
ecotourism
reputation
Lufthansa's new Boeing 777-9 aircraft will contribute to greater energy savings for the airline
New technologies
to reduce carbon
emissions in air
travel
María Amalia
Revelo Raventós
Minister for Tourism, Costa Rica
Over the next ten years, the Lufthansa Group is set to
receive a new fuel-efficient aircraft every two weeks on
average, with carbon emissions reduced by up to 25%
compared to previous models.
The group’s modern, efficient, and
standardised fleet covers various
market segments, as continuous
investments are made in
fundamental fleet modernisation.
Sustainability is a key factor in this
strategy.
Using aircraft of the most recent
generation is, says Lufthansa, the
best short-term lever for reducing
aviation emissions. Increasingly
fuel-efficient aircraft and a large
number of fuel efficiency programs
have already allowed the Lufthansa
Group to significantly reduce the
specific consumption of its fleet by
30% over the past 25 years.
On several occasions, the
Lufthansa Group has been a
“launch customer”, being the first
to introduce new aircraft that are
quieter and more fuel-efficient,
such as the Airbus A320neo for
Lufthansa in 2016 or the C Series
aircraft for SWISS. In the long-haul
segment, the Lufthansa Group has
also been emphasising climate
and environmental responsibility
for years by commissioning
new aircraft. The Airbus A350-
900, which Lufthansa has so far
operated exclusively from Munich,
is one of the most modern and
environmentally friendly long-haul
jets.
Lufthansa will be one of the first
airlines in the world to welcome a
further fleet addition in 2021: the
Boeing 777-9. The Lufthansa Group
has ordered a total of 20 of these
high-efficiency long-haul aircraft.
The two newly developed GE9X
engines and the extremely long and
narrowly curved wings, which are
largely made of carbon fibre, are
the main factors in increasing fuel
efficiency. The Boeing 777-9 also
provides a much wider cabin than
its predecessors. For the first time,
it will feature the new Business
Class, with direct aisle access for
every passenger
Acknowledged as pioneers in ecotourism, the Costa
Rica Ministry of Tourism is keen to capitalise on this
reputation with further growth in the industry, as María
Amalia Revelo Raventós, Minister for Tourism, Costa
Rica, explained to ITB Berlin News.
The latest figures from Instituto
Costarricense de Turismo (ICT)
show that in 2019 tourism grew
4.1% not least because more and
more travellers are demanding
sustainable travel to countries with
a high nature experience value. A
key growth zone in Costa Rica is
Guanacaste: with a total area of
9,529 sq km and more than 700km
of Pacific coastline from the border
with Nicaragua to the mouth of the
Rio Bongo, this region is home to a
significant portion of Costa Rica's
natural and cultural heritage.
What types of tourism are
booming at the moment?
Today’s affluent consumers are
global, digital and discerning.
Instead of "universal and
consistent" hotels, guests are now
seeking "unique and personal"
experiences. Costa Rica is known
for its abundant nature and wildlife
and has developed its reputation
as a year-round quality destination
for authentic travel experiences
– biodiverse, safe, and full of
potential for adventure.
The environmental campaign
launched by your President last
year is very ambitious. Can you
tell us more about it?
Costa Rica has set itself the
goal of being carbon neutral by
2050 and by 2016 was already
generating 99% of its electricity
from renewable energies. The
country wants to play the
investment card of the world and
highlight our enormous potential
as a multi-destination - especially
in sustainable tourism, where we
are already well-known, but also in
meeting and wellness tourism
14 • ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020
www.itb-berlin-news.com
I RESPONSIBLE TOURISM I
Games people play
Sustainable ways to explore France's Nouvelle-Aquitaine:
New app helps boost tourism to the region
The French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine has developed a very
special kind of “treasure hunt” called "Terra Aventura", which
has rapidly won the hearts of many tourists. Michel Durrieu,
General Director, Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Tourism Board
tells to ITB Berlin News how this experience turned into a true
success for the entire region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
Terra Aventura is a tourism-related
treasure hunt game which is the largest
in the world in terms of participants.
In 2019, we passed the two-million
players' mark. The game stretches all
over the Nouvelle-Aquitaine territory.
THE PURPOSE OF
TERRA AVENTURA
IS TO ATTRACT
TOURISTS
TO VARIOUS
TERRITORIES WHERE
THEY WOULD NOT
HAVE VISITED
WITHOUT THIS
TREASURE HUNT
The app is free and can be downloaded
on mobile phones. Originally, the
game was created to develop tourism
off the beaten track, particularly to
promote upcountry destinations,
away from traditional coast and urban
destinations. It is a great way to be in
touch with our nature and of course
local populations in small communities.
Can you tell us about the way Terra
Aventura is organised? How many
circuits are available?
There are now over 400 itineraries,
which last on average between one
and two hours. In each itinerary,
participants need to find answers to
three to four questions. It is actually a
very fun way to learn about the visited
area with, at the end, participants
collecting a real treasure. On average,
our players will do up to five itineraries.
Is the hunt open to foreign visitors? If
so, how, and who can play?
Terra Aventura is also available for
foreign travellers. The app has been
translated in four languages beside
French. We now have versions in
English, German, Spanish and Dutch.
Families represent the largest number
of participants, approximately 72%.
28% are playing with friends or
individually. In this category, we find a
lot of passionate geocaching players.
Who was involved in developing the
app, and how does it work?
We are owners of the app. We developed
the itinerary in all territories, such
as Basque Land, Bordeaux, Poitiers
and the Futuroscope theme park, La
Rochelle and of course, Limoges, the
cradle of the game. We are glad to see
tourists to enjoy the diversity of our
region and attract people to areas
where they would not have visited
without this treasure hunt. This was the
main objective behind the launching of
Terra Aventura
Michel Durrieu
General Director,
Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional
Tourism Board
BRIEFS
2 M
In 2017, Terra Aventura had 280,000
players. With more than 750,000 players in
2018 and two million in 2019, the number
could overpass the three-million mark in
2020 according to Michel Durrieu.
98% SATISFACTION
98 % of the participants declared to be satisfied of their experience
playing Terra Aventura in 2019.
91%
RETURN
RATE
91% of players indicate they will
come back to discover more of
Nouvelle-Aquitaine territories.
68% of participants say to have
taken into account Terra Aventura
for the choice of the destination
and 34% told that the game was
their principal factor of decision.
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020 • 15
I SPECIAL FEATURE I LUXURY ACCOMMODATION & TRAVEL I
Marc Aeberhard
Luxury Hotel & Spa
Management Ltd
ACCOR’S
MONDRIAN
BRAND: KEY
NEW PROPERTY
OPENINGS
Having passed an historic milestone in the past
couple of months – with the opening of their
3,000 th property in Europe, Accor has also added
a new brand in Europe this year – Mondrian.
Luxury travel takes
on a new shine
with ITB
The luxury market last year reported strong
growth: according to a recent survey by
statista, luxury travel currently accounts for
14% of tourism sales worldwide, equivalent to
€750bn this year.
To this end, a new handbook
entitled Basic Information
and Perspectives on
Luxury Tourism - Customer
Behaviour - Paradigm
Shifts - Market Trends -
Best Practices has been
released examining the
phenomenon of luxury
tourism from numerous
perspectives, with a special
focus on the trends that
will dominate the luxury
market in the future, as well
as offering concrete advice
to luxury providers. Its
authors are the publisher
Prof. Roland Conrady,
Head of the ITB Berlin
Convention, David Ruetz,
Head of ITB Berlin and
Marc Aeberhard, Luxury
Hotel & Spa Management Ltd., all of whom are
involved with the ITB Berlin Convention.
In the handbook, numerous experts, including
leading scientists and senior executives, dwell
on topics ranging from developments in the
macro-environment of the tourism market, the
ACCORDING
TO A RECENT
SURVEY BY
STATISTA,
LUXURY TRAVEL
CURRENTLY
ACCOUNTS
FOR 14% OF
TOURISM SALES
WORLDWIDE,
EQUIVALENT
TO €750BN THIS
YEAR.
marketing management of luxury providers,
to mega tourism trends and their relevance
to the luxury market. Leading-edge examples
and case studies of the tourism market round
off this work, which is
a guide for practicians,
senior executives,
employees, tour operators,
students and trainees
in the tourism industry,
for whom it is intended
to serve as a manual for
tourism developments and
strategy concepts. The
luxury tourism handbook
is available in German
from Springer Fachmedien
Wiesbaden and was
scheduled be published
in English to coincide with
ITB Berlin 2020.
With its new Home of
Luxury by ITB - scheduled
for 2020, but now pushed
back to 2021, at the
Marshall Haus of Messe
Berlin, in partnership with
loop and Luxury Hotel & Spa Management
specialists will be provided with an exclusive
platform for this growing travel market for the
first time. As the name suggests, the "New
Home of Luxury Tourism" will be much more
than simply an exhibition area for the luxury
market. Stay tuned!
The new brand arrives with two properties in
France. First, with the Cannes Grand Hotel on
the Croisette and its reopening forecast for 2021.
The hotel will be comprised of 75 guestrooms
distributed on 11 floors, a restaurant and a bar
overlooking on a 4,000 m² private garden,
adjustable meeting rooms and a private beach in
front of the hotel. The private beach opening in
2020 will unveil the Lifestyle positioning of this
new and unique brand on the French Riviera.
Another property will arrive in Bordeaux. The
hotel, built around a 19th century building, will
be comprised of 97 guestrooms each ranging
between 25 and 50m² and spread over three
floors. This ambitious and elegant project will be
launched during a ground-breaking ceremony in
spring 2020 in the presence of all stakeholders
who contributed to this achievement.
For several years, the Accor group has been
accelerating the development of its upscale
brands, a sector in which it has been nurturing a
powerful ambition since the acquisition in 2016 of
the Fairmont, Raffles, and Swissôtel brands
© Christophe Finot
THE CROISETTE IN
CANNES, INCLUDING
THE GRAND HOTEL
- SOON TO BE A
MONDRIAN PROPERTY
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020 • 17
I SPECIAL FEATURE I LUXURY ACCOMMODATION & TRAVEL I
18 • ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020
www.itb-berlin-news.com
I SPECIAL FEATURE I LUXURY ACCOMMODATION & TRAVEL I
Rwanda's eco-lodges:
a base for viewing
lions, leopards and
gorillas
One and Only
hotel and resort -
Rwanda
Rwanda's environmentally
friendly lodges and resorts are
attracting eco-tourists hoping
to meet mountain gorillas and
see the "big five" game animals.
A key selling point of the country's
accommodation is the opportunity to
enjoy what are described as world-class
wildlife experiences without having to
sacrifice creature comforts.
Akagera National Park, in the east of the
country is the largest protected wetland
in central Africa and has two off-grid
places for wildlife lovers to stay. In the
south of the park, Ruzizi Tented Lodge
gives travellers in private tents the chance
to enjoy the sounds of nature during the
nights. Magashi Camp in the north is a
luxurious lodge on a peninsula noted for
its concentration of wildlife. It is an ideal
spot for visitors hoping to see the big five
- lion, leopard, rhinoceros, Cape buffalo
and elephant.
Nyungwe National Park, the oldest
protected mountain rainforest in central
Africa, is in southern Rwanda. Here,
Nyungwe House has spa treatments and
yoga classes just a short distance from
areas where colobus monkeys swing
through the treetops.
There are few, if any, wildlife experiences
that equal a visit to endangered mountain
gorillas in their natural habitat, and
Volcanoes National Park has a dozen
gorilla families that can be seen daily.
In doing so, travellers are investing
in the animals' conservation and in
the communities that preserve these
creatures
Royal experiences
on offer at Taj Hotels
Guests at the Umaid
Bhawan Palace can
ride in a vintage car
accompanied by a Royal
butler.
Rising above the landscape in an extraordinary mix of
architectural styles, the Umaid Bhawan Palace near
the Indian city of Jodhpur is a hotel like few others.
Operated by Taj Hotels, it was built
in the first half of the twentieth
century as a royal palace and,
with 347 rooms, is among the 10
largest private residences in the
world.
The design by the Edwardian
architect Henry Lanchester
blends east and west, with the
105-foot cupola influenced by the
Renaissance, while the towers are
inspired by Rajput tradition.
Art Deco influences can be seen
in the gilt furniture and artwork of
the lavish interior.
The palace has much for guests
to enjoy, including the chance to
play on marbled squash courts,
have a game of billiards in the
panelled recreation room and
even drive through Jodhpur in a
vintage car - accompanied by a
royal butler.
Out-of-the-ordinary experiences
are also available at another
Taj Hotels property, the Taj
Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad,
which boasts Venetian
chandeliers, grand marble
staircases and Rajasthani and
Japanese gardens.
Visitors can join the palace
historian for a tour that includes
viewings of handmade tapestries,
royal portraits, inlaid furniture
from Kashmir and even crockery
from the Nizam's personal
collection.
After the tour, guests are taken to
the Jade Room to enjoy afternoon
tea.
Relaxation of a different kind is
available at the Royal Jive Spa,
which offers what is described as
holistic rejuvenation inspired by
Indian approaches to wellness.
As well as massages and beauty
routines, the spa has a menu
employing principles of Ayurvedic
cooking, with no additives or
preservatives
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020 • 19
ADVERTORIAL
I SPECIAL FEATURE I LUXURY ACCOMMODATION & TRAVEL I
ALL AIMS TO INCREASE
FREQUENCY OF USAGE
AND STICKINESS AMONG
ITS LOYALTY MEMBERS
COMMUNITY, THROUGH DAILY
SERVICES AS WELL AS “MONEY
CAN’T BUY” EXPERIENCES
Maud Bailly
Chief Digital Officer, Accor
ALL- Accor Live Limitless
is now live
In this exclusive interview, Maud Bailly, CDO of Accor
explains the ALL-Accor Live Limitless ambitions
Maud Bailly began her
higher education at Ecole
Normale Supérieure,
where she studied Modern
Literature. She then obtained
a Master’s degree in Public
Administration from the
Institut d’Etudes Politiques
de Paris (Sciences Po) and is
also a graduate of the Ecole
Nationale d’Administration.
December 2019 saw the launch of ALL- Accor Live Limitless
(ALL). Speaking to ITB Berlin News, Maud Bailly, Chief Digital
Officer in charge of Digital, Distribution, Sales and Information
Systems at Accor, described this innovation in more details.
ALL is our new loyalty programme,
a daily lifestyle companion for our
members with one strong purpose:
to provide a new platform combining
rewards, services and experiences
across our entire Augmented
Hospitality ecosystem.
With ALL, Accor deploys its
innovative vision of the hotel
industry far beyond the night-stay
- you don't even have to spend a
night with us, let's enjoy a yoga
class, a great meal, or a co-working
session. By multiplying touchpoints
with our guests, thanks to a network
of nearly 5,000 hotels, 40 brands
and a constantly-enriched range of
services all around the world, ALL
aims to increase frequency of usage
and stickiness among its loyalty
members community, through daily
services as well as “money can’t
buy” experiences.
What can ALL members expect from
these experiences?
ALL means new services and new
personalised experiences, with an
exceptional quality of hospitality. In
addition to bookings and privileges,
members can benefit from over
60,000 tickets and private suites
at shows by music artists such as
Elton John, Lana Del Rey or Muse,
or exclusive food experiences at
international TASTE festivals. Sports
fans can get access to Rolland
Garros, the Ryder Cup or a Paris
Saint-Germain (PSG) football match.
Can you tell us more about this PSG
partnership?
ALL is the Principal Partner and
official jersey sponsor of the Paris
Saint-Germain team. ALL expands
the Elite Experiences to even more
exceptional moments and offers
meet-and-greets with players
of PSG Football Club, as well as VIP
tickets and experiences. Recently,
six members of ALL were chosen
to reveal the new PSG jersey.
Hailing from France, Guadeloupe,
Japan, Brazil, Canada and Rwanda,
these fans embody PSG’s growing
popularity around the world.
What are the benefits for Accor's
business customers?
ALL will redefine the way we
recognise our business travellers
and accompany them along the
course of their important business
trip. From personalised preferences
on the online booking tool, to a free
welcome drink on arrival and a tailored
stay, to accumulating points towards
experiences and rewards, everything
about the programme elevates the
experience and ensures dedicated
recognition.
In addition, members can enjoy
innovative opportunities to earn
points with partnerships in mobility
such as airlines and much more to
come in urban mobility
Previous work at the
SNCF led to her becoming
Director of Trains in 2014,
responsible for coordinating
the network and transforming
the professions of the SNCF’s
10,000 ticket collectors and
3,000 station agents. She
then joined French Prime
Minister Manuel Vall’s office
as Head of the economic
department responsible for
budget, fiscal, industrial and
digital affairs, before joining
Accor in 2017.
Maud is a member of
the French Digital Council
(CNNum) a 30-strong circle
nominated by the French
Minister of Digital to study
digital-related topics, with a
focus on stakes & perspective
of the digital transition of
French society, economy,
companies, organisations,
public action and territories.
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020 • 21
22 • ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020
www.itb-berlin-news.com
I SPECIAL FEATURE I LUXURY ACCOMMODATION & TRAVEL I
ROMANCE AND
LUXURY IN
CROATIA
2019 was the busiest year ever
for Hilton Luxury Group, with the
opening of 11 new properties. We
asked Dino Michael, recently named
as Global Head, Waldorf Astoria
Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels
& Resorts, to tell us more.
We’ve had some key openings this past year,
with Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal,
Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial
Centre and Waldorf Astoria Maldives
Ithaafushi, along with six Conrad openings
including Conrad New York Midtown, Conrad
Washington, DC and four more openings in
China. So, for us, 2019 has been an exceptional
year.
What is changing in the way you do business
and the way people perceive your properties?
The landscape is becoming very crowded with
a lot of great operators; a lot of competition.
It is always possible to build a great hotel, but
you need to get the software right, you need
to get the service right, and get the personal
Dino Michael
Global Head,
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
and Conrad Hotels & Resorts
Waldorf Astoria, LXR and
Conrad take bigger strides
With record new openings, the top-end
brands are driving Hilton to new highs
connection right. In luxury, technology lives to
make the stay easier, without friction, but that
human touch continues. We put a lot of focus
on culture, on development, on making sure our
team members understand the arriving guests
to offer an anticipatory yet graceful service
that is truly unrivalled. Each Waldorf Astoria
property has dedicated Personal Concierges
that work tirelessly to anticipate our guests’
needs to make their stay frictionless and highly
personalised.
Could you tell me a little more about your new
property in Mexico?
The new Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal
is situated on Cabo San Lucas’ most coveted
parcel of land – an extraordinary, 24-acre
site at the southernmost tip of Mexico’s Baja
California Peninsula. The conversion of Waldorf
Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal reflects Hilton
Luxury Group’s commitment to expand our
portfolio and bring our True Waldorf Service
to the world’s most sought-after and inspiring
destinations. Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos
Pedregal debuts as the premier offering in the
region, with an array of best-in-class facilities
and immersive experiences
Less than a year since its April 2019
opening, the Grand Park Hotel Rovinj
in Croatia has joined The Leading
Hotels of the World.
Rovinj, in Istria, is one of Croatia's most romantic
spots, and its physical beauty is exhilarating. The
pastel houses crammed onto a peninsula catch
the sunlight during the day and shimmer with
light at night. The Venetian bell tower of the St
Euphemia Cathedral extends like a punctuation
point to the sky.
The Grand Park Hotel Rovinj is part of the Maistra
hospitality group, which also includes the Monte
Mulini Hotel in Rovinj. Known for its exclusiveness,
the Monte Mulini Hotel became a member of the
LHW in 2012.
“The membership in The Leading Hotels of the
World, which is considered to be a guarantee
of quality for luxury hotels, is yet another
confirmation of the exceptional status the
Grand Park Hotel enjoys," said Tomislav Popović,
Maistra's CEO.
Worth the equivalent of about $100 million, the
hotel represents the largest single investment by
the tourism business subdivision of Adris Group,
which owns Maistra.
The hotel is is situated across from the old town of
Rovinj, with a view of the Church of St Euphemia
and the island of St Catherine.
There are 209 rooms and suites in the six-storey
venue, where guests can enjoy restaurants, bars, a
wellness and spa centre, and a plaza that includes
numerous shops
The Grand Park Hotel Rovinj's stunning pool view
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020 • 23
I SPECIAL FEATURE I LUXURY ACCOMMODATION & TRAVEL I
La Réunion
Island redefines
the honeymoon
experience
© Patrick Giraud
LUX* ULTIMATE
CHIC AT NORTH
MALE ATOLL IN
THE MALDIVES
Looking for luxury for a
honeymoon? LUX* Resorts &
Hotels opened its newest boutique
hotel in the Maldives, the ultimate
in terms of luxury.
Historical centre of Saint-Denis de La Réunion with city hall
Contrary to many properties in the Maldives,
newly opened LUX* North Male Atoll is a
contemporary resort with a range of penthouse
villas and spectacularly designed spaces to
play, relax and retreat facing the blue of the
sea. The 67 double-storey residences evocate
art deco cruise liners in sparking-white colour.
Each residence is crowned with a magnificent
private Sky-Lounge. These high-life stages
enable inspired indoor-outdoor living and
a unique perspective on the planet’s flattest
country.
French island Ile de la Réunion in the Indian Ocean is
an original destination for honeymooners combining
romantic atmosphere, a pristine environment and
French style.
Only 200 km away from
Mauritius, La Réunion offers
a very different experience to
other islands in the area. La
Réunion has "only" 25 km of
beaches but it is known for its
majestic landscapes shaped
by the Piton de la Fournaise
volcano. Honeymooners
will be able to enjoy unique
experiences.
Tour operators can for example
organise a night under the stars
observing the Milky Way at Les
Hauts de l'île, a location where
billions of stars shine under
an intense clear sky. There is
even a possibility to visit the
Observatoire des Makes, the
astronomical observatory of La
Réunion Island, perched in the
Southern mountains.
Another highlight is the
discovery of the volcano heart of
the island with the unmissable
Piton de la Fournaise. Exploring
the volcano's coastline makes
travellers aware of the unique
landscapes of this mineral
territory where black basalt
stones contrast with the deep
blue of the ocean. Although they
are hiking routes, honeymooners
might better enjoy to fly over the
volcano with an helicopter and
embrace the landscapes.
A true piece of France in the
middle of the Indian Ocean,
there are plenty of romantic
places blending a tropical
atmosphere with French art
de vivre. St Denis, the regional
capital, is lined with parks,
beautiful creole mansions and
charming shops while many
boutique hotels or domains
provide a romantic atmosphere
for young couples.
And finally, there is Saint-Gilles
on the west coast, where La
Réunion turns again into a
tropical island with its beaches
lined with resorts. It includes the
island’s only five-star, LUX* Ile
de La Réunion, ideal to organise
a lavish dinner prepared by LUX*
Chef with creole specialties
using local ingredients such as
pineapple, vanilla, cheese or
duck foie gras marinated in local
rum
Cirque at Piton de la Fournaise, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
LUX* Resorts & Hotels rooms offer privacy on stilts
There’s a wealth of ways to relax. Beside the
intimacy of the resort, honeymooners will find
two swimming pools, a translucent overwater
LUX* Me Spa, world-renowned diving, water
sports, private yacht voyages, tennis and
beach volleyball courts - or dedicated spots
to practice tai chi, yoga or inspirational classes
and expert-led workshops. A popular activity
is learning coral planting - an integral part
of the resort’s environmental sustainability
programme.
Restaurants and bars offer creative world
cuisine including a curious blend of Japanese
and Peruvian cuisine. A favourite among guests
is a floating breakfast in the private swimming
pool of each residence.
The hotel is ideal for honeymooners with
special packages proposed until the end of
March to celebrate the recent opening of this
spectacular luxury property
24 • ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020
www.itb-berlin-news.com
ADVERTORIAL
I SPECIAL FEATURE I CITY BREAKS I
DURBAN’S
3 KEY
ASSETS
Durban gets
massive face-lift
Beachfront promenade is latest stage of this
dynamic and fascinating city’s makeover
The recent completion of
a R380m (€24m) beachfront
promenade upgrade
project in Durban has
resulted in the creation of
the longest uninterrupted
beachfront promenade in
Africa.
Durban is fast emerging as a
“not to be missed” destination in
Africa, surrounding visitors in the
mystical and exciting Zulu culture
and lifestyle, while being the
gateway to the Hluhluwe - Imfolozi
Park Wilderness Area, the oldest
proclaimed nature reserve in Africa
(officially opened in 1895). It has the
added “plus” of offering exceptional
sporting and adventure tourism
options. The city is also highly
renowned for its culture, with the
Inanda Heritage Route featuring
the home base of Mahatma Gandhi
before his return to India; Durban
being the place where Gandhi
developed his political views,
ethics and politics. In 1994, it was
also here that Nelson Mandela
cast his vote in South Africa’s first
democratic elections at Inanda’s
Ohlange Institute. Fitting, given
that the first president of the
African National Congress, Dr John
L. Dube, established this school in
1901.
The new seaside promenade is
part of the €2.2bn Point Waterfront
Development, which has seen a
series of major initiatives to revamp
the coastal strip to the stage of
eventually rivalling Copacabana
in Rio or Bondi in Sydney. Due for
completion in the next two years,
the final development will include
new luxury hotels, residential
apartments, office parks and retail
developments – and will also
see a new cruise ship terminal
constructed nearby, work on which
began in November 2019.
Over the past years, the Durban
beachfront has been attracting
major private sector investment,
with the hospitality giant Tsogo Sun
alone injecting more than R1.8bn
(€113m) into the area. This includes
a R1.5bn (€94m) expansion of its
popular Suncoast Casino complex
and a R220m (€13.8m) revamp of
the 734-room Elangeni & Maharani
Durban beachfront promenade
Hotel at North Beach. Incidentally,
sea views from this exceptional
property are simply breath-taking.
The new promenade in Durban
effectively links uShaka Marine
World with the area’s most popular
beaches, helping to attract tourists
and investors to the area. It is 30
metres wide and runs from uShaka
Marine World to Vetch’s Pier. On the
northern side of the promenade,
beach facilities and amenities
include change rooms, showers for
bathers and staff facilities. Also new
are an amphitheatre, pedestrian
ramps and new lifeguard towers.
Modern infrastructure around
Durban includes the King Shaka
international airport, which, built
in 2010 around 60km north of
the city to the strictest standards
of safety and comfort, ensures
smooth arrivals and departures for
passengers. The choice of hotels
and resorts in and around the city
is very broad, including top class
five-star seafront properties such
as the Oyster Box and Beverly Hills
Hotels
GATEWAY… to Africa’s first
reserve: the Hluhluwe - Imfolozi Park
Wilderness Area was Africa’s first
proclaimed nature reserve, second
in the world only to Yellowstone.
From Durban’s King Shaka airport,
it’s just a couple of hours’ drive to
the reserves, which, being privately
owned, have the added bonus of not
being overcrowded with tourists.
ZULU CULTURE
Durban is the capital of KwaZulu
Natal province, and remains the
beating heart of Zulu culture
and traditions. Many of the
cultures, customs, and traditions
of King Shaka’s time remain the
cornerstones of the Zulu people.
A PLACE THAT HAS
CHANGED THE
COURSE OF HISTORY
As the place where Gandhi formed
his key ideas and mission, Durban
was also the birthplace of the
African National Congress, and the
place where Nelson Mandela was
arrested… and then, many years
later, voted for the first time in free
elections.
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020 • 25
I SPECIAL FEATURE I CITY BREAKS I
ADVERTORIAL
What happens in
Vegas, only happens in Vegas
There are more reasons than ever to visit Las Vegas.
Whether you are a first-time visitor, or if you consider Las
Vegas a second home, you will be amazed by the incredible
developments rapidly taking shape. With more than
US$15bn of investment planned or under way, Las Vegas is
unmatched in its ability to create experiences that astound,
delight and can only happen in Vegas.
Las Vegas is known as the
Entertainment Capital of the World
for good reason. Cirque du Soleil
currently has seven shows that
perform up and down the Strip,
and on any given night you can see
Aerosmith, Lady Gaga, or Gwen
Stefani take the stage. This year, Las
Vegas welcomes new residencies
from Sting, The Jonas Brothers
and Kelly Clarkson. Entertainment
venues will see its next big evolution
when the MSG Sphere, the massive
17,000-seat circular venue, will debut
game-changing, state-of-the-art
audio and visual technology in 2021.
Las Vegas is quickly evolving as the
leading destination for sports. In
autumn 2020, the NFL’s Las Vegas
Raiders franchise will embark on
their inaugural season in the city
at the new 65,000-seat Allegiant
Stadium. The destination has
long been associated with highprofile
sporting events, including
championship boxing and UFC
matches and NASCAR, and there
is no better place for sports fans to
join in the excitement of cheering
on their favourite player or team.
Over the last few years, Las Vegas
became home to the NHL’s Vegas
Golden Knights, the United Soccer
League’s Las Vegas Lights FC, the
WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces and Minor
League Baseball’s Aviators.
Las Vegas is considered the gateway
to national parks in the west. By
helicopter, foot, boat or car, there
are several options to experience
the natural landscapes surrounding
the Las Vegas valley, including Grand
Canyon National Park, Red Rock
Canyon National Conservation Area,
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
and Valley of Fire State Park.
No trip to Vegas is complete without a
trip Downtown. Later this year, Circa
will open its doors. As the first resort
Downtown built from the ground up
in more than 30 years, it will feature
a three-story state of the art (world's
largest) sportsbook. The overhead
“Viva Vision” canopy at Fremont Street
Experience just made its debut in
December after receiving a $32 million
upgrade and now features 3D effects
and more than 16 million pixels.
Las Vegas isn’t just for the leisure visitor.
In 2019, 6.6 million travellers came
for a meeting or convention. Overall,
the destination encompasses nearly
12 million square feet (over a million
sq m) of meeting space and is home
to three of North America’s 10 largest
convention venues. The Las Vegas
Convention Center (LVCC) is currently
undergoing a large-scale expansion
that will add 1.4 million square feet
(130,000 sq m) to the campus and will
feature an underground high-speed
transportation system designed by
Elon Musk’s The Boring Company. The
expansion and underground system
will be complete in December 2020
3 KEY POINTS
CONNECTIVITY
With direct, non-stop connectivity
from Europe on British Airways,
Virgin, Eurowings, Condor, Edelweiss
and KLM, it’s never been more
convenient to visit Vegas.
HUGE LVCC
EXPANSION
+ 130,000 sq m
floor space.
ELON MUSK’S
UNDERGROUND
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Autonomous vehicles will transport
convention attendees December
2020.
26 • ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020
www.itb-berlin-news.com
I SPECIAL FEATURE I CITY BREAKS I
ADVERTORIAL
Salzburg
Festival marks
centenary
City
Spotlight
DUBROVNIK
History is alive in every part of this city- it represents a perfect
blend between the past and the present. Dubrovnik is a city for all
seasons. Its rich history, geographic location, mild climate, traditional
hospitality and excellence in tourism make Dubrovnik a recognised
high-quality product on the international tourism market. Dubrovnik
is also the city of festivals. And the city has been a popular filming
location in recent years, where The Game of Thrones, the Bollywood
film the Fan, Star Wars, and Robin Hood were filmed.
KEY
ATTRACTIONS
City Walls – The most
recognisable feature and the
main attraction which defines
the history of Dubrovnik
are its intact city walls with
six fortresses that offer an
unforgettable view over the city,
the island of Lokrum and the
open sea.
The Old City – a place for
pedestrians – on the UNESCO
world cultural heritage list since
1979.
Panoramic view of Dubrovnik
by cable car - the ride offers
breath taking views of the old
city of Dubrovnik, coastal sights
with islands and magnificent
sunsets.
KEY EVENTS
10 JULY –25 AUGUST 2020
71 th Dubrovnik Summer Festival
This festival, held since 1950,
is the largest and most
representative cultural
manifestation in Dubrovnik.
19 -25 OCTOBER 2020
Good Food Festival 2020
The 7 th Good Food Festival
organised by the Dubrovnik
Tourist Board brings
presentations of local culinary
specialties, tastings of regional
wines, workshops and special
gastronomic events.
DEC. 2020 – JANUARY 2021
Dubrovnik Winter Festival
The Dubrovnik Winter Festival
features magical lighting,
highlighting Dubrovnik’s timeless
beauty with special events,
entertainment programmes and
colourful cuisine with a touch of
tradition.
TRANSPORT
Dubrovnik airport is growing in
importance. Major European
cities are connected with
Dubrovnik directly, and via
Zagreb as well. Approximate air
distance from European capitals
is one to two hours.
During the summer months,
Dubrovnik is connected with
60 European destinations and
during winter months with seven
of them
Famous as the birthplace of Mozart, Salzburg has hosted
an annual summer festival of music and the performing
arts since 1920 - which makes 2020 an opportunity to
celebrate Salzburg Festival's 100th birthday.
With a state exhibition entitled
"Great World Theatre" at the
Austrian city's main museum
running from the spring, various
festivities and events will culminate
in an ambitious programme of 222
performances in 44 days at 15
different venues.
Founded in 696, Salzburg is the
fourth-largest city in Austria,
located on the site of the former
Roman settlement of Iuvavum. The
city’s historic centre is renowned
for its Baroque architecture and
is one of the best-preserved city
centres north of the Alps, with
27 churches. It was listed as
a UNESCO World Heritage Site in
1996.
“The entire city is a stage” is how
the founders of the Salzburg
Festival – Max Reinhardt, Hugo von
Hofmannsthal and Richard Strauss
– formulated their intentions a
century ago. Since then, it has
become one of the most important
festivals for the performing arts
worldwide. August 2020's operatic
highlights will include Mozart’s
'-"Don Giovanni" and "The Magic
Flute", Strauss’s "Electra" and
Mussorgsky’s "Boris Godunov"
while theatrically "Jedermann"
will once again be the focus of
attention – including Jedermann
Day on 22 August 2020, as a
tribute to the first performance
on that day in 1920. Musically, the
concert programme comprises 91
events with a thematic focus on
Ludwig van Beethoven, who would
have celebrated his 250th birthday
in 2020. Star performers will
include divas Anna Netrebko and
Cecilia Bartoli, conductors Mariss
Jansons and Teodor Currentzis as
well as renowned singers Ildar
Abdrazakov and Plácido Domingo.
A total of over 240,000 tickets will
be available for purchase online
from the end of March
Evening mood at the Siemens Festival Nights at Kapitelplatz
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020 • 27
I REGION I ASIA I
ASIA
Asia - a tourism
powerhouse in 2019
UNWTO data show very strong performance
with South and Southeast Asia topping the list
With the coronavirus and ensuing economic
difficulties muddying the waters when it comes to any
projections, it is more useful to look at overall trends
to date, which can to some extent be extrapolated
for post-crisis planning.
In 2019, Chinese outbound
travel continued to fuel growth in
many destinations in the region
and outside, though Chinese
spending on travel abroad was
4% lower in real terms in the
first half of 2019 according to
available data.
South Asia (+8%) achieved,
together with South-East Asia,
the fastest growth among Asian
subregions though slower
than the 2018’s remarkable
performance (+19%). Maldives
recorded double-digit growth
capitalising on the increase in
visitors from the Chinese and
European markets. Nepal and
Bhutan continued to show strong
results with Chinese and Indian
visitors up. India, the subregion’s
largest destination, showed
comparatively more modest
levels in arrivals but strong
growth in receipts.
South-East Asia (+8%)
recorded robust growth in 2019,
with many destinations achieving
double-digit rates. Myanmar led
growth benefitting from a surge
in Chinese visitors thanks to visa
facilitation and enhanced air
connectivity. Cambodia, Laos,
Philippines, Timor-Leste and
Vietnam enjoyed solid results.
Among the larger destinations,
Malaysia continued to rebound
with an increase in numbersfrom
short- and medium-haul markets.
Thailand, the subregion’s largest
destination, showed slower
growth after several years of
solid performance partly due a
strong currency.
North-East Asia saw a 2%
increase in 2019, weighed down
by the decline in arrivals in
Hong Kong (China). The Special
Administrative Region of Hong
Kong suffered a sharp drop in
arrivals from mainland China
amid protests taking place during
the second half of the year. The
Republic of Korea led results
in North-East Asia, thanks to
increased visitors from China and
South-East Asian markets.
Japan’s inbound tourism grew
at a comparatively more moderate
pace through November following
several years of strong growth.
The destination welcomed more
visitors from top source markets
China, Hong Kong (China) and
Taiwan (province of China), but
suffered a sharp decline from the
Republic of Korea.
Arrivals in China, the regions’
largest destination, were up 7%
in the first half of 2019, though
receipts declined 12% in real
terms in the first half of 2019
PHOCUSWRIGHT:
APAC ONLINE
BOOKINGS STILL
ON THE RISE
According to Phocuswright’s Asia Pacific
Online Travel Overview 2019, the fact that
APAC’s hotel sector is quite fragmented,
this is a key driver for online agencies.
The report, written and researched by
Maggie Rauch and Deepak Jain, states
that tourism infrastructure improvements,
more advanced telecommunications and
digital payments access are all fuelling
travel booking growth, and the online share
of travel revenue is advancing quickly.
According to the report, the rapid offline
to online migration of hotel bookings in
China and Japan, coupled with mid-40%
online hotel penetration in those markets
underscores the remaining potential of the
segment. These two markets combined
will account for 74% of APAC online hotel
gross bookings. Accordingly, deceleration
in those markets will slow the overall
segment's growth through 2022
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020 • 29
ADVERTORIAL
I REGION I ASIA I
Hard to decide where
to go in Asia?
Mah Meri "mask man"
SO MUCH TO DO
IN MALAYSIA 2020
Home to many world–class events,
Malaysia hosts Moto GP, Rainforest
Music Festival, LIMA Langkawi, Malaysian
Open House programmes, and many
others. For shopping experiences, areas
in Bukit Bintang, KLCC and Bangsar are
well-known shopping districts offering
everything from designer labels to local
made souvenirs. Duty-free shopping
is also available in Langkawi, Pangkor
and selected areas, promising a great
therapeutic experience.
Malaysia is also a well-known health
tourism destination, offering world-class
facilities with great expertise, plus valuefor-money
services.
Looking for more? A paradise for golfers,
there are more than 200 golf courses
around Malaysia, including the Els Club in
Desaru, Johor. For more family-oriented
indoor or outdoor adventures, make
your way to Lego Land, Sunway Lagoon,
Genting Highland, Escape Penang and
Desaru waterparks for a memorable
family holiday in Malaysia – Truly Asia.
Visit Malaysia (Truly Asia) 2020 makes the decision
much easier, with countless offers, activities and events
After last year’s official partner country status at ITB
Berlin, Malaysia is back with an even broader offer of
ideas and destinations for discerning travellers of all
kinds.
Malaysia goes one step further to
meet one’s needs for a holiday,
with pristine beaches and islands,
a rich tapestry of cultures and
history, well-preserved heritage
treasures, world-class modern
facilities, a fascinating collection
of flora and fauna, lush and wellmaintained
nature reserves, a
delightful array of mouth-watering
cuisine and a long list of shopping
hotspots.
The country’s population is an
amalgamation of varied ethnic
backgrounds, bringing together
an enchanting medley of cuisine,
crafts, traditions and architecture.
Malaysia’s diverse cultural heritage
is evident in their costumes, social
practices, recreational pursuits,
handicrafts, food, music and other
forms of entertainment.
The capital, Kuala Lumpur, is
undoubtedly one of Asia’s most
exciting and vibrant cities, not
to forget is historical origins.
Malaysia’s other key destinations
such as Melaka, Penang, Langkawi,
Kuching and Kota Kinabalu each
have their own unique charms.
Some hold UNESCO world heritage
status, such as Georgetown,
Melaka, Kinabalu, Gunung Mulu,
Bujang Valley and Langkawi.
Eco-tourism enthusiasts love
Malaysia for its abundance of
activities. For example, many areas
popular for birdwatching, jungle
trekking, white-water rafting,
mountain climbing, or fishing are
available 365 days a year.
For underwater enthusiasts,
Malaysia is blessed with many
marvellous marine parks, each
with excellent visibility with a
thriving underwater ecosystem.
Pulau Payar, Pulau Tiga Park,
Tunku Abdul Rahman Park and
Turtle Islands Park, Mabul, Layang-
Layang, Kapalai – are worldrenowned
dive sites and marine
parks. In Sarawak, there are “muck
diving” in Bum-Bum Island and
marine wonder Blue Hole in Darvel
Bay. On top of that is Sipadan in
Sabah is renowned as one of the
best diving spots in the world
Canopy walk in Taman Negara
NEWS
STARLUX AIRLINES
COMMENCES FLIGHTS
FROM TAIPEI TO PENANG
Direct flights between Penang
International Airport (PEN) and Taoyuan
International Airport (TPE) in Taipei,
Taiwan began this January, operated by
Airbus A321 Neo aircraft. This marks
an important initiative to boost travel
between Malaysia and Taiwan, enhancing
more tourist traffic between the two
destinations.
MALAYSIA 2020
CAMPAIGN WEBSITE
– A NEW DIGITAL
INITIATIVE
Tourism Malaysia’s VM2020 Website
Campaign can be accessed at vm2020.
malaysia.travel. YBhg. Datuk Musa Yusof,
Director General of Tourism Malaysia said,
"With an enhanced digital experience and
experiential content, we hope to entice
more international and local tourists
to visit the various destinations in our
country, in support of Visit Malaysia
2020."
The campaign aims to feed both the
international and domestic travellers
with valuable information on Malaysia’s
numerous tourist attractions, including
recommended destinations, ‘must-try’
meals, travel itineraries, and things to do
in Malaysia.
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020 • 31
I REGION I ASIA I
Datuk Abdul Karim
Rahman Hamzah
Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture
cum Minister of Youth and Sport,
Sarawak
Tourism -
an essential pillar
of Sarawak’s economy
WE ARE BUILDING
CONNECTIVITY
AND ACCESSIBILITY
FOR WHAT
REMAINS FOR
MANY A TRULY
MYSTICAL
DESTINATION
Exclusive interview: Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister of
Tourism, Arts and Culture cum Minister of Youth and Sport, Sarawak
According to the “regional satellite account” of Sarawak
2018, tourism generated RM11bn (€2.43bn) – 7.5% of
Sarawak’s gross domestic product. We asked Minister
of Tourism, Arts and Culture cum Minister of Youth and
Sport, Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah to tell us
more.
In 2018, 240,000 people were
employed in Sarawak thanks to
the tourism industry: 19.1% of
Sarawak’s workforce.
Our focus is on culture, adventure,
nature, food & festivals (CANFF).
This also means tourist attractions
are not only focused on urban
areas but are extended to villages
and rural areas. In terms of road
connectivity, two projects will
be completed this year, in the
areas of Sibu and Kapit, opening
up new areas along the Rejang
River, where tourists will be able
to explore the exquisite nature of
these untouched rural areas. Then
there is the Bintulu – Sungai Asap
– Belaga link. Sungai Asap is a new
settlement and Belaga is a big
town in the area.
How is tourism infrastructure
evolving?
Sarawak’s State government
supports the upgrading of
infrastructure such as the Pan
Borneo Highway, Coastal Highway,
museums and sports arenas. We
are also dedicated to the upgrading
and development of the internet in
Sarawak to improve connectivity
for tourists, developing the
Sarawak Travel Application. We are
continuing to build connectivity by
seeking to attract new airlines and
routes into Sarawak’s key airports.
An unprecedented number of new
tourism projects are opening in
the coming months and years. The
2nd largest Museum in Southeast
Asia will open in Kuching at the
end of 2020. Then there are the
Sarawak Culture Museums, also in
2020; the Performing Arts Centre
– to be completed within 2 years;
the Santubong Archaeological and
Wildlife Centre, the Beautification
of Pangkalan Sapi, the upgrading of
waterfront facilities; construction
of a riverside walkway from Fort
Margherita to the Darul-Hana
Bridge; development of museums
in Limbang; Tusan beach facilities;
Sadong-Jaya mangrove tourism
– a sanctuary for birds to migrate
from Indo-China, with the gazetting
of the area as a National Park; at
the Niah Cave, there is extensive
upgrading of the walkway from the
river to the cave, along with the
addition of bungee track and trails;
and finally upgrading of Bako
National Park and Semenggoh
Nature Reserve’s facilities.
What if your “message” to travel
professionals from around the
world?
Our tourism products are very
exotic for visitors from Europe of
the Middle East, because most
have never seen “nature in the
raw” such as what can be found
in Sarawak. We are building
connectivity and accessibility
for what remains for many a
truly mystical destination, with
the focus on our “big five” -
culture, adventure, nature, food &
festivals
SARAWAK LAUNCHES
SMARTguide
As a valuable resource for travel
professionals around the world,
Sarawak Tourism Board has
commissioned a comprehensive
SMARTguide, which was completed
to coincide with the scheduled
opening of ITB Berlin. This guide aims
to be a veritable “decision-making
tool” for the travel professional,
delivering important destination
news and new ideas when it comes to
planning travel to this place. We are
sure you will find it to be extremely
valuable for all those in the travel
planning business.
Click on the image to read
the SMARTguide.
32 • ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020
www.itb-berlin-news.com
I REGION I ASIA I
New luxury vessel brings colonial
flavour to the Mekong river
ADVERTORIAL
In September 2020, the
cruise company Heritage
Line launches its first
ever vessel Anouvong
along the majestic
Mekong River in Laos.
This lesser-travelled stretch
of one of the world’s most
spectacular waterways is home
to serene nature, quaint villages
and stunning temples.
Anouvong has only eight
spacious staterooms and two
luxurious suites. All cabins
feature floor-to-ceiling windows
and open onto elegant French
balconies or private terraces
overlooking the verdant shores
of the Mekong River.
What makes Anouvong unique is
the blend of traditional Laotian
artwork with French-colonial
accents. From the intimate
onboard restaurant to the
refined setting of the lounge
which opens onto the expansive
terrace deck with panoramic
views, this design theme creates
an atmosphere of luxury and
savoir-vivre. Onboard amenities
also include a bar, lounge area
and a dining hall offering a
sophisticated cuisine.
Set at the stern of the ship,
Anouvong’s spa adds a
distinctive lifestyle element
for endless hours of blissful
relaxation.
The slow journey along the
timeless upper Mekong River
will let passengers explore
scenic riverscapes, ancient
Buddhist holy sites and the rich
cultural heritage of Laos starting
from the Thai-Lao border to the
enchanting former royal capital
of Luang Prabang
Vietnam extends visa
exemptions for eight countries
Vietnam’s government has announced the extension
of its 15-day visa exemption programme for citizens
of eight countries: Russia, Japan, Korea, Denmark,
Norway, Sweden, Finland and Belarus — until the
end of 2022.
The country already offered visa
exemptions to citizens of 24
countries, and e-Visas to citizens
of 80 countries. International
travellers can also visit the
Lang Co Lagoon
island of Phu Quoc visa-free for
up to 30 days.
In order to improve promotion
in Europe, Vietnam recently
© Christian Berg
Near Bagan, Mandalay, Myanmar
announced the opening of a
new tourism office in London.
Vietnam Tourism Advisory
Board (TAB) selected London as
the location for its first overseas
representative office, in a move
to bring the country’s tourism
assets closer to UK travellers,
assist with trip inspiration, and
encourage travellers to visit.
“There has never been a better
time to visit Vietnam,” said Mr.
Dinh Ngoc Duc, Director of
Marketing at Vietnam National
Administration of Tourism
(VNAT). “We’re confident
travellers from the UK will be
surprised by the wealth of
outstanding options here, and
will place Vietnam among their
favourite destinations in the
years to come”
Bangkok Airways flies to 22 destinations in Asia
EXPLORE THE
MIRACLE OF
INDOCHINA
WITH
BANGKOK
AIRWAYS
Thanks to Bangkok Airways' codeshare
agreements with 28 leading airlines,
passengers from around the world
can easily access not only well-known
destinations in Thailand, but also
in neighbouring countries such as
Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.
Travellers flying into this region can thus
experience the very best of Indochina
– from historical cultural heritage and
authentic lifestyle to white-sand beaches,
marvellous landscapes and vibrant cities:
CAMBODIA
Bangkok – Phnom Penh: 4 flights/day
Bangkok – Siem Reap: 4 flights/day
LAOS
Bangkok – Luang Prabang: 2 flights/day
MYANMAR
Bangkok – Yangon: 3 flights/day
Chiang Mai – Yangon: 1 flight/day
Bangkok – Mandalay: 1 flight/day
Chiang Mai – Mandalay: 4 flights/week
Bangkok – Nay Pyi Taw: 4 flights/week
VIETNAM
Bangkok – Danang: 1 flight/day
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020 • 33
I REGION I ASIA I
Paradise Island JA Manafaru Maldives Transforms into All-Inclusive Resort
The Maldives –
celebrating (very)
different experiences
JA Manafaru
Maldives
transforms into
all-inclusive
resort
JA Manafaru Maldives has announced it is to become an
“all-Inclusive resort”, allowing guests to benefit from an
all-inclusive meal plan which offers a culinary journey of
seven restaurants and bars, complimentary experiences
and premium beverages from 11am-11pm.
The island is situated in the
magnificent lagoon-ringed Haa
Alifu Atoll at the northern tip of the
Maldives.
General Manager, Karen Merrick,
commented: "Once you set foot
on this paradise island, all your
worries fade away. We don't want
our guests to spend a moment
trying to add up costs in their head,
we want them to experience pure
escapism and a deep, mindful
connection with the stunning
natural surrounds. This is the
best value we've ever offered, so
even more guests will now get
the opportunity to experience JA
Manafaru."
Fringed with exquisite powder
beaches and crystal-clear waters
teeming with exotic marine life, the
chic hideaway features 84 luxurious
beachfront and over-water villas
and residences, each with their
own private plunge pool. Seven
scenic dining destinations provide
a wealth of options with traditional
Indian Ocean cuisine, international
fare and seafood feasts all
available on the All-Inclusive plan.
The signature restaurant - White
Orchid - sits in the middle of the
ocean treating guests to balmy
breezes as they indulge in awardwinning
Asian fare. Guests can also
enjoy a wide range of premium
beverages across multiple venues
including Horizon Lounge with its
ocean views, Andiamo Bistro and
Pool with its lush green backdrop
and Ocean Grill, beachfront dining
under the stars. Activities abound
for both adults and children with
a dive, water sports and excursion
centre and Marine Awareness
Centre to conserve local ecology
Abhijit Ghosh
General Manager,
Jumeirah Vittaveli
Jumeirah Vittaveli, on Bolifushi island in the Maldives
continues to surprise… now with – wait for it – an ice
skating rink. We asked General Manager Abhijit Ghosh to
tell us more about the innovations introduced at the resort
over the past year.
Indeed, we have successfully
introduced the first eco-friendly
artificial ice rink in the country, the
only place where you can do your
pirouettes in the open air, next to
the powder soft sand and Indian
ocean. When it comes to luxury,
the 3,500sqm 5-bedroom Royal
Residence offers the ultimate private
playground for the extraordinary
traveller – family reunions, wedding
celebrations, a friends’ getaway –
celebrate all this and more in your
own private hideaway including two
swimming pools, spa treatment
room, gym, as well as your very own
Teppanyaki-style restaurant.
Last year, we refurbished 16
overwater villas to include water
slides – offering guests the
opportunity to enter the magical
underwater world of the Maldives
in a whole new way! Late in 2019,
we launched the 85ft Azimut
superyacht MY Vittaveli, with 4
cabins. This yacht is our newest villa
category, inviting guests to explore
the Maldives wherever their fancy
might take them.
For this year, we plan to enhance
our butler services, introduce a new
Michelin star Chef series, together
with a host of visiting practitioners
at our Talise Spa. We will continue
our focus on our dining venues,
surprising guests with the launch
of new innovative concepts, and
plan to have an extraordinary new
guest experience – to be launched
in the second half of the year so I am
not able to reveal too many details
yet, but it will be an immersive
experience for all senses!
Jumeirah Vittaveli - MY Vittaveli at East shore with Spa
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020 • 35
I REGION I ASIA I
Transforming Singapore’s leisure and tourism
industry through landmark master plan
First key milestone of plan to be completed by 2022, with Sentosa
Sensoryscape linking Resorts World Sentosa in the north to Sentosa’s beaches
in the south
Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC)
has unveiled exciting possibilities for Sentosa
and Pulau Brani as part of a landmark Master
Plan to redevelop the two islands into a gamechanging
leisure and tourism destination,
leveraging their unique island charm,
geographical qualities, as well as proximity to
the city.
Known as the Sentosa-
Brani Master Plan, the
comprehensive blueprint
will be rolled out in phases
over the next two to three
decades. It will see SDC
leveraging the islands’ ridgeto-reef
attributes to bring
in world-class attractions
as well as fresh and bold
night-time offerings,
while enhancing last-mile
transport connectivity
to and within the islands.
New spaces and concepts
that are authentic and
environmentally sustainable
will also be created –
including rejuvenated
beaches and expanded
nature and heritage trails.
The redeveloped islands will
feature five distinct zones
– each delivering unique
experiences, with the zones
progressively taking on a
more leisurely character as
guests travel farther from
the city into the islands:
Vibrant Cluster, Island Heart,
Waterfront, Ridgeline, and
Beachfront.
“Sentosa Sensoryscape
is the first project under
this Master Plan. It will
complement the expansion
of Resorts World Sentosa and
subsequent infrastructure
enhancements on Sentosa
and Pulau Brani,” said Senior
Minister of State for Trade
and Industry and Education,
Mr Chee Hong Tat.
The Master Plan will be
implemented in phases over
the coming decades, with
the first milestone project,
Sentosa Sensoryscape,
beginning construction
works in the fourth quarter
of 2019 and set to be
completed by 2022.
Located at the heart of
Sentosa island, the new
30,000sqm Sentosa
Sensoryscape, which is
approximately the size of
5.5 football fields, will link
Resorts World Sentosa in the
north to Sentosa’s beaches
in the south through a
multi-sensory experience,
replacing the existing
pedestrian thoroughfare
SENTOSA UNVEILS MAGICAL
SHORES AT SILOSO,
SINGAPORE’S FIRST BEACH
LIGHT ART ATTRACTION
Magical Shores at Siloso
Sentosa’s guests can now discover Siloso
Beach in a whole "new light" when it
transforms into the calming and captivating
Magical Shores at Siloso every night, since
23 January 2020.
Featuring vivid light, sound,
and mist effects across a
400-metre stretch of Siloso
Beach, Magical Shores at
Siloso leverages Sentosa’s
beach assets to bring two
islets to life, as well as
novel interactive areas
where guests immerse
themselves in soothing
sounds of the island and
interact with light art on
the sands. Senior Minister
of State for Trade and
Industry and Education,
Mr Chee Hong Tat, officially
opened the attraction this
evening.
Magical Shores at Siloso
is Singapore’s first multisensory,
interactive
beach light art attraction.
Comprising four acts,
the attraction offers an
experience unique to
Sentosa. Taking centre
stage are two islets across
the waters, which are
bathed in lights, dreamy
fog, and tranquil music
to transport guests to an
ethereal island. Watch
the trees come alive as a
relaxing light and sound
symphony accentuate the
raw beauty of the natural
landscape.
In another novel highlight,
guests can interact with
light art on the sands,
inspired by diverse
elements ranging from
water flow to marine
creatures
36 • ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020
www.itb-berlin-news.com
I REGION I ASIA I
Gujarat tourism up 14%
in 2019
Jenu Devan is Commissioner of Tourism for the
Government of Gujarat & Managing Director, Tourism
Corporation of Gujarat Limited. We asked him how
tourism is progressing in Gujarat.
The total tourist flow reached the
figure of 57.5 million in 2018-19
with a 14% rise as compared to
the previous year. We have tried to
put in our best to give international
travellers many reasons to visit
Gujarat and experience the best of
our hospitality.
The 182m tall “Statue of Unity” in
Gujarat has been featured by Time
magazine in its second annual list
of the 2019 World's greatest places,
a compilation of 100 new and
newly "noteworthy destinations
to experience right now". It is the
world's tallest statue, and is a
tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Meanwhile, Ahmedabad has
been declared India’s first
World Heritage City by UNESCO
recognising its heritage value. The
city is known for its architectural
marvels of Pol structures and other
beautiful tourist locations.
What are your key aims when it
comes to promoting tourism for
your region?
We are currently targeting
international travellers in big way
with such amazing and variety of
tourism products. Besides Africa,
Gir in Gujarat is the only place in
the world where you can spot lions
roaming free in the wild. Recently,
India’s first dedicated Dinosaur
Museum and Fossil Park was
inaugurated at Raiyoli village near
Balasinor town. It is globally known
to be the third largest fossil site
and the second largest dinosaur
hatchery from where about 10,000
dinosaur eggs have been found.
Gujarat is not only the birth place
of Mohandas Gandhi, popularly
known as Mahatma Gandhi,
but has also been the site of
many important activities of
the much-revered Indian patriot
and politician. Today, the state
government has developed a
Gandhi Tourism Circuit that lets
tourists follow the life of Mahatma
Jenu Devan
Commissioner of Tourism,
Government of Gujarat & Managing
Director, Tourism Corporation of
Gujarat Limited
ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020 • 37
I SPOTLIGHT ON GERMAN REGION I BAVARIA I
TAUBER VALLEY: WHERE
CULTURE AND CULINARY
DELIGHTS MEET
The Tauber Valley region is
named after the river by the
same name and has a lot to offer
including biking and hiking paths,
several wine-growing areas, local
culinary delights and medieval
history and culture.
On foot, by bike or by train, there
are many options. The holiday
landscape offers 2,200km of
biking trails. The “Liebliches
Taubertal – Der Klassiker”,
from Rothenburg ob der Tauber
to Wertheim on the River Main,
is described as being one of the
most beautiful German cycle
trails.
For the less energetic, e-bikes are
available for hire at 12 locations
and re- charging is possible at
more than 80 stations
Barbara
Radomski
CEO, Bayern Tourismus
Marketing GmbH
Lakes and rivers
at heart of Bavaria’s
offering
Lakes and rivers are integral features
of the Bavarian countryside. They
offer the perfect conditions for various
leisure activities during the summer
holidays, including swimming, sailing
and canoeing or hiking and biking
along their banks. And yet when it
comes to main holiday destinations,
Bavaria is still only in third place in
the German-speaking region. We
want to counter this with our new
communication theme Holiday on the
Water and at the same time pick up on
the main interests of German holiday
makers. With a wide-ranging campaign
we will set the theme of water at the
heart of our marketing of Bavaria as
a travel destination and position the
state as the perfect destination for
main holidays of five days or more.
Here it is important to present in
detail the unique nature of the holiday
experience - namely the combination
of authentic traditions and festivals,
breathtaking scenery and regional
cuisine that is unique in Germany with
a holiday on or by the water.
According to travel analysis, we
have been the number one holiday
destination for German tourists for
several years. We want to reinforce
this position and generate additional
demand among domestic and foreign
visitors
NEW MUNICH ATTRACTION
ALLOWS VIRTUAL TIME
TRAVEL
A new attraction called TimeRide has opened in the
heart of Munich city centre, promising to provide
tourists with an immersive flight above Bavaria, and
through the rich history of its capital city,
Employing the latest Virtual
Reality (VR) technology and a
richly researched and designed
animated world, TimeRide takes
its visitors on a unique time
travel ride through over 7,000
years of history passing historical
landmarks from the first settlers
to the visionary projects of King
Ludwig II. In a peacock wagon – a
fictional aircraft invented by the
eccentric 19th century monarch
- visitors wearing VR headsets
become time travellers, meeting
Emperor Barbarossa as he calls
for the crusade, experiencing
the first ever train journey in
©TimeRide
Germany or witnessing the very
first Oktoberfest.
More than 21,500 buildings,
2.5 million trees and 80,000
people create a detailed virtual
world into which the visitor is
completely immersed. As well
as VR, sensory experiences
such as wind and motion help to
create an immersive simulation
of a ride through time, while the
whole journey is accompanied
by an original score, recorded by
a 60-piece orchestra. The tour is
designed for visitors of all ages
and takes about 45 minutes
King Ludwig II's peacock wagon is
one's vehicle for time-travelling
38 • ITB BERLIN NEWS • THURSDAY 19 TH MARCH 2020
www.itb-berlin-news.com
SMARTGUIDE
Sarawak: a new vision
Culture, adventure, nature, food and festivals…
in Malaysia’s largest state
INFORMATION
AND IDEAS
FOR TRAVEL
PROFESSIONALS
NEW TOURISM
STRATEGY
HOW SARAWAK
PLANS TO INCREASE
INTERNATIONAL TOURISM
LATEST NEWS:
INFRASTRUCTURE,
ORIGINAL PROMOTIONS,
NOVEL DESTINATION
IDEAS
CONTENT
EDITORIAL
#03 VISION
Reinvigorating tourism in Sarawak
Puan Sharzede Datu Hj Salleh Askor,
CEO, Sarawak Tourism Board
#04 FACTS & FIGURES
Sarawak works to boost international tourism
#05 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Tourism - an essential pillar of Sarawak’s economy
Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister
of Tourism, Arts and Culture cum Minister of
Youth and Sport, Sarawak
#06 TRADE TALK
Destination Sarawak – as seen by travel
professionals
Richard Barnes
Editor-in-Chief
Sarawak – an open
book for tourism
#07 THEMATIC TRAVEL
UP CLOSE AND
PERSONAL WITH
SARAWAKʼS
DIVERSE
CULTURAL ROOTS
SARAWAK
HOME TO
COUNTLESS
FESTIVALS
#20 MICE
MICE in Sarawak
#08
#21 TRANSPORT & INFRASTRUCTURE
#23 SARAWAK MAPS
#12
WHITE RAJAH
BROUGHT BACK
TO LIFE
#10
NEW ROLE
FOR
SEMENGGOH
#18
Destination Borneo, and more
particularly the Malaysian state
of Sarawak, evokes a number
of images for people today: a
wild land… the domain of the
orangutan… the numerous Dayak
indigenous cultures… virgin
rainforest… the extraordinary
history of Sarawak’s “White
Rajahs”. Indeed, Sarawak today
still has all of that, but also
boasts a tourism offering that
is evolving quickly, while seeing
the application of a strict policy
ensuring eco-responsibility and
sustainability.
One cannot say Sarawak has
everything. No, it doesn’t
have skyscrapers, it doesn’t
have multi-lane traffic jams, it
doesn’t have thick smog haze,
and it certainly doesn’t have
overtourism. Sarawak remains
very much an open book when
it comes to tourism, in a good
sense, as the state authorities
have been able to look at best
and worst-case scenarios in
other parts of Southeast Asia,
and plan accordingly to ensure
tourism in this state heads in the
right direction.
With a new CEO since late 2018, in
the person of Sharzede Datu HJ
Salleh Askor, Sarawak Tourism
Board is honing strategies for
promotion and infrastructure
improvement with a view to
developing international tourism.
This is being done in such a way
as to benefit local communities,
while delivering unforgettable
experiences – truly adding value
– through a new multi-pronged
plan covering culture, adventure,
nature, food and festivals
(CANFF).
This SMARTguide aims to be
a veritable “decision-making
tool” for the travel professional,
delivering important destination
news and new ideas when it
comes to planning travel to this
place. We are sure you will find
it to be extremely valuable for
all those in the travel planning
business.
Edition, produced by CLEVERDIS, 65 avenue Jules Cantini, Tour Méditerranée, 13006 Marseille, France - Tel: + 33 442 77 46 00 - info@cleverdis.com • www.cleverdis.com
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President & CEO: Gérard Lefebvre - Managing Director: Jean-François Pieri - Production Manager: Jean-Guy Bienfait - Editor-in-Chief: Richard Barnes -
Head of editorial team: John Falchetto - Art Director: Hélène Beunat.
With the participation of: Bettina Badon, Benjamin Klene, Xiaojing Si, Jasdeep Singh, Veronika Verzhak
• On cover: Iban longhouse on Batang ai lake © Cleverdis
• Registration of Copyright March 2020. Information presented in this publication is purely indicative in order to illustrate subjects contained therein. No guarantee can be given as to the accuracy of data or content at time of printing and thus
the latter should not be used to professional or commercial ends. While all efforts have been made as to accuracy and pertinence of content and data contained in this publication, CLEVERDIS may in no case be held responsible for the consequences,
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2 SMART GUIDE www.sarawaktourism.com
Datuk Abdul Karim
Rahman Hamzah
Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture,
Youth and Sports, Sarawak
WE ARE SATISFIED
WITH THE POSITIVE
GROWTH OF VISITORS
TO SARAWAK LAST YEAR,
RECEIVING 231,498
MORE VISITOR
ARRIVALS COMPARED
TO 2018
Vision
Reinvigorating
tourism in Sarawak
Puan Sharzede Datu
Hj Salleh Askor
CEO – Sarawak Tourism Board
2020 is an encouraging year
for Sarawak Tourism Board
as we wet the Visit Sarawak
Campaign Phase Two into
action. We are satisfied with
the positive growth of visitors
to Sarawak last year, receiving
231,498 more visitor arrivals
compared to 2018 (2018:
4,430,921 & 2019: 4,662,419)
- a growth rate of +5.22%.
As part of this, we achieved
a significant rise in visitor
arrivals from the domestic
market, with a growth rate of
+11.3%. The Sarawak Tourism
Board is working on improving
our existing strategies and
plans. Having set the target
of five million visitor arrivals to
Sarawak, we are confident that
with the intensive marketing
and promotional campaigns
of Sarawak Tourism Board in
domestic markets and the
ASEAN region, this should be
achievable. We are working
on building collaboration with
airlines, enhancing our digital
platforms, and continuing
aggressive promotion and
marketing campaigns in all
our focus markets.
We are also seeking to grow the
long-haul market in addition
to the ASEAN market and
“border” tourism. As we know,
visitors from Europe, the USA,
and more locally, Australasia,
love our adventure offering,
our nature and culture, trying
the exotic food and having fun
at our festivals. One of the key
ways we’re developing the
long-haul market is through
a strong presence at major
trade shows around the world,
as well as through online and
print advertising.
Key issues and challenges
for us moving forward
are primarily based on
connectivity. We are working
hard to bring together
all industry players, from
Government, private and
public sectors. Moving into
this new decade, Sarawak
will, I am sure, see a major
transformation in terms of
air connectivity, and to this
end, we aim to encourage
more direct flight to Sarawak,
especially to the central
regions Sibu, Bintulu and
northern region, Miri. The
development of Sarawak’s
road networks will also be
an essential factor in the
development of tourism.
Digital marketing is also
becoming increasingly
important. We are
collaborating with industry
players to get more
involvement in digital
marketing, need to identify
the local operators, industry
players that are willing to
increase Digital marketing,
hence, moving to digital
footprint. Moreover the
Sarawak Government also has
a budget for digital marketing.
Our main pillars of Sarawak
as a tourist destination?
“CANFF”: Culture, Adventure,
Nature, Food and Festival
are the main pillars. All these
things combined make
Sarawak a destination that
is highly unique and can,
in themselves, help travel
professionals create an
unforgettable itinerary for
their clients
www.sarawaktourism.com
SMART GUIDE 3
FACTS & FIGURES
© 2019 Rob Allyn / STB
Outdoor activities
are a big driver for
tourism in Sarawak
Facts & figures
Sarawak works to boost international tourism
2020 sees Sarawak heavily promoting its
destinations to overseas source markets as
part of the ongoing Visit Sarawak campaign,
coupled with Visit Malaysia 2020.
The past year has seen 5.2%
growth in inbound travellers
to Sarawak, from 2018 to
2019, with an overall total
of 4,662,419 visitors in the
year. Around 2 m of these
are foreigners. To get a better
grasp of Sarawak’s inbound
figures, it is important to
note that a large part of
the international figures
quoted concern visitors from
neighbouring countries –
Brunei (1,296,017 visitors in
2019), Indonesia (418,461 in
2019), and the Philippines
(63,238 in 2019). A number
of these visits may thus
have been visits to family
and friends, or occasional
business visits, rather than for
leisure tourism. Unlike many
other countries, Sarawak’s
tourism infrastructure has
gone from almost zero in the
1970s, to what it is today. In
1972, total tourist numbers
for the entire state were
54,223.
An interesting market for
Sarawak today is Singapore
(traditionally a major source
market for all of Malaysia).
From 2018-19, the number
of visitors from Singapore
jumped by 7% from 43,734
to 46,812. Australia, another
major source market for
Sarawak, saw growth of 3.9%
in visitor numbers in the year
to 2019, with a total of 16,881
inbound travellers.
Over the past year, visitor
numbers from key source
markets in Europe, such as
the UK, France and Germany
remained relatively static,
with a drop of around 4% in
German visitors balanced
out by a similar increase in
visitors from France, while UK
visitors, which by far make
FROM
2010 TO 2019,
OVERALL
INBOUND
TOURIST
ARRIVALS
GREW BY 42%
up the lion’s share of the
European market, remained
stable at 32,194 in 2019.
As figures tend to vary country
by country from one year to
another, it is interesting to
look at broader trends over
the past (almost) decade.
From 2010 to 2019, overall
inbound tourist arrivals grew
by 42%, primarily buoyed
by a growth in domestic
travellers visiting the state.
Over that time, there has
also been remarkable growth
in Indian visitors – from
16,533 to 26,791 – a rise of
62%. Singaporean visitor
numbers were up by 21%,
Germans +11.45% and most
interestingly, the biggest
growth for a European
country came from France
with a rise of 64% over the
nine years, from 3,856 in
2010 to 6,325 in 2019. For
its part, South Korea saw the
biggest growth over the nine
years from 2010 to last year,
up by 103% from 5,327 in
2010 to 10,820 in 2019. Major
growth has also come from
Taiwan, up 47.7% to 10,004
visitors from 2010 to 2019
4 SMART GUIDE www.sarawaktourism.com
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Datuk Abdul Karim
Rahman Hamzah
Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture
cum Minister of Youth and Sport,
Sarawak
WE ARE
BUILDING
CONNECTIVITY
AND
ACCESSIBILITY
FOR WHAT
REMAINS FOR
MANY A TRULY
MYSTICAL
DESTINATION
Tourism - an essential pillar
of Sarawak’s economy
Exclusive interview: Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister of
Tourism, Arts and Culture cum Minister of Youth and Sport, Sarawak
According to the “regional satellite account”
of Sarawak 2018, tourism generated RM11bn
(€2.43bn) – 7.5% of Sarawak’s gross domestic
product. We asked Minister of Tourism, Arts,
Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim
Rahman Hamzah to tell us more.
In 2018, 240,000 people were
employed in Sarawak thanks
to the tourism industry: 19.1%
of Sarawak’s workforce.
Our focus is on culture,
adventure, nature, food &
festivals (CANFF). This also
means tourist attractions are
not only focused on urban
areas but are extended to
villages and rural areas. In
terms of road connectivity,
two projects will be completed
this year, in the areas of
Sibu and Kapit, opening up
new areas along the Rejang
River, where tourists will be
able to explore the exquisite
nature of these untouched
rural areas. Then there is
the Bintulu – Sungai Asap –
Belaga link. Sungai Asap is a
new settlement and Belaga is
a big town in the area.
How is tourism infrastructure
evolving?
Sarawak’s State government
supports the upgrading of
infrastructure such as the
Pan Borneo Highway, Coastal
Highway, museums and
sports arenas. We are also
dedicated to the upgrading
and development of the
internet in Sarawak to improve
connectivity for tourists,
developing the Sarawak Travel
Application. We are continuing
to build connectivity by
seeking to attract new airlines
and routes into Sarawak’s key
airports.
An unprecedented number
of new tourism projects are
opening in the coming months
and years. The 2 nd largest
Museum in Southeast Asia
will open in Kuching at the end
of 2020. Then there are the
Sarawak Culture Museums,
also in 2020; the Performing
Arts Centre – to be completed
within 2 years; the Santubong
Archaeological and Wildlife
Centre, the Beautification
of Pangkalan Sapi, the
upgrading of waterfront
facilities; construction of a
riverside walkway from Fort
Margherita to the Darul-
Hana Bridge; development of
museums in Limbang; Tusan
beach facilities; Sadong-
Jaya mangrove tourism – a
sanctuary for birds to migrate
from Indo-China, with the
gazetting of the area as a
National Park; at the Niah
Cave, there is extensive
upgrading of the walkway from
the river to the cave, along
with the addition of bungee
track and trails; and finally
upgrading of Bako National
Park and Semenggoh Nature
Reserve’s facilities.
What if your “message” to
travel professionals from
around the world?
Our tourism products are
very exotic for visitors from
Europe and also the Middle
East, because most have
never seen “nature in the raw”
such as what can be found
in Sarawak. We are building
connectivity and accessibility
for what remains for many a
truly mystical destination,
with the focus on our “big five”
- culture, adventure, nature,
food & festivals
www.sarawaktourism.com
SMART GUIDE 5
TRADE TALK
Destination Sarawak
– as seen by travel professionals
Michael Metzner
CEO Tischler Reisen AG,
Germany
Gary Speldewinde
Director – Ecogreen Holidays,
Kuching, Sarawak
Philip Yong
Co-founder and Managing Director,
Borneo Adventure
OUTBOUND TO
SOUTHEAST ASIA
INBOUND TO SARAWAK
We are recognising a growing
trend towards individual quality
tours. Sustainability is becoming more
and more important. Also, tours
combining several different countries
or destinations are popular. An example
might be Singapore combined with a
nature and wildlife experience in
Sarawak/Borneo.
As a specialist for individual tailor-made
quality tours to Asia, Oriental countries
and Indian Ocean we are always
looking for untouched destinations off
the beaten track. Sarawak is truly one
of these natural gems and fits perfectly
in our portfolio. Private tours to the
National Parks including trekking tours
in the rainforest, wildlife observation
and experience of the great variety of
culture are just some of the highlights,
Sarawak has a lot to offer, and an
increasing number of our clients are
attracted to exploring the destination
every year.
Ecotourism is a major trend
today. People want to find
out more about the country, the
culture, the cuisine, and the
indigenous people; but to do this,
you need somebody in the field who
knows the ropes. We prefer to
organise tours where people
actually live in a village and stay with
the local inhabitants.
… We have just signed with a new
online portal in Europe: a site
launched at the end of February
2020. They focus on ethnic tribes
of different countries. With them,
we are developing tours of up to 12
days, learning about the lifestyle
of the local communities. There is
so much to learn that it would be
impossible to do so in one’s entire
lifetime, but with a tour like this,
people can really see a lot!
Sarawak exceeds expectations.
On the surface, we could
advertise about culture, nature and
adventure, but there is a whole lot
more than that. There’s food, there are
festivals, there is an incredible variety,
and the layering of so many things,
and that is a bonus. I think we do have
some stunning places. Kuching still
has a bit of an old city laid-back charm;
Mulu is spectacular… it always takes
my breath away.
There are a variety of things people
can do. For example, we can take
people to see Orangutans in the wild.
Not many people have done that. You
can see them in the zoo. But there
are probably less than ten thousand
people who have seen Orangutans in
their natural habitat in Sarawak. There
is something for everyone – families,
adventure travellers or couples.
6 SMART GUIDE www.sarawaktourism.com
CULTURE
Southeast Asia’s new
cultural highpoint
Malaysia’s biggest, most spectacular new
museum set to open in Kuching in 2020
It’s set to become the “shining star” of Malaysia’s, and indeed the
entire region’s cultural scene. Sarawak’s new state museum in
Kuching – Malaysia’s biggest, the second biggest in Southeast
Asia – will open to the public later this year.
The new museum and annexe are part
of the Sarawak Museum campus, which
also includes the old Sarawak Museum,
the Natural History Museum, and the Art
Museum.
The new 30,000 sq m building will ensure
that the Sarawak heritage, in the form of
a wide array of collections, is safely and
securely stored, preserved, documented,
researched and well exhibited,
according to the latest standards by the
International Council of Museums.
The new five-storey building will have
exhibition spaces on Levels 2 through 5,
on two wings flanking a central atrium.
Level 1 will house commercial lots, a café,
function rooms and auditorium spaces,
supporting and complementing the
exhibition gallery.
The main building is connected to a threestorey
annexe, housing the museum’s
offices, conservation and research
spaces, library and archives, while the
entire basement level is a dedicated
storage area.
The property has been under construction
since 2014, at a cost of around €70 m. It
is Malaysia’s first museum to be Green
Building Index (GBI) certified. Ecofriendly
building materials include timber
products certified by the Programme for
the Endorsement of Forest Certification
(PEFC) for the floors and interior wall
panels. Following the demolition of the
Dewan Tun Abdul Razak building to make
way for the new museum, conscious
efforts were also made to retain the
large trees on site and to preserve the
surrounding context as much as possible.
While the building was completed last
August, with an official hand-over
ceremony attended by Minister of
Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports
Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah,
opening time is slated for later this year.
When complete, visitors will embark upon
an interactive journey through Sarawak’s
history, and the lifestyles of the state’s
numerous ethnic communities.
The Sarawak Museum had long been
hailed as one of the best in this part of
the world, with its old wing dating back
to 1891. The new building will serve as a
centre of learning, hosting international
scholars to collaborate with local
curators on documenting the material
knowledge of Borneo’s rich past, along
with its cultures, people and nature.
It aims to establish Sarawak as a new
global focal point for work in the field of
anthropology
www.sarawaktourism.com
SMART GUIDE 7
CULTURE
© 2019 Rob Allyn / STB
Jonathan Rhys
Meyers in the
upcoming
White Rajah
White Rajah brought
back to life
The legendary “founding father” of Sarawak set
to hit the big screen in new Hollywood extravaganza
For many in the western world, the name
Sir James Brooke has little meaning. That’s
about to change, as a new Hollywood
blockbuster, filmed at the end of 2019, and
in post-production in early 2020, will soon
be hitting the world’s screens.
The movie, with the working
title “White Rajah”, tells the
story of how this former
British soldier, who sailed
to Borneo in 1839 in search
of adventure and fortune,
came to be known as the
White Rajah of Sarawak,
after helping the Sultan
of Brunei crush a pirate
rebellion.
The new film was produced
by Rob Allyn, directed
by Michael Haussman
and stars Jonathan Rhys
Meyers in the role of the
Rajah. Rhys Meyers is best
known for his roles in Match
Point, Mission: Impossible
III, and Tudors and Vikings.
Actor Dominic Monaghan,
who played the hobbit
Merry in the Lord of the
Rings trilogy, takes the
role of Colonel Arthur
Crookshank, Brooke’s
cousin and comrade-inarms.
The production was made
in cooperation with the
Brooke Heritage Trust,
supported with Malaysia’s
federal FIMI film rebate -
the first time the rebate has
been used to make a major
movie outside of Peninsular
Malaysia. Sarawak’s
Minister of Tourism, Arts,
Culture, Youth and Sports,
Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman
Hamzah, has placed his
support behind the project,
saying he felt that the
fact the film showcases
many beautiful locations
in the state will arouse
great interest in travel to
Sarawak.
Shooting took place in the
rustic town of Siniawan,
the Fairy and Wind Caves in
Bau, Sarawak, the Sarawak
Cultural Village and Borneo
744.
Producer Rob Allyn says
he hopes his new film will
be ready in time to screen
at the 2020 Cannes Film
Festival in May
WHITE
RAJAH EPIC
ORIGINALLY
PLANNED
BY ERROL
FLYNN IN
1936
The successful filming of
this Hollywood epic comes
around 84 years after a first –
unsuccessful – bid to make a
film about the White Rajah, by
none other than Errol Flynn,
who was also to star in the film.
The film never came to fruition,
due to legal wrangling between
the would-be producers,
Warner Brothers, and Lady
Sylvia Brooke, the then Ranee
(Queen) of Sarawak over
“historical accuracy”.
8 SMART GUIDE www.sarawaktourism.com
CULTURE
The Antithesis
of British colonial rule
Sarawak Raj was a very “different” kind of
leadership
Sir James
Brooke
The White Rajahs ruled Sarawak from
1841 to 1946. The first ruler, subject of the
new Hollywood feature film, was Sir James
Brooke. As a reward for helping the Sultan
of Brunei fight piracy and insurgency
among the indigenous peoples, he was
granted the province of Sarawak in 1841,
as an independent Kingdom.
DELVING INTO HISTORY
AT FORT MARGHERITA
In Kuching, the very
prominent Fort Margherita
on the riverfront was built
by the second Rajah,
Charles Brooke. Designed
in the style of an English
castle in 1879, it protected
Kuching from pirate
attacks, and was named
after Charles Brookes’ wife
Margaret Alice Lili de Windt.
In 2016, having previously
housed the Police Museum,
it was transformed into
the “Brooke Gallery” –
showcasing the Brooke
dynasty
Brooke pursued a policy
of paternalism, with
the goal of protecting
the indigenous peoples
– the Iban and other
Dayak tribes – from
capitalist exploitation.
He installed laws banning
slavery, headhunting and
piracy.
After James Brooke laid
much of the groundwork
for the expansion of
Sarawak, his nephew
Charles, the second
Rajah, was the “great
builder”. He constructed
public buildings, such as
a hospital, in addition to
forts, as well as extending
the borders of the state.
Vyner Brooke, the son
of Charles, instituted
significant political
reforms. He ended
the absolute rule of
the Rajah in 1941,
before the Japanese
invasion during World War
II, by granting new powers
to the parliament.
The Brooke family still
maintains strong ties to
the state and its people
and are represented
by the Brooke Trust, and
by Anthony Brooke’s
grandson Jason Desmond
Anthony Brooke, at
many state functions
and supporting heritage
projects.
The Brookes’ architectural
legacy can still be seen
throughout Sarawak
Fort Margherita (centre),
with the State Assembly (right)
ANOTHER REMINDER
OF THE BROOKE LEGACY:
FORT ALICE, SRI AMAN
Fort Alice, built in 1864
in the coastal town of Sri
Aman, around 200km
north of Kuching, was given
the second name of the
Rajah’s wife. After years of
loving restoration, it
was opened to the
public in 2015, and
won the gold award
for conservation in
Malaysia’s Institute
of Architects’ 2017
Awards. The gallery
inside shows the
history of the fort itself, the
small town of Sri Aman as
well as the tense contention
between the Iban people
and the British soldiers of
the Brooke era
Fort Alice,
Sri Aman
www.sarawaktourism.com
SMART GUIDE 9
CULTURE
The real thing:
an Iban longhouse
at Batang Ai
Up close and
personal with
Sarawak’s
diverse
cultural roots
The Sarawak Cultural
Village, a stone’s throw from
Kuching, is so authentic
that it was used as a set for
the upcoming Hollywood
blockbuster, the White
Rajah. The village is a living
museum: ideal for a halfday
visit. The diversity of
Sarawak’s tribes is simply
extraordinary.
“If you take the example
of the Orang Ulu, they are
divided into 26 different
sub-groups, each of which
doesn’t speak a different
dialect, but speaks a
whole different language”,
explains Gary Speldewinde
– Director – Ecogreen
Holidays, Kuching, Sarawak.
The Cultural Village’s
buildings represent every
Penan
blowpipe
demonstration
at the Sarawak
Cultural Village
major ethnic group in
Sarawak; namely the
Bidayuh, Iban, Orang Ulu,
Penan, Melanau, Malay &
Chinese. Upon entering
each building, after
witnessing a traditional
welcome ceremony, visitors
find members of the
ethnic groups in traditional
costume carrying out
traditional activities and
taking time to pose for a
photo or two. At the Penan
hut, visitors also have the
opportunity to witness the
art of blowpipe making.
They can also try their hand
at blowpipe shooting with
the Penans, the last of the
hunters and gatherers –
forest nomads
While the Sarawak cultural
village is exceptional,
nothing beats the real
thing. A few hours’ drive
outside Kuching, one
arrives at Batang Ai dam
– the shores of which are
home to a number of Iban
people living in traditional
longhouses, leading simple
lives.
The biggest community –
the Mengkak longhouse
– has 38 families, totalling
around 200 people. The
community is around 45
minutes’ boat ride from the
nearest resort or road.
Visiting this place, one
instantly understands that
these people are, on the
one hand, quite reserved,
and on the other, are very
hospitable. Their traditional
rituals, dances, foods,
and costumes continue
to intrigue and fascinate
visitors and researchers
from around the world.
The longhouse is made
up of a large communal
living space, called the
ruai, flanked on the outside
by a terrace, and on the
other by individual rooms
– each housing a family.
The ruai is the place
where the longhouse folk
gather for a chat or carry
out their days’ activities.
Here, one eats with the
Iban, seated on the floor,
savouring local fare, after
tasting the home-made
rice wine and (gulp) rice
‘whisky’.
These are the direct
descendants of the Iban
head-hunters, whose
images from yesteryear
fuelled the curiosity of so
many in the past. Apart
from the head-hunting,
little else has changed.
It is truly an immersive
experience
A traditional dance in
the Mengkak longhouse
10 SMART GUIDE www.sarawaktourism.com
I ADVENTURE I NATURE
Penan woman, selling
handicrafts at Batu
Bungan village (Mulu)
Tourism
as a cause
for good
As often stated by the
former Secretary-General
of the UNWTO, Taleb Rifai,
tourism can and should be
a force for good. In Sarawak,
this is very much the case,
as every person who visits
Sarawak’s national parks
and protected areas and
pays fees contributes to
the upkeep of these fragile
forests – much of them
pristine primary growth –
and protects the unique
wildlife that lives within
them.
Some local tour operators
also offer the chance for
visitors to become involved in
reforestation initiatives. Park
buffer zones are extremely
important in increasing the
available habitat for wildlife,
so by extending the forest
cover this further helps
in protecting the wildlife.
Huge steps are being made
across the state to conserve
and manage Sarawak’s
valuable and unique
forests. In addition to some
800,000 hectares of Totally
Protected Areas (TPAs)
that are off-limit to logging
companies, large areas of
land classed as “terrain
4” (steep and hilly) areas,
“High Conservation Value
Forests”, buffer zones and
verified “Native Customary
Rights” land remain pristine.
The declared initiative by
the state government to
pursue responsible tourism
underpins the importance
of other moves that had
already been initiated by the
state authorities to protect
forests and wildlife
Upgraded
infrastructure for
Bako National Park
With foreign tourist numbers to
Bako National Park growing by
an average of around 15% every
year for the past three years, the
Sarawak Forestry Corporation
has been working on adding
to and refurbishing facilities for
visitors, including the opening
of a new camping ground. The
Bako Boat Terminal was also
temporary closed for renovation
and upgrade by the Sarawak River
Board from 15 April 2019 through
February 2020.
Bako is said by many to be
the best place in Sarawak for
wildlife experiences. It is home
to approximately 150 rare
proboscis monkeys, found only
in Borneo. The park has been
a protected area since 1957, so
animals are less wary of humans.
Visitors, especially those who
stay overnight, have countless
opportunities to observe and
photograph various types of
wildlife. Long-tailed macaques,
silvered leaf-monkeys, common
water monitors, plantain squirrels,
wild boar and mouse deer are also
found here.
The largest mammal found at
Bako is the Bornean Bearded
Pig. As its name implies, it is
distinguished from other wild
pigs by prominent bristles either
side of its snout. Bearded pigs are
often found around the park HQ
scavenging for food or wallowing
in mud
Proboscis
Monkey in
Bako National
Park
www.sarawaktourism.com
SMART GUIDE 11
ADVENTURE I NATURE I
Orang-utan in
Semenggoh park
New role for Semenggoh
Until recently known as an orangutan “rescue centre”
the status has now changed to “nature reserve”
For over 20 years, the wardens at Semenggoh Nature Reserve
had been training young orangutans, orphaned or rescued
from captivity, on how to survive in the wild. The success of
this programme has left the surrounding forest reserve with
a thriving population of healthy adolescent and young adult
orangutans, who are now breeding in the wild.
The rescue programme has thus been
transferred to Matang Wildlife Centre,
leaving Semenggoh Nature Reserve as
a comfortable home to its successful
graduates, semi-wild orangutans and
their babies.
These majestic animals – our closest
“cousins” in terms of DNA, once kept
illegally as pets, are trained on how
to fend for themselves before being
released into the forest. Over the years, a
number of orangutans have been trained
and released and now form a semi-wild
colony in the reserve. As regular as
clockwork, they swing down from the
trees for a free handout of fruit. If it is
the fruiting season in the forest, some or
even all of them may not come to feed.
This in itself is a good sign and another
step on the way to full rehabilitation.
MATANG TAKES OVER
AS MAIN RESCUE CENTRE
Matang Wildlife Centre is to be found at
the western corner of the Kubah National
Park, about 40 minutes’ drive from
Kuching. The centre’s 180 hectares
of lowland forest provides natural
surroundings for orangutans and other
local fauna. Matang is a dedicated
centre where endangered species, such
as orangutans, are rehabilitated and
released into the forest. While they are
being educated, they remain at the centre,
enabling visitors to get close to animals
they might not spot in days of wandering
the jungle. (Please note that wildlife
sighting activities in Matang Wildlife
Centre will be temporarily ceased from
1 st January 2020 until 30 th June 2020 (6
months) in order to facilitate repair and
maintenance works on the infrastructure.)
WORK HANDS-ON TO SAVE
ORANGUTANS? YES, YOU
CAN!
Foreign visitors to Sarawak are
able to volunteer to work with an
orangutan conservation programme.
With Orangutan Project Sdn Bhd,
a conservation company offering
alternative solutions and sustainable
funding opportunities for the endangered
wildlife on Borneo, visitors can give
“hands-on” help in their quest to save
the Red Apes of Borneo, with monthly
departures to Batang Ai National Park
12 SMART GUIDE www.sarawaktourism.com
I ADVENTURE I NATURE
© 2019 Paradesa
Cycling
Borneo
Trans-Borneo
Road Bike
KAYAKING
SARAWAK -
PADDLING
IN
PARADISE
For great photo
opportunities (with a
waterproof camera),
kayaking on Sarawak’s
Semadang River is a
must.
Semadang Kayak is the premier
kayaking, bamboo rafting
and adventure outfitter and
service provider operating on
the Sarawak River (Semadang
River) at the Heart of Borneo’s
Rainforest a short drive from
Kuching, Sarawak.
“Trans-Borneo Road Bike” has
been launched by Kuchingbased
adventure tour operator
Paradesa* as a two-week
adventure through the wilds of
this incredible island.
Visitors cycle a total of 1,370 kilometres on
paved roads along the South China
Sea and beaches, through mangrove
forests and plantations, stunning
landscapes and peaceful villages before
taking on some challenging climbs to
truly appreciate the natural splendour
of Borneo. Accommodation varies
from beachside / mountain resorts to
international city hotels, and even a local
homestay.
The itinerary covers two countries,
8 international crossings and 1,370
kilometres in 12 cycling days, with
enthusiasts cycling end-to-end,
travelling East to West from the state
of Sarawak, finishing in style in Sabah,
crossing through the Sultanate of Brunei
along the way.
Highlights include encountering the
hospitality of the multi-ethnic peoples
of Borneo, exploring remote national
parks of Sarawak for wildlife spotting,
and being among the first to boast riding
across Borneo.
Those who like cycling, but perhaps
not to the point of crossing the entire
island, will find an eclectic range of
other possibilities, with a number of
short cycling itineraries, including “Best
of Kuching: Heritage and Kampong
Bike Tour”, “Sunset Kampong Ride with
Hawker Food”, “A bite of Borneo by Bike”,
and “Kuching Bike and Cook”.
*Winner of 7th Sarawak Hornbill Tourism
Award 2015/2016: - Outstanding
Destination Management Company -
Special Recognition: Emerging DMC
Award
With various package choices,
the local operator takes visitors
on the “kayaking and rafting
trip of their life”. The trip is a
family friendly and suitable for
beginners, including a short
“training” session at the start of
the activity. Lunch is included
in a small village along the way.
The organisers themselves take
photos of the intrepid kayakers,
sent to them by email just after
their visit
Semadang
Kayak
www.sarawaktourism.com
SMART GUIDE 13
ADVENTURE I NATURE I
Celebrating 20 years World Heritage status
Mulu underlines legacy from the past, being lived today, set to be
passed-on to future generations
In November 2020, Mulu National Park
celebrates the 20 th anniversary of its being
named one of only 20 World Heritage sites
in the world that qualify for a total of four
key world heritage criteria. Mulu boasts
superlative beauty – mountains, combined
with huge river systems, a tropical
rainforest and huge caves. The earth’s
history and geo features are evident in the
gigantic caves and the Pinnacles. Visitors
appreciate the biodiversity and ecological
processes when adventure trekking or just
strolling along the botany trails.
© 2018 Jorg Sundermann
Melinau river sunset
at Mulu Marriott Resort
Deer Cave, Mulu
National Park
“REVEALED” IN THE 1970’S
The mystery and magic
of Borneo has lured the
cream of the scientific
world since it was first
discovered. In 1978,
the Royal Geographical
Society launched one
of the biggest multidisciplinary
expeditions
to Mulu. Prior to this, the
Sarawak Government,
recognising the special
qualities of Mulu, had
gazetted it a National Park
in 1974. The magic caught
on in 2000, and Mulu
was declared an iconic
UNESCO World Heritage
Area, and at 55,000
hectares, also the state’s
biggest National Park.
Gunung Mulu National
Park is now the most
intensively studied area
of tropical karst in the
world. Dominated by
Gunung Mulu, a 2,377m
sandstone pinnacle
(the second highest
mountain in Sarawak),
the area is exceptionally
scenic, with rainforestcovered
mountains,
wild rivers in deeplyincised
canyons, sheer
limestone pinnacles, long
underground passages
and immense caves.
CAVES: THE WORLD’S BIGGEST
In terms of total volume, Mulu
boasts having the biggest cave
system in the world. At least 295
km of explored caves include
the Sarawak Chamber - the
largest known cave chamber
in the world at 600 m by 415 m
and 80 m high. With a volume
of 12 million cubic meters and
an unsupported roof span of
300 m, this chamber dwarfs
any other large chamber so
far discovered. Deer Cave at
120 to 150 m in diameter is
the largest cave passage in the
world known at the present
time and the Clearwater
Cave System holds the world
record as the longest cave in
Asia at 110 km of mapped and
explored passages. The caves
show classic underground
geomorphological features
which reveal an evolutionary
history of more than 1.5 million
years.
Both above and below ground
the Park has a wide range of
endemic animals and plants in
seventeen vegetation zones.
The caves house millions
of swiftlets and bats and
provide outstanding scientific
opportunities to study the
origins of cave fauna.
14 SMART GUIDE www.sarawaktourism.com
I ADVENTURE I NATURE
MEETING THE LOCALS
– ORANG ULU, THE UPRIVER PEOPLE
From the river-based Berawan tribes of
Long Terawan to the now settling Penan
in the villages of Batu Bungan and Long
Iman: these are the Mulu locals and
they play an integral part in the affairs
of Mulu National Park. These villages
are also made accessible for tourists
to visit, specifically to enjoy the local
handicraft market and of course to try
their hand at the weapon of choice –
the blowpipe! The workforce of the Park
consists of 96% locals and all are proud
Sarawakians.
River at Mulu
GUNUNG MULU
NATIONAL PARK
– PROTECTING
HERITAGE
FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS
A recent study (2017) by the IUCN
World Heritage Outlook resulted in a
“good” status, with the IUCN stating,
“The combination of the remoteness
(no public road access), rugged
terrain, legislative basis of protection,
existence and implementation of
an Integrated Development and
Management Plan, 5-year plan, very
effective professional management
and dependence of a valuable
tourism industry on the park augurs
well contributing to ongoing effective
protection and management.”
According to the UNESCO World
Heritage Committee, “GMNP
provides outstanding scientific
opportunities to study theories on
the origins of cave faunas. With its
deeply-incised canyons, wild rivers,
rainforest-covered mountains,
spectacular limestone pinnacles,
cave passages and decorations,
Mulu has outstanding scenic values.
GMNP also provides significant
natural habitat for a wide range of
plant and animal diversity both above
and below ground. It is botanicallyrich
in species and high in endemism,
including one of the richest sites in
the world for palm species.”
HIGHLY TRAINED GUIDES
When a guide leads a group into
the Mulu caves he or she is not only
an interpreter, allowing people to
understand the nature, but they also
act like rangers, ensuring the visitors
keep their litter, and do not harm the
environment.
The park itself employs around 20
guides and there are a number of
freelance guides working permanently
with travel agencies, bringing the total
to 60 guides.
CANOPY WALK
At 480 metres in total length and
built in 2007, Mulu has the longest
tree-based walkway in the world.
Here, guides help visitors better
understand the flora and fauna
of the tropical forest.
Mulu canopy
walkway
Jeffrey Simun,
Operation Manager,
and Bian Rumei,
Tourism Services
Manager, Borsamulu –
Mulu National Park
“Guides have to attend a course
which is run by the Sarawak Forestry
Corporation for 21 days, and Borsamulu
runs a course which lasts around 10
days, very specific on the park product,”
explains Jeffrey Simun, Operation
Manager, Borsamulu – Mulu National
Park. “They learn about the geology of
the caves, the flora the fauna, and then
they have to attend an exam. Only once
they pass the exam can they obtain a
license.”
www.sarawaktourism.com
SMART GUIDE 15
CULTURE I ADVENTURE I NATURE I FOOD I FESTIVALS I
Penghulu
Robertson,
village chief
of Bario
Bario – the land of a hundred
handshakes
A little-known remote inland region that “ticks-off
all the boxes”
Penghulu Robertson, village
chief of Bario (pronounced
Bariew), holds out his hand to
strangers at the tiny aerodrome
as the passengers prepare to
board a MAS Wings Twin Otter
back to the coast – one of two
flights a day. The airport is the
main entry point for all travellers,
unless they are keen on taking a
12-14 hour slipping-and-sliding
bone-shaking 4-wheel drive
epic from Miri on the coast.
“How have you enjoyed this place?”,
the chief inquires, with a warm,
genuine smile. And of course, the
handshake. If Bario is described by
those who have visited as the “land
of a hundred handshakes”, it is not
without reason. In a day, the visitor will
shake dozens of hands, be greeted
with an equal number of smiles,
and will be treated to a broad range
of local “bush caught and grown”
dishes. This place thus singularly
“ticks off all the boxes” of Sarawak
Tourism Board’s promotional themes
of culture, adventure, nature, food
and festivals.
In past years, a large number of
research projects around the world
have pointed to the fact that savvy
travellers more and more are looking
for what could be termed “immersive”
experiences, where they meld into
a local community, becoming as
one with its people, rather than just
being observers. Bario, through its
remoteness, and the fact there are
no hotels – just longhouses – puts
one fairly and squarely in the picture
as part of the local experience. Added
to this is the fact that the “official”
welcome ceremony for visitors by
the Kelabit people involves the visitor
participating, albeit awkwardly, with
an occasional giggle, in dance and
games with the locals. It means one
is not an observer, but is accepted as
a friend or “part of the family”.
Lying at an altitude of over 1,100m, in
the north-eastern corner of Sarawak,
Bario, once known as the “most
remote village in the British Empire”,
is home to the Kelabit people, one
of the minority Orang Ulu tribes of
Sarawak (formerly fierce headhunters),
and its name means “wind”
in their language.
16 SMART GUIDE www.sarawaktourism.com
I CULTURE I ADVENTURE I NATURE I FOOD I FESTIVALS
It is the starting point for a
number of treks throughout the
area (for virtually all fitness
levels). One can also go kayaking
or be immersed in the mystical
tales of the megaliths that
dot the area. For the really
adventurous, Bario is either
the starting or the ending point
of the arduous 5 day /4 night
Bario-Ba’kelalan jungle trekking
adventure.
“What would you say makes
Bario different?”, I asked the
chief.
“Of course, there is the Bario rice,
then there is the pineapple. It
grows all over Borneo, but it’s not
as sweet as in Bario. Maybe it’s
because of the climate, or maybe
the altitude. Another thing that
is different here is the weather,
which is much cooler than on the
coast,” he replies.
Batu Ritang
Megalith
THE
MEGALITHS
OF THE BARIO
HIGHLANDS
The region is dotted with massive
man-made stone structures
known as megaliths. Perhaps the
best known is the Ritong stone, or
Batu Ritong, at Pa Lungan, a little
under an hour by 4-wheel-drive
from Bario town. It is thought to
be a burial ground for a Kelabit
nobleman named Ritong dating
from hundreds of years ago. The
site was excavated in 1962 by
British soldier Tom Harrison, and
originally, the structure was standing
straight upright. However, over the
years, Batu Ritong has tilted, and is
now at a 45° angle
It’s hard to pin down a single
“selling point” for this place.
Perhaps the key differentiator is
the fact that there are so many
points – all important.
The homestays provide lodging
and full board, with meals quite
often consisting of organic
Bario highland rice, wild boar
or venison, and jungle plants,
topped off with local pineapple.
All organic of course
Sunset over the Bario
countryside
PESTA NUKENEN
AN ETHNIC “SLOW FOOD” FESTIVAL
UNLIKE ANY OTHER
Founded in 2005, the Bario Food and
Cultural Festival, or “Pesta Nukenen” is
one of the most exceptional ethnic food
festivals in Malaysia.
The three-day annual Nukenen
Festival, generally held in the month
of July, celebrates the unique food,
farming, forest and cultural heritage
of the Bario Highlands, with visitors
enjoying delicious organic food cooked by
the various longhouse communities of the
Kelabit Highlands.
As space is very limited on flights to Bario,
it is recommended to organise visits to
Bario well ahead of time via local DMCs
who are able to coordinate transport and
accommodation
Preparing “Nubag
Layag” during Pesta
Nukenen
Local dishes include “Nubag Layag” –
sticky Bario rice wrapped in a leaf called
an “Isit”. Even up until today, this is the
standard food local farmers carry with
them as snacks when working in the fields.
Another “must have” is the “Pucuk Ubek”,
a fine concoction of pounded tapioca
leaves. And don’t miss the “Urum Ubek”,
or glutinous rice fritters.
www.sarawaktourism.com
SMART GUIDE 17
FESTIVALS
Rainforest World
Music festival is a
high energy event
SARAWAK – home to
countless festivals
There’s a whole range of festivals in Sarawak
throughout the year. Here are just a few…
PESTA BABULANG
(BUFFALO RACE FESTIVAL)
Dates: 5 – 7 June 2020
NEW! - RAINFOREST
IN THE CITY
Dates: 30 June – 9 July 2020
RAINFOREST WORLD
MUSIC FESTIVAL 2020
Dates: 10 – 12 July 2020
Steeped in tradition, this cultural
festival - the biggest in Limbang
(northern Sarawak), includes the
quintessential buffalo race. Another
highlight is the “Ratu Babulang”
or “Babulang Queen” contest,
which sees young Bisaya ladies in
traditional costumes display in their
most mesmerising mannerisms
in a bid to win the title crown.
Pesta Babulang also showcases
traditional Bisaya costumes, culture
performances, exotic native food
and other unique activities. (Bisaya
is one of indigenous people in
north-west and coast line of Borneo,
mostly living in Limbang and Lawas
district)
Rainforest in the City aims to enhance
the buzz, highlighting the on-going
campaign of Visit Sarawak Year 2020
by spotlighting events at The Heroes
Monument Park in the Kuching city
centre - for tourists and festival-goers.
Its intention is to expose the Culture,
Adventure, Nature and the Food &
Festivals that Sarawak has to offer in
“snippets” with modern audio, lights and
technologies to experience in the city by
night over 10 days. This festival consists
of 3 main components, namely light
exhibition, audio visual performances
and food experiences. Combinations of
all these three elements will be the main
feature of this year’s event and hopefully
the years to come.
The Rainforest World Music
Festival (often abbreviated as RWMF)
is an annual three-day music festival
celebrating the diversity of world music,
held in Kuching, with daytime music
workshops, cultural displays, craft
displays, food stalls, and main-stage
evening concerts.
The festival features a wide range of
performances from traditional music, to
world fusion and contemporary world
music.
For its 23rd edition, the Rainforest World
Music Festival this year will be featuring 8
stages, 9 mini session venues throughout
the Sarawak Cultural Village. 45 bands
will deliver over 70 performances
including 33 mini sessions.
18 SMART GUIDE www.sarawaktourism.com
FESTIVALS
RWMF FRINGE FESTIVAL
Dates: 3 – 15 July 2020
The RWMF Fringe is an annual festival
of visual, performing and lifestyle arts
from Borneo and around the world to
complement the iconic Rainforest World
Music Festival. It also aims to bring the best
of the mainstream contemporary, traditional
as well as engaging experimental works to
local and also visiting audiences.
Expect to see genres such as Theatre,
Photography, Indigenous Film, Marketplace,
Cuisine, Spoken Word, Arts & Crafts, Fashion
and more at the RWMF Fringe. All RWMF
Fringe events are staged at exciting venues
within 2-kilometres of Kuching city centre
as The Rainforest World Music Festival is
held at the Sarawak Cultural Village & Damai
Central on the coastal enclave of Santubong,
37 kilometres from the city.
Most RWMF Fringe events are staged free of
charge on a “first come first served” basis.
BORNEO CULTURAL
FESTIVAL – SIBU
Dates: 16 – 25 July 2020
Borneo Cultural Festival (BCF) is
a week-long celebration of food,
music and dances that celebrate
the unique yet diverse cultural
background such as Indigenous
people (Iban, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu,
Malay/Melanau and Chinese). The
festival highlights the richness of
culture and heritage in Borneo to
the world, including its multiracial
beliefs and practices with holding
the main object by promoting
“Beauty in Ethnic Diversity”.
BCF is Sibu’s biggest tourism
event, it is also a perfect time to
mingle all the locals from walks
of life by participating in fringe
events such as trade shows, fun
fair and stage shows.
SARAWAK
INTERNATIONAL
DRAGON BOAT
FESTIVAL
Dates: 23 – 25 October 2020
The Sarawak International
Dragon Boat Regatta is an
internationally-recognised
event, where local and foreign
teams compete in various race
categories to win cash money
and trophies. This challenge
is an affiliate event of the
International Dragon Boat
Federation (IDBF).
www.sarawaktourism.com
SMART GUIDE 19
MICE
The Borneo
Convention Centre
Kuching
MICE in Sarawak
Borneo Convention Centre Kuching plans
major upgrade in 2020
The spectacular Borneo Convention Centre Kuching plans on
carrying out major upgrades this year, introducing state of the
art audio-visual technology to its repertoire.
News of the upgrade comes as a new
report by Talk2 Media & Events has
underlined the importance of face-toface
meetings, revealing that 93% of
business event delegates find human
interaction and connections important
across business events, with 48%
declaring them to be critical. In view
of this information, BCCK is working
on continuing to expand its global
presence by hosting more and more
international and prestigious events, as
well as expanding physically as a venue
to facilitate more and larger events in the
future.
BCCK was the first purpose-built venue
in Sarawak, designed to host a myriad
of events from large conferences and
exhibitions to smaller meetings within
one venue. It first opened its doors in
2009 and has since hosted over 1,800
events and over 2.4 million delegates and
visitors.
Located 8 km from Kuching’s city
centre, the BCCK is located on
a 6-hectare riverfront site. The
centre’s environmentally conscious
design was inspired by the surrounding
rainforest. A major element - when viewed
from the outside - is the roof structure.
Creative architectural solutions for
function and form of this element were
found in nature. The Centre’s roof is
shaped in the form of a “Ririk” leaf.
“Ririk” grows in abundance in Sarawak,
and due to its large leaves, it is used by
many indigenous tribes for wrapping rice
and food.
The building has a gross floor area
of 36,500 square metres and the
internal design offers complete
flexibility with functional spaces able to
be subdivided into a variety of sizes and
configurations for plenary sessions,
exhibitions and banquets.
In the field of MICE, as organisations
around the world seek to be more
innovative and compete more and more
on creativity, BCCK approached the
question of innovation from a totally
unique perspective: a space created amid
the tranquillity of the tropical rainforest
where any distractions that could take
focus away from simply being innovative
are kept at a distance.
Being secluded however does not mean
disconnection. The centre is equipped
with the latest in communication
technologies with wireless internet
enveloping the whole area, cutting ledge
LAN infrastructure and, from this year,
even more modern AV technology
A FEW KEY EVENTS
FOR 2020:
July:
Men’s Health World Congress
(MHWC) 2020
July:
6 th World Engineering, Science and
Technology Congress (ESTCON) 2020
August:
18 th International Conference on Clean
Energy (ICCE 2020)
November:
AFSM Tripartite Conference 2020
20 SMART GUIDE www.sarawaktourism.com
TRANSPORT & INFRASTRUCTURE
Taxi boat
approaching the
new Golden Bridge
with State Assembly
in background
Despite the completion of
the spectacular Golden
Bridge, the new highlight
of Kuching’s riverfront in
2017, Sarawak’s “perahu
tambang” or river taxis,
remain very much the icon
of the Sarawak River; a relic
of the past; still very much
part of the city’s daily life.
Over two centuries, since the first
White Rajah, Sir James Brooke, set
up an early settlement combining
two populated Malay Kampungs —
Boyan and Surabaya — on the left
bank of the river as his administrative
centre, this part of the river figured
prominently in the life of the city,
contributing to the birth of downtown
Kuching.
Today, the new 335m S-shaped
bridge is a key tourist attraction,
connecting the south bank’s highly
popular waterfront walkway (main
bazaar and golden triangle) to
the north bank, where the State
Legislative Assembly building, the
historic Fort Margherita, and Astana
residence are to be found.
The Sarawak River -
life blood of Kuching
“Perahu tambang” still the icons
of the picturesque waterway
Sungai Bedil Besar, it is still much
quicker to take a boat - only two to
three minutes, while pedestrians
wishing to use the bridge will have
to walk for 15-20 minutes. Some
boatmen eat and sleep on their
boats during the week… so don’t be
surprised to see a blanket or two
rucked under the stern. According
to Jeman, most boat men work one
week on and three weeks off – in
rotation with others – while they
work in on farms the remainder of
the month.
To fully tap the river’s tourist potential,
the Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB)
recently endorsed a masterplan to
further develop river transport along
a 24km zone between Batu Kawa
and the Borneo Convention Centre
Kuching (BCCK).
A river cruise on
the MV Equatorial
CRUISING
THE RIVER
For those wishing to visit Kuching at a
leisurely pace – viewed from the river,
cruising aboard the “Sarawak River
Cruise” on the MV Equatorial gives a
different perspective of the historic city.
The cruise takes visitors past historical
landmarks such as the Kuching
Waterfront, Square Tower (formerly a
prison), a multi-purpose market, the old
State Mosque with five onion-shaped
domes, a Malay house on stilts and
the Satok Suspension Bridge before
heading the other side of the river to
see the Astana (former palace of the
White Rajahs), Fort Margherita (now a
police museum) and a fishing village
“My job still keeps me busy”, said Pak
cik Jeman (Jeman the boatman),
who prefers to row his passengers
across the river than to use the
motor. Generally running a boat from
the jetty at Jalan Gambir to Kampung
www.sarawaktourism.com
SMART GUIDE 21
TRANSPORT & INFRASTRUCTURE
Ongoing
roadworks flank
original road
on Pan Borneo
Highway project
– here near Sri
Aman
Royal Brunei Airlines
introduces flights to
Kuching and Sibu in
Sarawak
The new Royal
Brunei routes
A new transport backbone
– the Pan Borneo Highway
Travel by road across the vast state of Sarawak continues
to be a long journey – up to 19 hours from Sematan to Miri
currently on a tarred, but often rough two-lane road.
Royal Brunei Airlines has launched
services to Sarawak with flights to
Kuching and Sibu as part of its new “RB
Link” services.
To accelerate the socio-economic
growth of Sabah and Sarawak, a major
effort to fully develop and upgrade
the Pan Borneo Highway into a fourlane
dual carriageway was announced
by Malaysia’s Prime Minister in April
2013. But the origins of a planned trunk
road connecting the expansive states
of Sarawak and Sabah, with Brunei in
between, date back to the 1960s when
it was known as the Trans-Borneo
Highway. Construction works began
in 2015, and now almost half the works
have been accomplished throughout
the state.
When completed in the coming
years, the future toll-free Pan Borneo
Highway Sarawak from Telok Melano
to Merapok is expected to span a total
distance of 1,060 km. It will become
THE transportation backbone of the
states of Sabah and Sarawak and
will play a major role in opening-up
economic corridors and opportunities
in areas it traverses.
Pavement works – at some stretches,
new 2-lane single carriageway are
already taking shape. These will
be progressively opened to traffic,
to enable construction works to
concentrate on the next two-lane
single carriageway
“We are very pleased to be able to expand
our footprint in Sarawak with two new
destinations, Kuching and Sibu through
our brand-new innovative product, RB
Link. This allows for more trade and
tourism opportunities between the
cities, and also provides residents from
Kuching and Sibu with greater travel
choices to any of our exciting cities
within the RB global network,” said Ai
Ling, RB’s Senior Vice President of Sales.
Flights to and from Sibu began on 14
November 2019
KUCHING LAUNCHES NEW
HYDROGEN-POWERED BUS
SERVICE
The new zero
emission
hydrogen bus
in Kuching
Sarawak’s highly anticipated
zero emission hydrogen
bus service was launched in
January 2020, operating on
two routes with stops near
various attractions in the city.
The pilot project has begun
with two buses – one operating
the Downtown Heritage
Loop and the other on the
much longer Damai Loop.
The service is a joint effort of
the State Transport Ministry
and Sarawak Economic
Development Corporation
(SEDC) to promote a reliable,
affordable, safe and ecofriendly
public transportation
system in Sarawak
22 SMART GUIDE www.sarawaktourism.com
From
Penang
From
Kuala Lumpur
Kota Kinabalu
SABAH
From
Johor Bahru
Miri
Brunei
Mulu
From
Ponanak,
Indonesia
From
Singapore
Sibu
Bintulu
SARAWAK
Kuching
THAILAND
ADAM
AND NICOBAR
ISLANDS (INDIA)
CAMBODIA
VIETNAM
PHILIPPINES
MALAYSIA
BRUNEI
SARAWAK
SINGAPORE
INDONESIA
SABAH
BANDAR
SERI BEGAWAN
MIRI
Miri-Sibuti
Reef
Sibuti
Lawas
LIMBANG
BRUNEI
Nanga Medamit
Marudi
Beluru Mulu
Ba Kelalan
Bario
Sematan
Lundu
Matu
Siburan
Bau
KOTA
BETONG
SAMARAHAN
Pulau Bruit
Daro
Belaga
Selangau
SIBU
Song
Damai
Kabong SARIKEI
KAPIT
Kanowit
Santubong
Talang Satang Island
Pusa
KUCHING
Sebuyau
SERIAN
SRI AMAN
MUKAH
Lubuk Antu
BINTULU
Tatau
Sebauh
Bukit Mabong
Sg. Asap
www.sarawaktourism.com
SMART GUIDE 23