Tourism & Culture

Home to unspoiled jungle habitats, unique and rich cultural heritage, and miles of pristine sand beaches, all of which is supported by modern and efficient infrastructure, Brunei Darussalam has all the makings of an attractive holiday destination. Already a leading segment within the tourism sector as a whole, the cruise ship industry provides the Sultanate with perhaps its greatest single avenue to increase visitor footfall and spending in the country. Cruise ship tourists from 24 ports of call visited the Sultanate in 2013, up 40% over 2012. Boosting this segment further remains a priority. If further developed, other niche categories, such as ecotourism, bird watching, scuba diving and trekking journeys could also prove to be strong draws, particularly if developed in conjunction with larger Borneo travel packages including Malaysian and Indonesian components.

This chapter contains an interview with Mariani Haji Sabtu, Acting Director, Tourism Development Department.