Tourism & Culture

Tourism operators in the Sultanate have experienced an eventful few years. A government reshuffle in late 2015 seemed aimed at increasing the focus on the tourism sector, lending hope to many private sector operators that the government would increase support for the growth and expansion of the industry. In tandem with this, however, the appreciation of the Sultanate’s dollar, which is pegged to the Singapore dollar, has seen many potential visitors taking their business to Malaysia instead of Brunei Darussalam. However, bright spots remain for the Sultanate’s tourism operators. As low oil prices continue to weigh on the government’s budget and reserves, many eyes are looking to the tourism sector to add vibrancy to the non-oil economy. This chapter contains an interview with Mario Hardy, CEO, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)