Answer for Oral Question PL143

QUESTION

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Haji Md. Yusof

YANG BERHORMAT PEHIN ORANG KAYA JOHAN PAHLAWAN DATO SERI SETIA AWANG HAJI ADANAN BIN BEGAWAN PEHIN SIRAJA KHATIB DATO SERI SETIA HAJI MD. YUSOF requested the MENTERI SUMBER-SUMBER UTAMA DAN PELANCONGAN to state the Ministry’s strategies to strengthen the tourism sector, particularly to ensure that the country’s tourism profile becomes more prominent internationally and further stimulate the diversification of the national economy.

ANSWER

Yang Berhormat Menteri Sumber-Sumber Utama dan Pelancongan

In efforts to strengthen the position of Negara Brunei Darussalam as a premier destination of choice, the Ministry, through the Tourism Development Department, remains committed to driving the development of the tourism sector by strengthening the competitiveness of products based on Culture, Nature and Adventure. As a catalyst for dynamic economic growth, this strategy is further reinforced through the diversification of specialised tourism products, such as Sports tourism, Medical Tourism, Educational Tourism and Islamic tourism.

The strategy of the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism in strengthening the country’s tourism sector is founded on a comprehensive approach focusing on strengthening destination branding, expanding international markets, developing high-value tourism products and strengthening strategic cooperation with industry players, in line with efforts to reinforce the diversification of the national economy.

To strengthen the destination’s profile, the Ministry will implement the promotion and marketing agenda for Brunei Darussalam more actively and aggressively through high-impact strategic advertising campaigns using various promotional methods, such as:

• advertisements in international newspapers and news outlets;
• participation in expos;
• engaging the services of a marketing consultant;
• using various social media platforms;
• collaborating with social media influencers; and
• digital marketing;

to promote Brunei Darussalam as an attractive tourism destination.

In strengthening strategic cooperation for the expansion of international markets, Brunei’s presence at the global level is expanded through strategic participation in international expos and business networking sessions in key markets such as Dubai, Sydney, Japan, South Korea, Shanghai and Taiwan, in order to explore more dynamic opportunities for cooperation. Furthermore, for 2026, six new target markets have also been identified to promote and attract tourists to the country, including Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Canada, the USA and the Middle East.

The Tourism Development Department will appoint overseas marketing representatives to strengthen the effectiveness of traditional and digital promotion, particularly in dynamic markets such as China, Korea and Japan. This initiative aims to overcome communication constraints and facilitate access to local digital platforms that are geo-locked, such as Douyin, Naver and WeChat.

In line with these efforts, the Department is also in the process of obtaining marketing consultancy services. This step aims to formulate a comprehensive strategy that not only focuses on existing markets, but also explores the potential of long-haul markets, including the Middle East, the Americas and Europe, to ensure sustainable global competitiveness.

In addition, the Ministry will implement the Tahun Melawat Brunei 2027 (Visit Brunei Year 2027) initiative as a major national agenda and special promotion that will support efforts to further expand international markets. This initiative will be implemented in conjunction with the 60th Anniversary of the Accession to the Throne of Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam. As a proactive initial measure, the implementation phase for the VBY 2027 Pre-Launch is scheduled to commence in the second quarter of this year, to ensure infrastructure and marketing readiness in positioning Brunei as a premier destination in conjunction with the grand celebration.

In this regard, Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam also welcomed the Tahun Melawat Brunei 2027 initiative, which coincides with the 60th Anniversary of the Accession to the Throne of Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam, as a strategic catalyst for realising this aspiration. Therefore, its implementation requires a structured approach, effective delivery and firm commitment from all parties so that this initiative truly reflects the country’s aspirations and upholds the royal command of His Majesty.

Furthermore, to strengthen the digital tourism ecosystem, a total of 700 activities and products have been integrated into the tourism product directory through the portal www.explorebrunei.gov.bn. These products are categorised according to specific segments such as Culture and Heritage, Nature, and Adventure to cater to diverse markets.

Through digital marketing and data-driven promotion, from 2024 to 2025, the country’s tourism digital campaigns reached approximately 41 million impressions across various digital platforms, including social media such as Instagram and Facebook, as well as approximately 700,000 impressions through global advertising networks such as YouTube and the Google Display Network in regional and international markets. This has consequently increased awareness of Negara Brunei Darussalam as a unique and exclusive tourism destination.

From 2024 to 2025, a total of 31 international influencers were invited to produce content that generated more than 34 million impressions, while collaboration with Online Travel Agencies (OTA) generated more than 16 million impressions. These efforts also helped expand visibility in global markets and attract the interest of international visitors.

The Ministry also remains committed to increasing the industry’s competitiveness through the Program Service Providers Enhancement and Tourism Package Development Workshops. These initiatives aim to diversify the variety of existing tourism products while ensuring that the quality of service delivery meets international standards.

In addition, the Ministry will continue to empower service excellence and industry standards through the provision of seven types of capacity-building courses covering specialised areas such as birdwatching, skills courses for frontliners, story-telling, entrepreneurship programmes and others. This strategy is reinforced through the implementation of 12 briefing sessions at educational institutions to build a tourism talent pipeline among the next generation.

Furthermore, efforts to enhance the professionalism of the workforce continue to be intensified through the establishment of 14 competencies and career pathways under the supervision of the Manpower Industry Steering Committee for Hospitality and Tourism (MIHS-HT).

Touching on developments in the tourism sector, the number of international tourist arrivals to Negara Brunei Darussalam in 2025 reached approximately 763,000 tourists, representing an increase of approximately 13% compared with the achievement in 2024. This increase was contributed by tourist arrivals via land, air and sea, which rose by approximately 14%, 7% and 46%, respectively. The most significant increase was in tourist arrivals via cruise ship or cruise vessel.

In promoting our country as a premier cultural destination, every arrival of cruise vessels is welcomed with traditional dances, gulingtangan and hadrah. This initiative is not merely a welcome ceremony, but also a strategic measure to create a profound impact by showcasing the country’s rich cultural heritage to international tourists. In 2025, a total of 15 cruise vessels berthed, and this number is projected to increase to 32 vessels in 2026. As of March this year, 11 cruise vessels have visited the country.

At present, 62 travel agents have been officially registered and licensed under the Tourism Development Department. Of this number, 31 travel agents are actively carrying out inbound tourism activities, bringing tourists into Negara Brunei Darussalam by air and cruise vessel. This represents an increase of approximately 210% compared with only 10 travel agents actively involved in inbound tourism in 2022, three years ago. To optimise the economic potential of this sector, the Ministry urges more comprehensive and active involvement from the travel agent community in implementing inbound strategies to increase tourist expenditure within the country, thereby making a significant contribution to GDP and strengthening the balance of payments by reducing the outflow of the country’s currency.

In addition, projects under the Rancangan Kemajuan Negara (RKN) and Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects have also been implemented to provide and improve infrastructure, particularly at tourism destinations in the country, such as upgrading public facilities and constructing walkways/bridges; the Projek Pemasangan Papan-Papan Tanda Arah dan Maklumat; and the Public Private Partnership (PPP) project for gazetted sites under the Tourism Development Department.

In addition, the Ministry also places emphasis on the development of high-value tourism segments such as MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions), events, exhibitions and festivals organised by the Government and private sector, including the Brunei Startup Summit, ASEAN Universities Network (AUN) Summer Camp conducted by UBD, and the Borneo Kustoms Show. These play an important role in promoting Negara Brunei Darussalam as a tourism destination, while also helping to enhance the destination’s visibility and attract visitors to the country. For example, the organisation of the Brunei Mid-Year Conference and Exhibition 2025 attracted approximately 1,500 participants, including more than 100 international participants, thereby contributing to increased economic activity in the hospitality, food and services sectors.

Through this integrated approach, the Ministry aims to continue enhancing the profile of Negara Brunei Darussalam as a safe, exclusive, green and authentic tourism destination, while ensuring that the tourism sector can play a more significant role in contributing to economic growth and the diversification of the national economy.