Sarawak More To Discover Campaign Launch

The Sarawak More To Discover Campaign for 2019 and 2020 was officially launched at the JW Marriott Hotel in Kuala Lumpur on the 16th October 2018 to media and tourism industry players from here . 

A creative approach in tourism for the coming year, the Sarawak Tourism Board and also the Ministry of Tourism Sarawak came up with a simple and yet catchy logo for this campaign that is schedule to run for two years. 

FULL STORY: http://blog.malaysia-asia.my/2018/10/sarawak-more-to-discover-campaign-launch.html

Sarawak to host 7 international events in 2019

KUCHING: Sarawak is set to become the host of at least seven international events, including world sporting tournaments, next year, which coincides with the Visit Sarawak Year 2019.

The events included the biennial World Para Swimming Championship 2019 in July and the 21st Edition Asia Masters Athletics Championship (21st AMAC) in December.

FULL STORY: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2018/01/330003/sarawak-host-7-international-events-2019

Miri Mayor: Give Tourism Development Top Priority Now

TheStar: Yii (in yellow shirt) says tourism is poised to become a source of growth in northern Sarawak

MIRI: Tourism has been identified as the “number one” engine of socio-economic growth in Miri and northern Sarawak in 2018 to replace petroleum.

Miri mayor Adam Yii said the Sarawak Tourism Ministry is giving tourism development top priority due to the depressed growth of the oil industry.

Yii said this yesterday in his new year message to the people of Miri, adding they must be ready to embrace change if they want to sustain the pace of development.

He noted that 2017 was a difficult year due to the poor performance of the petroleum sector, once regarded as “black gold”.

“We went through tough economic times in 2017 due to the depressed state of affairs in our petroleum sector as well as the decline in the price of timber and palm oil.

“In 2016, tourism was number four in this part of the state behind petroleum, timber and palm oil.

“However, looking at the continuous decline of the first three industries, tourism must be developed to take over the top spot.

“Tourism will be the new engine to propel socio-economic growth in Miri and the northern region,” he said.

Yii added there will be more flight links between Miri and international destinations in 2018.

Xpress Air of Indonesia has started direct Pontianak-Miri flights and AirAsia will have more Singapore-Miri direct flights every week, he said.

Last week, AirAsia’s inaugural flight from Singapore to Bintulu landed in Bintulu Airport.

It was reported that the availability of more direct international flight are part of AirAsia’s plans to improve international connectivity to Sarawak, in line with the state government’s efforts to boost the tourism industry.

“These international air links are not only for tourism development, but also to generate new investments in other arenas including improved business linkages,” noted Yii.

Yii added foreign exchange from Brunei to Miri will remain crucial in sustaining the growth of the retail, food and hospitality sectors in 2018.

He extended his new year wish of good health and prosperity to the people of Miri.

Source: The Star, 1 Jan 2018

New mayor aims to make Miri ‘resort city of choice’

Adam Yii Siew Sang

MIRI: New Miri mayor Adam Yii Siew Sang has pledged to adopt an inclusive approach in running the city and to uplift Miri’s economy through tourism.

In a press statement yesterday, he thanked his party, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), for nominating him as the new mayor and to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem for his approval.

“I’ll work with all quarters to improve infrastructure, amenities and facilities to make Miri a resort city of choice. Apart from improving council services, I also aim to uplift Miri’s economy via tourism development,” said Yii, a geologist by training.

In the coming months, Yii said he would gather feedback from all the stakeholders to feel their pulse on urgent issues that must be addressed.

“I welcome constructive ideas and constructive criticisms that can help the council improve its services.” Yii succeeds Lawrence Lai Yew Son, who was Miri mayor from 2009 till June 30 this year.

Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Piasau chairman Julaihi Mohamad will take over as deputy mayor from Mohd Chee Kadir, who was elected Kabong assemblyman in the May 7 state election.

Yii would be Miri City’s third mayor. The first was Datuk Wee Han Wen, who was appointed to the post after Miri was declared a city on May 20, 2005. Mohd Chee was the deputy mayor, then.

Yii joined SUPP Krokop sub-branch in 1990 and has been elected to various posts in the party since then. He was Miri Branch Youth assistant organising secretary, then Miri Branch Youth organising secretary, and has been SUPP Pujut Branch chairman since 2007. He is also SUPP publicity and information secretary.

Source: Borneo Post 19 July 2016

Marina ParkCity Set to Transform Miri City into a Lively Cosmopolitan City

MIRI: Spanning 550 acres with a 1.25-mile frontage to the South China Sea, Marina ParkCity master plan envisions a new and exciting business district that will double the size of the existing Miri City Centre.

Streetscape, parks, shady tree-lined walkways and civic anchors will be introduced to create a vibrant, thriving and compelling commercial hub that will redefine Miri’s urbanity.

“Our aspiration is to expand and transform Miri into an atmospheric city that puts people first. It will be a visionary model of liveability, vitality, sustainability and community with an enviable quality of life and flourishing businesses,” said Loh Poh Khim, deputy sales director of Pantai Bayu Indah, the master developer of Marina ParkCity.

In striving for excellence in city planning and design, the developer is collaborating with forward thinking international consultants from the US and Denmark renowned for their understanding and experience in shaping cities. Their collective contributions will shape Marina ParkCity into a humane and safe destination where people can shop, work, live, relax and walk from place to place.

Its tree-lined streets, lively squares and verdant parks will provide the stage for these activities.

“Miri deserves a waterfront so our response is a picturesque, active waterfront along the sea edge, transforming it into a picture-perfect postcard tourist destination,” Loh said.

Conceived as an inviting and charming promenade, the waterfront boasts of a kilometre long boardwalk, a central park and strings of linear parks where people can enjoy a leisurely walk or cycle or dine at restaurants while enjoying the views, the breeze and the sound of the sea.

ARCADIA SQUARE

Arcadia Square, fronting Jalan Kubu, is in the heart of Miri City Centre. It will be an appealing commercial venue with first class shops and offices. It is designed to be the top address for work, shopping, dining and entertainment, delighting visitors with its open-air environment that is safe for walking.

Here, imagination spurs innovation in the design of the first class arcade-fronting high street shops and elevated courtyard shops that connect patrons to public places and spaces.

Sited on a 19.2-acre plot, Arcadia Square comprises four distinct components: Brooke Gateway, Victoria Plaza, Kenyalang Corner and Tanjung Court.

Fronting Jalan Kubu, Brooke Gateway will feature shops and offices lining the main entrance of Arcadia Square. Victoria Plaza, forming its central core, consists of four- and five-storey shop/office buildings grouped into three sections: The Central Court, South Wing and North Wing. The Central Court will feature an attractive plaza and a business hotel with up to 200 keys.

A major international hotel chain based in Singapore has expressed keen interest to operate the proposed hotel. Negotiations are at an advanced stage and the company will make an official announcement when formalities are completed.

Kenyalang Corner will comprise a supermarket and 100 units of SOHOs.

Loh said: “We expect to be in the position to offer them for sale in the third quarter of this year. Tanjung Court, fashioned after the American strip mall, consists of shop/office buildings harbouring a parking lot.

“Furthermore, two leading Malaysian banks are planning to relocate their regional office to Arcadia Square. Full details shall be disclosed in due course.“

Ground floor shops come with 22-foot frontages, double-volume space and mezzanine floors. They are designed to exceed the quality and proportions of traditional shops.

First floor shops with double-volume space and large window openings are highly visible from the streets. This unique feature give retailers valuable display advantage that traditional first floor shops can never offer. Offices located above the shops are ideal for businesses that want an address to impress clients.

Access to the first floor shops and offices will be facilitated by 23 lifts and 10 sets of escalators placed at strategic locations. It can be said that accessibility to the upper floors of Arcadia Square is as good as, if not better, than that for any modern shopping mall.

To overcome the city’s perennial parking problems and traffic congestion, a total of 1,753 parking bays will be provided in a multi-storey parking facility and motor courts. Motorists will find entering and exiting Arcadia Square a breeze.

In a nutshell, the visionary Arcadia Square project is extraordinary. Investing in Arcadia Square shops and offices means giving your business or your tenant’s a powerful platform for a commanding advantage over competitors.

Distinguished by a fusion of exquisite architecture and evocative place-making concepts, Arcadia Square will attract and fascinate visitors and draw them back time after time, effortlessly.

The Arcadia Square Show Gallery is located at ParkCity Everly Hotel, Miri.

For further information call 085-423099 or visit its official website at www.marinaparkcity.com/arcadiasquare. Or you can attend the Exclusive Brunei Sales Event at The Empire Hotel & Country Club, Conference Room from 9am to 7 pm, March 8 and 9, 2014. For enquiries, call Brunei Sole Agents, Primeland Estate Agency on + 673 2424738 / 39 /40.

Read more:http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/03/06/marina-parkcity-set-to-transform-miri-city-into-a-lively-cosmopolitan-city/#ixzz37EomQSL1

Miri boosts tourism infrastructure to get more MICE

SARAWAK is banking on a new international standard hotel and ties with Brunei to promote northern Sarawak, particularly Miri City, as a MICE destination for the Asia-Pacific.

Leveraging Miri’s proximity to Brunei, Sarawak’s tourism minister Abang Johari Openg said the state will collaborate with Royal Brunei Airlines to promote packages to Northern Sarawak, using Bandar Seri Begawan as the main gateway.

He added: “We hope to capitalise on Royal Brunei Airlines’ network in the Asia-Pacific region to attract more leisure and MICE tourists to Miri.”

Miri is a 2.5-hour drive from Brunei and there are currently no direct air connections between Miri and Brunei’s capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.

To attract more foreign airlines to fly to Miri Airport, Malaysia Airports Holdings is throwing in free landing and parking for the first six months. Abang Johari said: “We hope this will entice charter services and when volume picks up, it will evolve into scheduled services.”

He said Miri city can accommodate small- to medium-size MICE groups as there are currently 2,400 rooms, a number that will be boosted by 328 when Pullman Miri Waterfront opens in 4Q2015.

MICE facilities at Pullman Miri Waterfront will include a ballroom with seating capacity for 1,000 delegates and six state-of-the-art function rooms. The executive lounge on the 24^th floor will offer panoramic views of Miri City and the South China Sea.

Gerard Guillouet, COO of Accor Malaysia-Indonesia-Singapore said he foresees the business mix will be a “good mix of business, leisure and pure MICE”.

He predicts that MICE business will predominently be from the domestic market, and from Brunei and Singapore. Miri will also be a good post-event tour option for meetings and incentives held in state capital Kuching.

Currently, the only other international hotel in Miri is Miri Marriott Resort & Spa.

(S Puvaneswary, Miri, June 19, 2014 TTG Asia)

Corals at diving sites off Miri among healthiest and most beautiful

WITH more than 30 dive sites currently and plenty more to be explored, Miri’s pristine underwater world is Sarawak’s hidden gem and a potential tourism gold mine.

For the moment, however, little is known about them. Most people here had an impression that Sarawak dive sites are nothing to shout about, that is, until they dive. Those who had seen them have been greatly and pleasantly surprised, said Co.Co.Dive owner Ian Kuek, 34, to The Star.

“I believe the underwater world can be a signature tourist attraction for this city,” said Kuek, who bought Co.Co.Dive from a local travel and tour agency about two years ago.

He was excited when he and diving instructor Ross Kelly, 30, discovered that Miri’s treasures — apart from oil and gas — are actually its pristine underwater jungles.

(photos credited to David Loh)

“They are beautiful and the corals are alive. A lot of the people had the initial impression that our sea is polluted due to the local heavy industries, but in reality it is not.

“Local fishermen do not carry out dynamite fishing. That’s one of the reasons why the more than 100 coral species are in pristine condition and alive,” said Kelly, who has been diving all over the world for 14 years.

He knew little about Miri before this, especially its dive sites. He came here because his girlfriend decided to return to her teaching profession and had accepted an offer from a local international school.

“I was in Vietnam before this, and then I was pretty surprised to discover the beauty of Miri dive sites. The nearest one is only about 15 minutes away.

“Visibility in the water is really good up to 10m to 30m,” said Kelly, adding that the best diving season here is from March to September, but it can stretch until November depending on the day-to-day weather condition.

He said during these months, divers could witness giant cuttlefish, whale sharks, and all kinds of rays mating.

Having found the amazing sites, Kuek saw the business potential of the underwater world. He is all out to promote diving among locals and tourists.

“We want to be the leading dive company in Miri. We currently have a one-stop centre that provides accommodation, cafe, diving gear shops, and we have two dive master trainees, three instructors and a dive master.”

They have dive packages of four days three nights ranging from RM615 to RM1,000 per person.

He said they also provided diving certification and caters for all kinds of divers, from novice to the serious ones.

Kelly said their team was also very serious about diver safety and conservation of the environment.

“We only allow 16 divers per day to minimise damage to the corals.”

Besides natural dive sites, Miri also have five wreck dive sites. The most beautiful is an artificial reef named “Kenyalang” developed by Shell and Petronas about seven years ago. It is about 26km from shore.

Among Ross’ favourite dive sites are Anemone Garden, Siwa Reef and Eve Paradise.

According to the editor-in-charge of Global Picture Desk for Reuters in Singapore, David ST Loh, who was here recently to experience the dive sites, Miri has one of the healthiest hard and soft coral patches in the world.

“The corals at the Anemone Garden is one of the best I have seen so far in my 20 years of diving.”

“And I’m fortunate to have dived at the best sites in the world, from Sulawesi to the Maldives, Andaman islands and Sipadan. Malaysia is truly blessed to have so many wonders in her waters,” he said.

When asked how he got to know about Miri’s dive sites, Loh said it was from a forum many years ago.

It was two years ago when he finally got in touch with Kuek to arrange a recent trip here.

“I’m now constantly encouraging my dive buddies to go to Miri if they want a quick short diving trip. Divers in Singapore and Malaysia usually go to the Tioman or Redang islands, but it’s just as cheap and easy to go to Miri.

“AirAsia flies direct to Miri from Kuala Lumpur, Johor Baru and Singapore. The dive sites in Miri are 20 to 50 minutes from the jetty,” said Loh.

(Article from The Star 21/7/2013, Diana Rose)