BINTULU: China Eastern Airlines plans to introduce a direct flight route between Kuala Lumpur and Bintulu, a move welcomed by federal Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
In a statement shared through his Facebook, Tiong emphasised that Bintulu’s location close to Similajau National Park, which is famous for its unspoiled coastline, can make it an attractive destination for tourists.
He suggested further discussions with other airlines to expand travel options, especially through charter flights that may become regular routes in the future.
Tiong’s announcement comes after a recent meeting with representatives from Guangzhou Asian World International Travel.
He noted that Malaysia has recorded a significant increase in the number of tourists from the South China region, with 164,568 visitors in 2023, which is an increase of 85.88 per cent compared to the 88,534 visitors recorded in 2022.
Recognising the region’s great potential in the tourism, trade and investment sectors, Tiong pledged to step up promotional efforts and expand market reach to attract more tourists.
In addition, he informed that the tourism agency also plans to conduct an introductory visit to assess the capacity of hotels and local tourism facilities here.
In the meantime, Tiong, who is the Member of Parliament for Bintulu, also touched on the issues of pollution in Semporna, including illegal garbage dumping by slum dwellers, insufficient marine conservation efforts and the lack of qualified tour guides.
He also suggested collaboration with Tourism Malaysia and Aswara to offer training programmes to local tour guides.
“By holding a course in Peninsular Malaysia, we can give more individuals from East Malaysia the opportunity to participate, thereby increasing the number of certified tour guides,” said Tiong.
He also pointed out that Malaysian representatives have reaffirmed their commitment to improve port management and security in previous discussions with the Chinese Minister of Culture and Tourism.
