Amphibious plane a la ‘Fantasy Island’ to Batang Ai and Bakun in the offing

KUCHING: Getting to tough-to-reach rural areas such as Batang Ai and Bakun would be a breeze beginning sometime next year when the amphibious aircraft service comes into service.

Assistant Minister of Tourism Datuk Talib Zulpilip said destinations such as Batang Ai was ready to receive an influx of visitors as there was already a resort in place.

“When it comes to Bakun, there is no hotel there yet. We are looking at options. At this moment, we do not have anybody or group coming up with a concrete proposal,” he said at a press conference yesterday to announce the staging of ‘Sungai Bedil Food Festival 2011’ this Sunday.

He added that the flight schedules of the amphibious plane, which will connect Kuching to Batang Ai, and Bintulu to Bakun, would be finalised after taking into consideration the availability of infrastructure and related facilities at the various destinations.

“The amphibious plane service will still need to feed off on tourist traffic coming into Kuching or Bintulu. We can’t say which destination will be served first. It all depends on the demand,” he said.

Talib revealed that the state government had broached the idea about Bakun to several operators, but the distance was causing some hesitancy.

Continue reading at: Amphibious plane a la ‘Fantasy Island’ to Batang Ai and Bakun in the offing

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7th Borneo International Kite Festival: Foreign kite enthusiasts set to wow

BINTULU: The 7th Borneo International Kite Festival (BIKF), which will be held from Sept 22-25, will see 84 kite enthusiasts from 22 countries converging at the Bintulu Old Airport site.

BIKF, which was first held in 2005, is jointly organised by Bintulu Kite Flyers and Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) in collaboration with the Tourism and Heritage Ministry and Tourism Ministry with support from Sarawak Economic Development Corporation.

BDA, in its effort to cement its relationship with members of the public and the participants, has created a mascot aptly named ‘Sanai Vaie’.

Sanai is a Bintulu boy who loves kite flying.

He wears a green overall and a stripped green cap, representing the freshness of nature.

He sometimes carries his Sarawak flag-inspired kite to show off to his friends and family.

This year he will be the ambassador for BIKF.

Sanai Vaie will be making a few appearances in and around town and will be looking for friends to come join him at the festival this week.

The introduction of this mascot is just another step in making the BIKF well received and fresh every year.

The idea of organising BIKF was first mooted by Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Bintulu was chosen as a venue after considering its great potential after the old airport was closed down, making the basic infrastructure left behind an ideal and perfect site for such an event.

Continue reading at: 7th Borneo International Kite Festival: Foreign kite enthusiasts set to wow

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Timely boost for Bintulu tourism

BINTULU: Tourism in the division received a boost with the opening of new luxury service apartments here yesterday.

Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communication Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong said the development is timely for those who wish to visit Bintulu with their families.

“Not only are there bedrooms, but we can cook, do the work of washing and drying clothes and enjoy a comfortable vacation with the family in the apartment hotel concept,” he said during the opening of JinHold Apartment Hotel.

The development costing RM26 million is located on one acre at Jalan Tanjung Batu.

“There are many advantages of staying in an apartment, not just more privacy for work, but more services and comfort are also offered in terms of facilities such as with luxury apartments developed in the United States and England,” said Manyin.

Jinhold Group Enterprise Development Sdn Bhd president and chief executive officer Tchong Joon Thiam said the idea began 15 years ago when he brought his family to Bintulu for a holiday and found limited accommodation options.

Continue reading at: Timely boost for Bintulu tourism
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Tune Hotels celebrates Bintulu opening with no admin fee

BINTULU - The pioneering limited-service hotel chain Tune Hotels is celebrating the opening of its latest property in Bintulu by permanently eliminating the administration fee for room reservations across all of its existing 12 hotels, according to a press release.

"The New Year comes with good news for our guests as Tune Hotels is removing the 10.90-ringgit admin fee across our entire chain - for good. Guests now only pay for the room and opt for our special comfort package to enjoy greater savings.

"As we open more hotels we experience better economies of scale and become more cost efficient. We eventually found the admin fee no longer relevant and are delighted to be in a position to pass on the savings to our guests," said Tune Hotels Group CEO Mark Lankester.

Commenting on the Tune Hotel Bintulu opening, Lankester said: "Tune Hotel Bintulu is testimony to our commitment to Sarawak and we hope it will further promote and develop the state's tourism and travel industry, in particular within the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).

"The opening of Tune Hotel Bintulu will not only provide more convenience and comfort to tourists and holidaymakers to the 'Gas Town' but also those on business trips there.

"As we anticipate more corporate guests from the oil and gas industry, rooms at the Tune Hotel Bintulu are designed for longer stays and more living space."

Strategically located in central Sarawak, Bintulu is connected by air to Kuala Lumpur, Kuching as well other towns. It sits on the massive Trans-Borneo highway trail that links Kuching and Kota Kinabalu, presenting enormous potentials for the tourism and travel industry. Bintulu is also an important access point to Bakun, Southeast Asia's largest hydroelectric dam.

"The Similajau National Park, which is just 30 minutes away, offers nature lovers activities like jungle trekking, canopy walk and a wealth of flora and fauna. With various tribal ethnics inhibiting the Bintulu area like the Iban, Orang Ulu and Melanau, visitors will also discover a myriad of traditional and ancient cultures that are well preserved in the many villages and longhouses.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
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Tune Hotels Bintulu to help spur tourism, business within SCORE

KUCHING: The opening of Tune Hotels’ latest property in Bintulu scheduled for January 3, 2011 is testimony to the company’s commitment to Sarawak and will further promote and develop the state’s tourism and travel industry, in particular within the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) belt, said Tune Hotels group chief executive officer, Mark Lankester.

According to the company’s press statement, the 101-room Tune Hotels Bintulu would be the pioneering limited-service hotel chain’s second hotel in Sarawak, making it the only state other than Selangor to have more than one Tune Hotel. The first Tune Hotel in Sarawak opened at the Kuching Waterfront in 2009.

Apart from Bintulu, Tune Hotels Kota Bharu in Kelantan (173 rooms) was also slated for opening on January 23, 2011, making it a double celebration for Tune Hotels as it ushered in the new year.

Commenting on the Bintulu hotel, Lankester said, “Bintulu’s strategic location in central Sarawak, coupled with good air connectivity to Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and other towns as well as being on the massive Trans-Borneo highway between Kuching and Kota Kinabalu, presents enormous potential for the development of tourism as well as other priority industries under SCORE. The opening of Tune Hotels Bintulu will not only provide more convenience and comfort to tourists and holidaymakers to the ‘Gas Town’ but also those on business trips there.”

Bintulu was famed as Malaysia’s main producer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) but more recently has been identified as one of the growth areas under SCORE. Bintulu is the gateway to Samalaju, one of SCORE’s five major growth nodes, aside from Tanjung Manis, Mukah, Baram and Tunoh. Bintulu is also an important access point to Bakun, Southeast Asia’s largest hydroelectric dam.

The press release further pointed out that SCORE was launched in 2008; a major initiative undertaken to develop the Sarawak Central Region and transform the state into a developed one by 2020. It was aimed at accelerating the state’s economic growth and development, as well as improving the quality of life for the people of Sarawak. SCORE was officially launched in Bintulu by the then Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The core of the corridor was the energy resources, particularly hydropower, coal and natural gas found abundantly within the Sarawak Central Region. This would allow Sarawak to price its energy competitively and encourage investments in power generation and energy-intensive industries that would act as triggers for the development of a vibrant industrial development in the corridor.

Continue reading at: Tune Hotels Bintulu to help spur tourism, business within SCORE
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Tune Hotels to open new hotel in Bintulu next year

Tune Hotels will open two new hotels in Bintulu, Sarawak and Kota Bharu, Kelantan by next year.

"The increasing the number of hotels, reiterates the commitment to increasing our network to 100 in major cities globally, providing five-star beds at incredible value and affordability," said its group chief executive officer, Mark Lankester in a statement Tuesday.

The introduction of the 101-room Bintulu hotel and 173-room Kota Bharu hotel will further add value for savvy travelers, both business and tourists alike, keen to adopt the pay-as-you-use concept that we provide," he added.

Kota Bharu has the first Tune Hotel in Kelantan and Bintulu, the second in Sarawak.

With the opening of the Bintulu and Kota Bharu hotels, it brings the number of Tune Hotels in Malaysia to nine and 12 globally.

Continue reading at: Tune Hotels to open new hotel in Bintulu next year
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