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Sunday, April 3, 2011

Tale of a fishing village turned tourist draw


KAMPUNG Sungai Matan is a fishing village that is now transforming itself into a tourist draw after seeing the potential of tourism as a moneymaker.

The recent launch of a home-stay programme has successfully lured in more tourists into the lively fishing village, village leader, Pg Hj Abdul Rahman Pg Hj Zainal told The Brunei Times.

Although the home-stay programme was only introduced early this year, it had already attracted visitors both foreign and domestic, he added. "Thanks to the commitment and cooperation of residents, the Kg Sungai Matan Home-Stay Programme has given us an early positive headstart for the new year. From January to March this year, we received about 100 tourists already," he said.

"Last year, our village has been visited by tourists from more than 27 countries around the world, and we hope to beat that record this year with this home-stay programme," he added.

Kg Sungai Matan is one of the popular tourism destinations in Brunei under the Tourism Development Department's "Kenali Negara Kitani" (know your country) initiative. Over the years, the riverside village has carried out activities which have gained the interest of foreign and domestic tourists, who have come to know Kg Sungai Matan as the "fishing village" due to its predominantly fishermen population.

The home-stay programme is managed and operated by the Kg Sungai Matan Village Consultative Council with the objective of showcasing its self-sustainable fishing activities as well as local products made from everyday catch from the Brunei River.

The village was also a finalist in last year's inaugural Excellent Village Award for the Ministry of Home Affairs "One Village One Product" project, showcasing ecotourism and fish breeding industry as the village's products.

"By making our village a tourist destination, we are making tourism as our main product and key industry for our village as it helps promote the existing fishing industry and products that the village has," Pg Hj Abdul Rahman said.

He said the village has it all fishing activities, processed seafood, traditional cultural shows and games, local products, natural wildlife all part of the home-stay package. "All these activities are happening almost everyday so for tourists coming for the home-stay programme, they all get this opportunity to see the village come to life," he said.

He said while foreign tourists would usually rent rooms for $55 per night, local visitors usually rent an entire house for $150 per night inclusive of breakfast for eight.

"Most of the visitors who come to our village and for the home-stay programme want to experience every activity such as the river cruise ($35), ambuyat lunch set ($15) and the various fishing activities such as catching cultured fish or fishfeeding," he said.

The village head said the council had signed a cooperation deal with tour operator Sunshine Borneo Tours and Travel under the Community-Private Partnership in developing the village as a tourist hub. "But now many more tour operators are attracted and has recently approached us to offer deals to get tourists into the village."

Apart from showcasing the village as a fishing tourist destination, the village head said community activities were also undertaken annually among its 700 residents.

"Every year, we have our Carnival Matan where we sell seafood after it has been processed. We also have cultural activities where everyone gets together. Once in two years, we also have a fishing competition," he said.

To run the activities, Pg Hj Abd Rahman said they had to apply for funds from the Ministry of Home Affairs. "However, we are now hoping to be independent by obtaining revenue from the tourists packages that are currently running."

-The Brunei Times/Asia News Network

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