ASEAN-Korea Centre will run a program for tourism professionals in Brunei Darussalam aimed at increasing awareness of Korea there and boosting tourism.

ASEAN Tourism Human Resources Development Program will take place on 3-4 September in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, with a series of lectures on Korean tourism, culture, and the Korean language.

The program, organized with the Brunei Tourism Development Department at the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, is aimed at preparing tourism professionals to better serve Koreans tourists in the country. Bandar Seri Begawan is the capital of Brunei Darussalam, as well as its political, financial and cultural center.

“For nature lovers, Brunei Darussalam offers one of the world’s richest and most diverse ecosystems,” said a member of the ASEAN-Korea Centre’s Culture and Tourism Unit. “(There is) pristine, sun-drenched sand, stretching the full length of Brunei Darussalam’s coastline, overlooking the South China Sea. Here, tourists can enjoy a quite picnic or embark on a plethora of water activities including water-skiing, kayaking, windsurfing and diving in its crystal clear waters and virtually unspoiled coral reefs.”

The country also has a rich and diverse cultural heritage, said Huh.

“It offers tourists a refreshing tourist destination with its richly diverse natural and cultural heritage, centuries-old majestic royal heritage and an exciting contemporary side of magnificent accommodation, ecotourism and sports activities, all of which are nicely positioned within the country and are readily accessible,” she said.

The two-day series of lectures is part of the Brunei Tourism Master Plan 2012-2016, which aims to increase the number of tourists to Brunei from 242,000 last year to 417,000 in 2016. Almost 1,700 Koreans visited Brunei last year, a 70 percent rise from the previous year.

The culture and tourism unit member said that Koreans were showing a growing interest in visiting ASEAN counties.

“In recent years, the number of Koreans who visit ASEAN countries has been continuously growing. In 2010, 3.2 million Koreans visited ASEAN and the number increased to 3.8 million in 2011,” she said.

She added that meant there was more and more demand for information about Southeast Asia.

“Even though ASEAN member states have great potential for attracting more Korean tourists, given its rich tourism resources and geographic proximity, there has been increasing demand for more opportunities to get ASEAN tourism information among the Korean public.”

By John Power  (john.power@heraldcorp.com)