By M K Anwar

UNWTO is the specialised United Nations agency that looks after the global tourism industry and serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues.

Representing Brunei at the assembly, which was held from November 23 to 29, was Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources cum Chairman of the Brunei Tourism Board, Dato Paduka Hj Hamdillah Hj Abd Wahab, and other delegates from the ministry and Brunei Tourism Development Department.

Brunei is the eight country in Asean to become a member of UNWTO. Other countries that have join the 150-member organisation are Montenegro and Tajikistan.

According to the latest statistical projection for 2007, Brunei is expected to receive some 176,000 tourists. This is an increase of 11.7 per cent compared to last year. Nearly 700,000 visitors, mostly from Malaysia, will also be coming to Brunei either by land or sea.

Based on this projection, tourists are expected to contribute some B$407 million in foreign exchange earnings and generate 5,200 direct tourism jobs, which is equivalent to over three per cent of total employment in the Sultanate.

Taking into account the sectors of the economy indirectly involved in servicing the needs of the tourism industry, foreign visitors are expected to contribute almost five per cent to the country's GDP and provide employment to 8.5 per cent of the workforce.

Brunei's entry into the UNWTO is important at a time when global tourism industry is enjoying strong above average growth.

According to UNWTO, worldwide tourist arrivals are expected to reach 900 million in 2007, which is around 5.7 per cent more than the previous year.

A record breaking 846 million international tourist arrivals were recorded in 2006. It generated revenues of US$733 billion in international tourism receipts, representing 35 per cent of the world's service export.

An estimated US$7 trillion worth of tourism-related economic activities are generated globally, which is equivalent to the size of the US economy and provide employment to over 230 million people.

The uniqueness of the local culture, pristine surrounding and peace are among the qualities of Brunei.

It is with this that Brunei can position itself to capture the share of tourists and travellers regionally or internationally.

Brunei is said to have the potential to achieve significant growth in the number of visitors.

Coupled with the growing potential of eco-tourism through the 'Heart of Borneo' initiative, Brunei's membership into the UNWTO will serve as a platform to increase its profile globally to a wider audience and also to foreign investors.