BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

KAMPUNG Sungai Matan is planning to build another homestay unit and introduce more traditional activities in a bid to become more attractive to visitors.

According to village head of Kampung Sungai Matan Pg Hj Abdul Rahman Pg Hj Zainal, the additional homestay unit will be a house with a maximum of three guest rooms.

“By improving our homestay programme, tourists who are interested to experience the Bruneian way of life can eat what locals eat, sleep in an enviroment similar to a typical Bruneian home and take part in our kampung activities such as fishing and cooking local delicacies,” he said on the sidelines of the Sg Matan Carnival recently.

The village head said visitors from over 60 countries have enjoyed their homestay programme since it was launched in 2011.

“We have tourists coming in from Japan, the United States and Australia... (the majority of our visitors) are from ASEAN countries. (Tourists) have all given positive responses,” he said.

“Our lifestyle is our product. Our village is one of the most famous fishing villages in Brunei and we want to show our visitors a glimpse of how local Bruneians live,” he continued.

He added that alongside its tourism services, the village also promotes its seafood products and traditional activities as a part of the Kg Sg Matan tourism package.

One of the reasons for the village’s success in carrying out projects is the cooperation and commitment of the residents.

“As village head, I am entrusted to help the less fortunate residents.

“We do this by making them as the vital people behind our activities and by promoting their unique products,” he said.

In addition to the Kg Sg Matan tourism package, the village also plans to expand and include more cultural activities to offer to foreign visitors.

“We plan to include the Malay traditional wedding as part of the package. We want to show tourists how weddings in Brunei are carried out, steeped in our traditional customs,” he explained.

Pg Hj Abdul Rahman further said the village also holds the annual carnival and fishing challenge, which is a collaboration with the Tourism Development Board under the ‘Know Your Country’ (Kenali Negara Kitani or KNK) campaign.

The Brunei Times