By WU VUIDE
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah tourism players could become informal ambassadors for the state when meeting people in China, said Funholiday managing director Connie Chong.
This is to promote Sabah while overseas and encourage two-way tourism exchanges, she said.
“When people ask where we are from, it gives us an opportunity to introduce Sabah,” she said during a Zhejiang culture and tourism scenic spots promotion event at a restaurant.
She hoped the exchanges could help attract more visitors from China during outbound tours.
She said stronger two-way promotion could help build longer-term business relationships between tourism operators in Sabah and China.
Connie said the growth of online travel platforms had not significantly affected the role of travel agencies in promoting outbound tourism.
She said agencies could remain relevant by offering small-group tours, customised travel and distinctive products that could not easily be replicated online.
“We need to create more highlights in our products to attract customers,” she said.
Connie said travel between Sabah and China was also relatively convenient because flight times were not too long.
She encouraged Sabahans to visit China and experience its destinations, while calling for more Chinese visitors to Sabah.
Connie said easier travel between the two destinations could help strengthen tourism ties and create more business opportunities for operators on both sides.
Jiangxi Chuanzhi general manager Xu Qingchang said travel packages featuring tourist attractions in Zhejiang, China, were being offered with flexible itineraries to cater to different traveller preferences.
“The packages could be customised according to customers’ needs, with groups starting from two people,” he said.
He said the standard arrangement was for up to 20 tourists and one tour leader, using 26-seat coaches for greater comfort, although larger groups could also be accommodated at a higher cost.
He said Fuzhou was currently the preferred entry point because of its convenient direct-flight schedule from Kota Kinabalu.
He said passengers could continue their journey by high-speed train from Fuzhou to Shangrao in Jiangxi, which took about 86 minutes.
“This gives customers a more comfortable experience without having to spend long hours travelling by coach,” he said.
“Tourism should be about leisure and enjoyment. If the journey itself adds discomfort, it is not a perfect holiday,” he said.
He said the itineraries could also be adjusted for groups that preferred to enter Zhejiang through Fuzhou and visit Hengdian and Shenxianju rather than travel through Jiangxi.
Zhejiang Shenxianju marketing director Wang Xing said Shenxianju had developed into a major tourist attraction since its establishment in 1999, while further development of the Daxianju area began in 2012.
Hengdian World Studios marketing director Felix Xu said its studios were the world’s largest film and television production base in terms of area, comprising nearly 20 scenic areas.
Among them are replicas of Beijing’s Forbidden City and Yuanmingyuan, as well as areas representing different periods of Chinese history.
The studios were established in 1996 and initially developed for film production.
“It was later expanded to include tourism, entertainment and interaction between visitors and performers,” he said.
He said the Qingming Shanghe Tu scenic area was based on the famous Northern Song painting and recreated the appearance of Bianliang.
Hengdian World Studies head of marketing, Joanna Wu also presented the highlights of its attractions.
From left are Joanna, Felix, Connie, Xu and Wang speak on two-way tourism exchanges.
