The Empire Hotel & Country Club Brunei labels Middle East as 'emerging tourism' market

"We recognise that the Middle East market has extremely good potential for Brunei in the medium to long term and we aim to attract more visitors from this region" said Naomi Graham Commercial Director for The Empire Hotel & Country Club.

Catering for the elite tourism market The Empire Hotel & Country Club is the flagship for promoting Brunei to the world. Former guests at the Empire from the Middle East and around the world have included heads of state, celebrities, business travelers and families. The beautiful untouched countryside of rainforests and mangroves also attracts nature lovers and eco tourism supporters.

The Empire lives up to its surroundings. It is Brunei's only beachside resort perfectly located on a magnificent stretch of Brunei's pristine South China Sea coastline. A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, the globally recognised standard of the finest in luxury hotels, The

Empire has an opulent but tranquil ambience, its grounds meandering through 450 acres of lush tropical gardens.

Despite its size, exclusivity, privacy and personalised service are assured through a series of three different buildings and 16 villas each with its own distinctive luxurious decor. Each of the 423 rooms are uniquely designed and appointed with private balconies facing the sea, lagoon or the golf course.

Compared to other Asean nations, Brunei is still in its infancy in terms of tourism, although the industry is expanding considerably. It is the governments' intention to raise the country's profile as a holiday destination and they are looking to increase the number of tourists to the country to one million a year.

Currently Brunei sees 1.6% of its visitors from the Middle East, a figure they are aiming to increase significantly over the next 10 years.

The director general of Brunei Tourism, Sheikh Jamaluddin, says the sultanate is seeking to position itself as a first and last stop for Borneo and other nearby destinations and is aiming for more affluent visitors. He says there are parallels between Brunei and Dubai, which both offer a niche tourism product. Like Dubai, Brunei is making a bid to raise its profile by hosting international sporting events such as the South East Asian Games, the World Badminton Championships and the World Shooting Championships.

"Dubai is very similar to Brunei. We are both Islamic countries and about 10 years ago Dubai was a just piece of desert. But now it is booming because of its hospitality, which is their key strength." says Sheikh Jamaluddin "We are not going to rush our tourism and we are not going into mass tourism. Brunei is very safe and clean and the crime rate is low in comparison and we would like to keep it that way."

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