GREAT EFFORT: Nawawi presents a prize to Jaclyn Chen, who won in the gross category.
MIRI: MASwings will spread it wings into Brunei, Pontianak, and Tarakan effective February 1 next year.
Its chief executive officer Datuk Capt Mohd Nawawi Awang said these new routes formed the initial phase of its expansion plans to penetrate the BIMP-EAGA region.
The Kota Kinabalu-Brunei and Kuching-Brunei sector will commence on February 1, to be followed by Kuching-Pontianak on February 6, and Kota Kinabalu-Tawau-Tarakan on February 16.
Speaking at the close of Golf Escapade Final Round at the Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club (EVGCC) here on Sunday, Nawawi believed that the availability of these flights would increase the mobility of people in Brunei, West and East Kalimantan, Sabah, and Sarawak.
“I believe there is a considerably big number of golfers in Brunei and Kalimantan who will travel to Sabah and Sarawak once we introduce the flights.
“Similarly, I am confident that some Sabahan and Sarawakians golfers will take the opportunity to travel to Brunei and Kalimantan to discover what they could offer to us.”
In view of that, he said MASwings planned to capitalise on the increasing popularity of golf in the region, especially in Sabah and Sarawak.
He said the growing interest in golf could have been stimulated by the sudden surge in the number of local tournaments in recent years.
On the Golf Escapade, which had been held over the past two years, he said it represented one of the airline’s commitments towards promoting the game to the public at large.
“For this year, MASwings has organised nine rounds of golf at EVGCC.
“We are going to offer attractive golf packages to travel and play at various golf courses in Sabah and Sarawak. For next year, we will include Brunei and Pontianak as well.”
The airline’s next challenge is the MASwings Borneo Golf Challenge 2012.
They original idea is to create an avenue where golfers in Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei, East Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, the Philippines, and Sulawesi could participate in this grand event which is specially dedicated to golfers in the BIMP EAGA region.
“We are confident that the Borneo Golf Challenge will have a positive impact on the tourism industry in Sabah and Sarawak. This will pave the way for better social networking and create new business and economic opportunities for all.”
Also present were Industry Development Malaysia director Zulkifli Mohd Said, permanent secretary to the Ministry of Tourism Datuk Ik Pahon
Joyik, managing director of Woodman Group of Companies Datuk Seri KK Lau and chief executive officer (CEO) of Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club (EVGCC) Kueh Chie Tiong.