Sharifah (centre) presents a souvenir to Mullins, a tourist from UK. Also seen are Paradesa’s Chua (second right) and Sarawak Tourism Board CEO Datuk Rashid Khan (second left).
KUCHING: The state’s pioneer professional bike tour company Paradesa Borneo has launched its latest ‘Sunset Kampung Tour with Home-cook Dinner’ to promote greener and healthier tourism.
At the launch yesterday, Samariang assemblywoman Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali presented a souvenir to the company’s 500th lucky customer, Daisy Mullins from the United Kingdom.
The latest product is the seventh bike tour introduced by Paradesa Borneo.
It is a romantic sunset ride on bicycle through several villages in Satok, followed by a traditional home-cooked dinner before returning in style on a surreal sunset sampan cruise.
Participants will be served dinner on a riverbank patio with a stunning sunset view of the Astana, State Legislative Assembly Complex and the Mosque.
In a simple address, Sharifah Hasidah suggested that the company enlist villagers in their bike tours to better expose cyclists to the local culture.
“Villagers would love to receive foreign tourists, so bring in our local people to participate on your bike tours. Perhaps Paradesa Borneo can also consider doing bike tours in my constituency.”
Earlier, founder Chua Juan Chuan said Paradesa Borneo was in the midst of introducing multiple-day bike tours ranging from two-days-one-night to 10-days-11-nights in different parts of Sarawak.
“We hope in the future to contribute more to Sarawak tourism industry by promoting a greener, healthier and adventurous tour through our bike tour products.”
Chua said about 60 per cent of its customers came from Europe while 18.2 per cent were from New Zealand and Australia.
He added that the Netherlands topped the table with the most customers, followed by the United Kingdom and Australia.