Malaysian tourist office Tourism Malaysia and Singapore Airlines invited product managers from TUI, Thomas Cook, Dertour, FTI, Asian Dreams, Geoplan, Tischler Reisen, Gebeco, Studiosus and EWTC for an informational trip to the exotic island of Borneo.
Among the natural highlights of the ten-day trip through Sabah and Sarawak were visits to the nose-apes at Bako National Park, Malaysia’s smallest and oldest national park, and to Semenggoh Orangutan Rehabilitation Center, where the group had the opportunity to observe the impressive orangutans feeding in their natural habitat. The program also featured an unforgettable head hunter evening in a traditional longhouse in Sarawak, as well as a hike through Kinabalu National Park, home to Mount Kinabalu, the tallest mountain in South-East Asia.
And Borneo had more experiences to offer outside of the jungle: A stay with a Malaysian family in Kuching, who provide a home for guests from all over the world as part of a homestay program, presented an opportunity to take part in everyday family life.
There were also a number of new products waiting to be discovered by the group of product managers, who paid visits to the new properties of Pullman Kuching and Grand Margherita Hotel in Kuching, the Novotel Kota Kinabalu 1Borneo, as well as the two sister resorts Bunga Raya Island Resort & Spa and Gayana Eco Resort in Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park.
Another item on the group’s program was Sutera Harbour Resort, boasting a 27-hole golf course fit for day and night golfing, as well as its own marina including yachts. COO Ravi Kathiravelu invited the group for an exclusive lunch and showcased his expansive resort grounds, as well as the four company-run resorts at Mt Kinabalu.
The group further explored the capital of Sabah along the Kota Kinabalu Heritage Walk and followed the footsteps of the former British colonial masters with a high tea at the new Tea Garden at Kota Kinabalu National Park.
Ravi Kathiravelu, COO of Sutera Harbour Resort (center), introduced the amazing resort grounds to the excited travel experts. At the lobby of 5-star property THE MAGELLAN SUTERA, the group got together for a souvenir photo. Second from right: Stefanie Sonnenschein of MTPB Frankfurt.
