Tourism in Brunei is governed by the

Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism The Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT; ms, Kementerian Sumber-Sumber Utama dan Pelancongan, ''KSSUP'') is a cabinet-level ministry in the government of Brunei which oversees agriculture, fishing, forestry and tourism in the count ...

, which is planning to diversify

Brunei Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely surrounded by t ...

's tourism to include adventure tourism,

ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide fund ...

and Islamic tourism.

Overview

The Brunei dollar is one of strongest currencies in the

Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN ( , ), officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, militar ...

(ASEAN) region, a factor discouraging tourists in the region from visiting Brunei. One Brunei dollar is equal to around 10,740 Indonesian rupiah, 3.10

Malaysian ringgit The Malaysian ringgit (; plural: ringgit; symbol: RM; currency code: MYR; Malay name: ''Ringgit Malaysia''; formerly the Malaysian dollar) is the currency of Malaysia. It is divided into 100 ''sen'' (formerly ''cents''). The ringgit is issue ...

, 36.2

Philippine peso The Philippine peso, also referred to by its Tagalog name ''piso'' (Philippine English: , , plural pesos; tl, piso ; sign: ₱; code: PHP), is the official currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 ''sentimo'', also called ...

and 23.6

Thai baht The baht (; th, บาท, ; sign: ฿; code: THB) is the official currency of Thailand. It is divided into 100 ''satang'' (, ). The issuance of currency is the responsibility of the Bank of Thailand. SWIFT ranked the Thai baht as the 10th-mos ...

. According to some travel agencies, because of Brunei's strong currency tour packages are expensive compared with those of other countries in the region; local tourists prefer other ASEAN countries, although tourists from outside the ASEAN prefer Brunei. In 2014, 95 percent of foreign tourists arrived in Brunei by land; four percent arrived by air, and one percent by sea.

Statistics

Source: Tourism Development Department, Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism; Immigration and Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs; and Brunei shipping agencies. Arrivals Note: The number of arrivals for 2020 and 2021 decreased due to the outbreak of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

. All land and sea borders were closed starting from March 2020 with the exception of 'essential travelers' who were allowed entry mainly for the purpose of official visits, family, education, businesses and employment. The borders reopened on 1st of August 2022 and arrivals are expected to increase again. Registered Travel Agents Tourist Receipts

Government initiatives

The Brunei government budgeted $300,000 for tourism in 2015, and provisions for tourism were also made in the country's National Development Plan (NDP). Brunei is seeking foreign direct investment in tourism and collaboration with a number of agencies.

Tutong Destination Programme

The Tutong Destination Programme is a pilot project to increase tourism in

Tutong District Tutong District (; Jawi: دائيره توتوڠ) or simply Tutong is one of the four districts of Brunei. It has an area of ; the population was 48,313 in 2016. The administrative town is Pekan Tutong. It is home to Tasek Merimbun, the count ...

, a major tourist destination in the country. The programme, created by the district government in collaboration with travel agencies and the NGOs, began in 2013. More than 2,000 tourists have visited Tutong (which has more than 30 potential tourist destinations) since the project was introduced. The district was visited by 50 delegates from the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).

Bird Watching Workshop 2015

Birdwatching Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, by ...

is one aspect of nature tourism identified in the Brunei Tourism Masterplan. In 2015, a three-day birdwatching workshop was sponsored by the Tourism Development Department of Brunei in collaboration with Sunshine Borneo Tours and Travel, the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), the Birding Conservation Council (BCC) and volunteers from the Brunei Birders Group.

Recommendations

Islam is the state religion of Brunei, and tourists should observe Islamic etiquette. Women should dress modestly in conservative and rural areas. During the month of Ramadan, visitors are not permitted to drink or eat during the day in public areas. Most major tourist attractions in Brunei are Islamic mosques. Foreign, non-Muslim tourists in proper attire may enter mosques; women should cover their head, shoulders and knees. Although the sale of alcohol is prohibited in Brunei, non-Muslims over age 17 may bring two bottles of liquor or wine and 12 cans of beer into the country; 48 hours must elapse between each importation.

Major attractions

Brunei is noted for ecotourism and cultural, heritage and Islamic tourism.

Cultural, heritage and Islamic tourism Attractions

* Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque in Brunei's capital,

Bandar Seri Begawan Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB; Jawi: بندر سري بڬاوان; ) is the capital city of Brunei. It is officially a municipal area () with an area of and an estimated population of 100,700 as of 2007. It is part of Brunei-Muara District, the s ...

* Brunei Museum *

Istana Nurul Iman The Istana Nurul Iman ( Jawi: ايستان نور الإيمان; English: The Light of Faith Palace) is the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, and the seat of the Brunei government. The palace is located on a leafy ...

: Palace and official residence of the Sultan of Brunei *

Jerudong Park Jerudong Park is an amusement park in Jerudong, Brunei-Muara District, Brunei. It is the largest and most expensive amusement park in Southeast Asia, built and funded by the Bruneian government for $1 billion. The Park began in design in the e ...

: Amusement park * Malay Technology Museum * Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque *

Kampong Ayer Kampong Ayer is a prominent traditional settlement in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei. It comprises neighbourhoods of traditional houses, schools and mosques built on stilts above the Brunei River near the capital's city centre. It ha ...

in Bandar Seri Begawan * Oil and Gas Discovery Centre in Seria, Belait District

Ecotourism Attractions

Ulu Temburong National Park Ulu Temburong National Park is the first national park to be established in Brunei, protected since 1991. The park is in Temburong District in eastern Brunei, and covers about 40% of the district in the south at . It is within the Batu Apoi Fores ...

in the Temburong District

Gallery

File:Istana Nurul Iman.jpg, Hall in Istana Nurul Iman File:Jerudong2004-Roller coaster.jpg, Jerudong Park File:Royal Regalie (1).JPG, Royal Regalia

References

External links

* {{Southeast Asia topic, Tourism in