The Sarawak Hornbill Tourism Awards committee is calling for nominations for the awards from the public.
KUCHING: The Sarawak Hornbill Tourism Awards 2015 committee is encouraging participants to send in their entries by Aug 14.
The awards are co-organised by the Ministry of Tourism Sarawak and Sarawak Tourism Federation to recognise individuals or organisations’ contribution to the development of tourism in Sarawak and to create a culture of excellence, creativity, quality services and best practices.
The event was held in 2003 and it has been held biannually since.
The nine categories in the awards are Outstanding and Accommodation Providers, Outstanding Destination Management Company, Outstanding Tourist Guides, Outstanding Food Outlets, Outstanding Cottage Industry Contribution to Tourism Industry, Outstanding Transport Contribution to Tourism Industry, Outstanding Media Contribution to Local Industry, Outstanding Tourism Attractions and Events and Hornbill Special Award or Minister Award.
Each category is also divided into sub-categories. Information for the sub-categories can be viewed at the official website. The total amount of awards given is 37.
All nominees’ performance will be evaluated for their achievements in 2013 and 2014 by a team of judges from the Sarawak Tourism Board, Sarawak Convention Bureau, Tourism Malaysia Sarawak, Ministry of Tourism Malaysia and Sarawak Tourism Federation.
Winners for the categories will walk away with trophies, certificates of recognition and other incentives such as marketing and promotion incentives, sponsored overseas tourism promotional trips and cash prize amounts of RM5,000. The Hornbill Special Awards category winner will receive RM10,000.
Official entry forms can be downloaded at www.mot.sarawak.gov.my and submitted to the ministry at Level 2, Bangunan Baitul Makmur, Medan Raya, Kuching or emailed to dianacb@sarawak.gov.my.
The awards ceremony and gala dinner will be at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching on Nov 15.
On a similar note, Crafts and Cottage Industry chairman Heidi Munan also urges the public to help potential individuals to submit their entries for Cottage Industry Contribution to the Tourism Industry.
The sub-categories for the awards are artisans, cottage industry (food), cottage industry (souvenir products), handicrafts and souvenir outlets and best craft promoter.
“In the artisan and cottage industry (souvenir), the product may be traditional or modern but we are zooming in on the best materials, best designs and best workmanship,” Heidi told a press conference at Sarakraf Pavillion yesterday.
For cottage industry (food), Heidi said the food would be mainly traditional but they were looking for the producer of best ingredients, most hygienic production methods and packaging as well as innovation by building on grandma’s recipes.
