BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Between January and June 2026, Brunei recorded nearly 400,000 visitor arrivals, representing an increase of 7.8 per cent compared to 370,000 arrivals during the corresponding period in 2025.
The most significant growth was recorded in sea arrivals, which increased by almost 70 per cent, highlighting the growing potential of the cruise tourism segment.
The increase in visitor arrivals was highlighted by Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Datuk Dr Abdul Manaf Metussin on the third day of the Second Meeting of the 22nd Legislative Council (LegCo) Session.
The minister was responding to a question raised by LegCo member Dr Mahali Momin on the indicators used to assess the impact of implemented tourism promotion initiatives.
Touching on the growth in tourism receipts, Abdul Manaf said, “The primary objective of the ministry is to increase the economic value generated by each visitor.
“During the first six months of 2026, total tourism receipts were estimated at approximately BND158 million, compared to BND140 million during the same period in 2025. This demonstrates that the growth in tourism is making a direct contribution to the national economy.”
On the performance of the tourism sector and related industries, he said, “The ministry also monitors the performance of tourism-related subsectors, including hotels, restaurants and travel agencies.
“Although the average hotel length of stay declined from approximately three days to two days, hotel revenue increased by around 17 per cent, from approximately BND17 million to BND20 million. This indicates that tourism activity continues to generate significant economic value for the industry.”
He said the performance of restaurants, hotels and travel agencies is closely monitored as an indicator of the broader economic benefits flowing to local enterprises.
Lastly, on the effectiveness of promotional investment, or Return on Investment (ROI), Abdul Manaf said, “The Ministry continuously evaluates the effectiveness of every promotional investment using data provided by its marketing partners and digital tourism platforms. For example, collaborative campaigns with Agoda, Ctrip, Expedia and Tripadvisor have generated more than 52 million impressions, significantly enhancing the visibility of Brunei in international markets.”
He added, “These campaigns also resulted in more than 1,800 room nights booked and nearly 600 bookings, comprising 63 per cent hotel bookings, 31 per cent flight bookings and six per cent tourism packages.
“These data enable the ministry to assess the return on its promotional investments more effectively and identify priority markets, ensuring that every promotional expenditure delivers the greatest possible impact and value.” – Borneo Buletin/ANN
