The 9th Sarawak Hornbill Tourism Awards celebrated an unforgettable night of recognition and achievement as Sarawak’s top tourism industry players gathered for the prestigious gala dinner at Hikmah Exchange Event Centre yesterday on September 27, 2024. With the theme ‘Wind of Resilience’, this year’s event paid tribute to the resilience and adaptability of the industry, especially in the face of unprecedented challenges such as the global pandemic.
The night witnessed a total of 27 winners being awarded across eight (
main categories and twenty-seven (27) sub-categories, including BorneoTalk for the Best Tourism Article Programme on Sarawak!
The Premier of Sarawak, The Right Honourable Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari Bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg, graced the event as the Guest of Honor, commending the tireless efforts of all tourism stakeholders for their dedication to rebuilding Sarawak’s tourism industry.
This year’s Special Hornbill Award for Lifetime Achievement was presented to Datu Aloysius J. Dris a distinguished individual who has made significant contributions to Sarawak’s tourism industry over the years. As a former Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Tourism and later the Chief Executive Officer of the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) from 1999 to 2003, he played a pivotal role in establishing both the ministry and the STB including helping to establish a Sarawak iconic event Rainforest World Music Festival.
One of the key highlights of the evening was the presentation of the Tourism Regional Leadership Excellence Award to the Premier of Sarawak. This prestigious award, under the theme “Championing Sustainable Growth”, recognized the Premier’s outstanding leadership who has helm the Ministry of Tourism for many years and made his distinctive contribution especially during the pandemic.
Also, in attendance at the 9th Sarawak Hornbill Tourism Awards (SHTA) 2019-2023 was Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts. The event is co-organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts, Sarawak, together with the Sarawak Tourism Federation.
List of winners:
Ecogreen Holidays (Best Tour Operator)
EU Holidays (Best Overseas Travel Agents)
Borneo Adventure (Most Unforgettable Tour Experiences)
Semadang Kayak (Most Captivating Special Interest Experience)
Anderson Michael Gawan (Best Tourist Guide)
The Waterfront Hotel (Best Hotel Experience – 5 Stars)
Imperial Palace Hotel, Miri (Best Hotel Experience – 4/3 Stars)
Inn86 Bintulu (Best Hotel Experience – 2 Stars Below)
Bala Metu Homestay (Best Homestay Experience)
KANTIN at The Granary (Best Fine Dining Experiences)
River View Café – Hilton Kuching (Best Casual Dining Experiences)
Borneo Cultures Museum Gift Shop – (Best Tourism Shopping Experiences)
Attiya Spa and Massage (Best Spa & Wellness Experiences)
Jordan’s Signature (Most Captivating Entertainment Experience)
Timberland Medical Centre (Best Medical Tourism Provider)
ARAMAZ BORNEO (Best SMM2H)
Curtin University Malaysia (Best International Educational Provider)
Mulu World Heritage Area – National Park (Most Captivating Visitor Attraction)
Penan Women Project (Best Community-based Tourism Initiative)
Sam Wong – Filmco (Best TV/ Online Programme on Sarawak)
BorneoTalk (Best Tourism Article Program on Sarawak)
DayakDaily (Best Social Media Contributor)
Sarawak Cultural Village – Sarawak Harvest & Folklore Festival (Most Captivating Leisure, Arts & Culture Event)
Draco Action Sports – Sarawak Adventure Challenge (Most Captivating Sports Tourism Event)
WormingUp (Special Award for Responsible Tourism)
Sia Sitok Sarawak – Sarawak Tourism Board (Special Award for Covid-19)
Datu Aloysius J. Dris (Special Award for Lifetime Achievement)
Congratulations to all the winners and nominees!
#keepborneotalking #sarawakmoretodiscover #stirringupborneo #borneosarawak #borneotalk #borneotalktravel Sarawak Travel, Malaysia, Borneo Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak STF – Sarawak Tourism Federation SmartLeisureTravels