To boost Labuan tourism, the Malaysian BIMP-EAGA Business Council (BEBC) will be visiting Zamboanga on March 30, which is to be one of the largest cities in the Philippines.

Labuan BEBC Chairman Azhar Othman has mentioned that there will be an inaugural flight to Zamboanga from Kota Kinabalu to meet with more than 30 BEBC delegates of Sabah and the Duty-Free Island to develop possible bilateral trade relations there.

"The initial flight from Kota Kinabalu into Zamboanga by Philippines Airlines, which is now underway by BEBC initiative, will eventually start and that will help boost the tourism industry in both areas," he said.

Azhar also immediately announced the appointment as heads of the BEBC Air Transport Working Group of former Labuan airport manager Faizal Malik and logistics specialist Ajiezul Abd Rahman.

"We have involved in expanding our organization in several more entrepreneurs. In line with our goal of promoting the development of business and investment opportunities in Labuan. Later this year, we expect to organize a trade fair in Labuan." he said 

Azhar also said BEBC's first liner transport service to the eastern ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) in June of last year will soon be making its second call for Labuan, through the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines.

Azhar led today, earlier, a group of five members of BEBC Labuan to make a courtesy call to Ibrahim Tamb, deputy Chief Executive Officer of Labuan Corporation (Development).

"The visit was intended to forge a closer relationship between us, particularly in terms of promoting trade, investment, and tourism agreements.

"We also told the deputy head of BEBC Labuan's 2019 operation and plans for 2020. The two-hour meeting went well and we hope that the two bodies for the good of Labuan will be able to cooperate and collaborate in a new way," he said.