Brunei received over 4 million international visitors last year, a 4.5 percent rise from 2014, statistics from Brunei's Tourism Department showed.

Border arrivals made up the largest number of arrivals with 3.8 million last year, followed by visitors coming by air with 218,213 and 35,064 cruise tourists, a local report quoted the statistics as saying Tuesday. In 2014, there were 3.64 million visitors from the border, and 200,989 arrivals by air.

The statistics were released during a presentation by Ak Zulkhairi, tourism officer at Brunei's Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) during the closing of the ASEAN Community-based Tourism Program here.

Ak Zulkhairi said the top three countries entering the country by air in 2015 were Malaysia, China and the Philippines.

Over 40 percent of arrivals by air came to Brunei for a holiday last year, followed by 19.6 percent of travellers who visited for business, conventions or exhibitions.

Ak Zulkhairi said that several initiatives that are being taken to strengthen tourism products and increase the quality of tourism.

The initiatives include strengthening security of visitors, increasing visitors' comfort, improving the level of service providers and staff in hotel and museums, promoting local products and improving the service and knowledge of local tour guides and tour operators.

Source : XINHUA