Domestic Airline Buildup Contributes to Economic Diversification and Distinction
As Brunei expands its civic aviation fleet under Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA), the small but centrally located Sultanate is increasingly optimistic about its ambitions to become a regional air-travel hub. At large, the country is interested in expanding its role in what is colloquially known as the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). Royal Brunei Airlines CEO Captain Sabirin Hj Abd Hamid and transportation officials in the Royal government see air transport as a vital component of the national economic diversification vision of Wawasan Brunei 2035.
Connecting the countries within BIMP-EAGA (in addition to Singapore) is just one part of economic diversification efforts. RBA was recently awarded the distinction of World’s Leading Cabin Crew at the 2024 World Travel Awards. Having a high-quality service sector is one of Brunei’s priorities under Wawasan Brunei 2035 across sectors. Hosting a widely-operating, high-quality, and expertly-staffed civil aviation industry contributes greatly to transforming Brunei into a travel, logistics, and all-encompassing regional business hub.
US aircraft and component producers play a key role in both Brunei’s transportation and defense industries. Building out these key sectors makes way for access to and insurance for all manner of business investments. Transportation, energy, financial services, and tourism are all priority industries under Wawasan Brunei 2035’s diversification efforts. Consultation and participation from the US private sector are critical to fulfilling this potential, and increasing physical access to Brunei will work toward ensuring it.