Homestay operators urged to link up with Tourism Ministry

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/5/26/nation/3978645&sec=nation

Tuesday May 26, 2009

Homestay operators urged to link up with Tourism Ministry

KUCHING: Villagers interested in running a homestay programme should register with the Tourism Ministry to enjoy benefits such as marketing, promotion and upgrading of their facilities.

“They are normally given a certain amount, for instance to improve their toilets, and we will help promote them in our brochures,” said state Urban Development and Tourism Minister Datuk Michael Manyin.

“If they are not registered, we cannot help them. So we encourage them to register,” he told reporters after opening a baruk (traditional Bidayuh community hall) at Kampung Benuk near here yesterday.

There are currently 232 registered homestay operators in 19 villages throughout Sarawak.

The programme is regulated by the Tourism Ministry through the State Tourism Action Council.

Manyin also said Sarawak planned to intensively promote the homestay programme to foreign tourists in the next few years.

“We can offer tourists something different in terms of lifestyle, culture and food available, through our homestay programme,” he said.

Meanwhile, state Tourism Action Council manager Mohd Tuah Jais said the Tourism Ministry recently upgraded the toilet facilities of all homestay operators in Sarawak at a cost of up to RM5,000 each.

In addition, the ministry had come up with common signboards for homestay operators which were being distributed now.

He said 10,480 visitors stayed with 197 homestay operators in Sarawak last year, bringing in a total revenue of about RM500,000.

He added that in the first two months of this year, the homestay programme attracted 5,632 visitors who generated about RM100,000 in revenue.

“Travellers these days are going for experience rather than just to have a holiday. They want to live with the local people for a richer experience, so they go for homestay,” he said.

Earlier, Kampung Benuk community leader Bundu Suwap said the village started a homestay programme in 2005 with seven operators.

He said the programme received 2,695 visitors in 2005, while last year, it had 2,890 visitors.

Bundu added that the baruk, built with a RM150,000 allocation from the ministry, was part of an upgrading project to improve the attractions in the village.