Focus on quality of Sabah homestays next year By Fiqah Roslan
KUDAT: Homestays are a good economy booster for locals and the growth of the industry shows promise in Sabah.
Given its proven potential to improve the locals’ livelihood, heightened efforts to focus on the quality of homestays in Sabah will be set in motion next year, led by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture (MOTAC).
Its director, Ag Ahmad Zaki Abu Bakar, said there was a need to develop the homestay industry in Sabah and Malaysia as a whole.
He added that although the current development is encouraging, it does not encompass all industry players.
“A few homestays need to be reevaluated, but generally the industry is progressing. Nonetheless, we will be organising campaigns and activities in the coming year to go to the ground and see how we can improve our homestays,” said Zaki.
He said MOTAC would focus on its Visit My Kampung programme next year to emphasise on the quality of homestays in Sabah, and not just quantity.
With 25 homestays currently registered under MOTAC in the state, Zaki said a few had been identified as inactive and would be shut down if need be.
However, those that wish to continue operating will be taken into consideration on a case-by-case basis.
This is in line with promoting community-based tourism in Sabah, he said, where locals stand to benefit directly from the tourism and hospitality industry.
Zaki said this during an excursion with the media to Misompuru Homestay intended to promote a deeper understanding of the homestay concept, amid misinterpretation by unregistered accommodation providers.
He stressed that homestays do not only provide accommodation, but an experimential package of staying with a family and participating in activities synonymous with local cultures.
“There are those who claim to be homestay operators when they actually just provide a room or apartment for lodging.
“That is not a homestay. Homestays sell experiences, not just a place to stay. You live with the local community and experience their culture,” he clarified.
Zaki added that now, MOTAC is moving towards a newer ‘kampung stay’ concept, where travellers still experience the homestay package but do not live together with a family.
“This kampung stay concept is like the next step after homestay. It just means tourists do not stay with a family.
“When you opt for a kampung stay, you will still put up in a homestay and participate in all its activities, but you will have a place to yourself.
“We realise some tourists like their privacy, and some homestay operators have more than one house they can offer for accommodation.”
He further explained that only registered homestays can offer the kampung stay alternative and that it is meant to open another avenue for both tourists and industry players.
He also said evaluation of homestays that qualified for kampung stay would be part of next year’s initiatives.
Furthermore, Zaki said MOTAC would promote a marketing strategy that linked homestays to other associations to create a cooperative network.
“For example, we will create a link between the Sabah Backpacker Operators Association and homestays so both can benefit from each other.
“What we plan to do is integrate parties within the same market that share similar clientèle.
“That way, we uplift the tourism sector as a whole and can offer tourists a more well-rounded experience,” he said.