21 Villagers In Sarawak Offering 19 Types Of Homestay Programmes

SIBU, JULY 14 (Bernama) -- Twenty-one villages in the state are now offering 19 types of homestay programmes under the guidance of the federal Tourism Ministry. However, the ministry would like more to participate, state director of Tourism Malaysia Ahmad Johanif Mohd Ali said here Wednesday.

They could get the registration form from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Heritage Sarawak, 2nd Floor, Bangunan Baitul Makmur, Medan Raya, 93050 Petra Jaya, Kuching or call 082-319313 to do so. Ahmad Johanif said this when closing a three-day basic homestay course organised by Tourism Malaysia. Thirty-seven participants from Dalat, Mukah, Bintulu, Sebuyau, Kanowit and Sibu took part in the course. Of the number, 33 are new and four are already homestay hosts or coordinators.

Ahmad Johanif said the homestay programme's main objective was to encourage rural communities to involve themselves in the tourism industry for additional income. "It is also to produce tourism entrepreneurs among the rural communities and is in line with the government's agenda in the Tenth Malaysia Plan to raise the monthly income level of the bottom 40 per cent hardcore poor. "Tourism Malaysia will do the advertising and promotions for them through its 34 branches worldwide," he said. He said foreign tourists could pick up tourism brochures on the country and would pick the homestay programme that was ideal and appealing to them.