M’sia agressively promoting homestay tourism

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SINGAPORE: Malaysia’s homestay programme has become a hit with Singaporeans so much so Tourism Malaysia yesterday launched another travel campaign here to promote the holiday package.

The three-day Travel Malaysia 2010, at Suntec and organised by the Express Bus Agencies Association (EBAA), was opened by Tourism Malaysia’s Singapore director Zalizam Zakaria who said the Tourism Ministry now is aggressively promoting the Homestay Programme abroad.

About two weeks ago, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Ng Yen Yen was here to launch the Malaysia Rail Tourism programme that promotes some all-inclusive homestay packages.

Over 50 exhibitors with about 100 booths, offering a wide variety of packages, products and services, ranging from hotels and resorts, homestays, theme park, cruise, eco-tourism, golf and spa, to shopping and entertainment, are taking part in this latest travel fair.

Zalizam said a total of 16 booths under Tourism Malaysia at the fair had been taken up by 24 homestay operators from around the country promoting various value-for-money tour packages.

He said the programme, introduced in 1995, was increasingly popular among foreign visitors as they got to experience living with the local people in Malaysian villages with unique surroundings, culture and lifestyles.

In conjunction with the travel mart, Zalizam also launched a Singapore edition brochure, ‘IT’S ALL HERE! IN MALAYSIA HOLIDAY PACKAGES’ that listed 45 holiday packages, in Singapore dollars. —Bernama