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Discover a variety of homestay experiences in Sabah

TUARAN: Sabah is the beacon for homestay programmes as 70 per cent of the products in Malaysia can be discovered in the state.

Malaysia Homestay Operators Association vice-president Datuk Cobra Jeffrey Ayah said Sabah has many firsts when it comes to the promotion and activities of homestay to international markets.

He said Sabah has the world highest via ferrata (mountain pathway) located at Mount Kinabalu and the mountain is also the highest in Malaysia.

"Sabah is also home to the King Pitcher plant Nepenthes, the biggest flower in the world rafflesia, the magnificent seven-tier Maliau Falls, most diverse ethnicities, world best diving site in Semporna and world oldest rainforest, among others," said Cobra during a volunsharing (volunteer sharing) programme at Rumah Terbalik here.

It was jointly organised by the Sabah Homestay Association (SHA), state Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac), and United Tuaran Tourism Association.

Cobra who is also SHA advisor said he will deliver a presentation on the homestay products and activities in Malaysia at the Asean tourism and homestay talk in the Philippines next month to revive the tourism industry.

"We are passionate and committed to develop homestay programmes in Sabah which have 32 operators registered under the state Motac.

"The rural communities are encouraged to practice good governance and work closely with the state Motac office to improve their products to meet the targeted international markets," he said.

He said homestay has come a long way from the days when tourists would traditionally visit paddy fields, experience nature via jungle trekking, watch cultural performances and enjoy river cruises.

"Now after 10 years, we have moved ahead to be one of the best in the world with products from the skies down to the seas.

"We have operators promoting paragliding, birth watching, diving and the latest is sailing offered by Misompuru Homestay Kudat in cooperation with Sail Malaysia," said Cobra.

"We promote sailing adventures to Kinabatangan River, diving at Blue Hole in Lahad Datu and perhaps sail around Borneo Island in future. We also have operators coming to Misompuru from Langkawi Island," he said.

Homestay is a community-based tourism activity selling experiences as there are more than 1,000 places to explore in Sabah, he said.

He said homestay operations was also badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic because the products required tourists to stay with the host family.

"Since the restart of domestic tourism activities last week, we are only allowed to take in visitors for village stays, meaning they will be staying separately from the host family," said Cobra.

For homestay, he said they were lucky because they were selling experiences or outdoor products, not the guestroom.

In terms of market segment, he said homestay depends on the products offered by the areas, for instance international tourists would go to Kudat for the traditional experiences and beaches while domestic visitors preferred Kundasang highland to enjoy the cold climate.

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