Tourism Malaysia To Promote Homestays In India

Bhisham Mansukhani - Mumbai

Tourism Malaysia aims to boost its growing outbound out of India further by tapping the youth segment for the ever-popular homestay options. This concept has been positioned in the market after the perception of the Indian youth's growing access to money with fledgling professions in the technology, entertainment and BPO segments and international travel as an aspiration worth spending on.

The concept has worked well for Tourism Malaysia in the Japanese and select European markets. Says Manoharan, director of Tourism Malaysia, "The profile we are targeting does not want to do typical things on a holiday, so we want to provide them with a unique experience. The concept entails staying with a Malaysian family, being part of their daily lives and learning about their culture. A homestay is typically a two-night stay and the package cost is nominal, at about US$ 10 a night." The objective, he emphasises, is to showcase the indigenous culture as closely as possible. "It is a great way to diversify one's destination offerings. It also reflects the openness of Malays to embrace visitors and it is only appropriate that we introduce this idea to a market we see growth in."

From a meagre 40,000 in 1999, the number of Indian tourists visiting Malaysia has vaulted to 1,70,000 in 2004. The destination is fast becoming a perennial choice for Indians, thanks to its appeal as a MICE destination. May and June remain the prime months of arrivals though October to December has also witnessed an inflow of Indian tourists. The MICE traffic is concentrated in the months of July to September. "For Indian outbound to Malaysia, there is no such thing as a lean month. Exam times can be a bit thin but they always keep coming," Manoharan says.

He also wants to introduce more destination options within Malaysia for Indian tourists. "The coming years will see the introduction of new destinations like Taman Negara, Sabah and Sarawak, Pahang, Johor, Malacca, Langkawi, Selangor and Penang." The per capita spend by Indians is calculated to be US$ 90 million in 2004.