ISKANDAR PUTERI: In a bid to further boost its already healthy tourism industry, Johor will explore promoting its homestay products to the global market.
State Tourism, Trade and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong said tourists to the state are showing growing interest in homestay packages that offer a more personal experience and insight on local traditions, customs and rural life.
"Foreign tourists seem to have a keen interest in the way of life of villagers in the state. They like learning about other ‘exotic’ cultures.
"So it’s the state's duty to ensure that information and experiences on our rural cultural traditions are appropriately conveyed to foreign visitors," Tee said.
He said the state government will also offer other language courses to homestay operators, besides English and Mandarin, as tourists hail from many countries, such as Japan.
"We are expecting 70 homestay operators to benefit from the language courses that the state is offering," Tee said, adding that homestay programmes will become a global attraction.
He was responding to BN-Rengit state assemblymen Ayub Jamil's question on the progress of the homestay industry in the state.
Tee said the industry has seen a growth of 16.11 per cent so far this year, with 67,344 homestay visitors, compared to 58,000 in 2015.
He added that most of the visitors were from Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, Australia, South Korea and Japan.