Homestay Program Research Articles

Redefining Rural Tourism in Malaysia: A Conceptual Perspective

There is little consensus on the definition for rural tourism. Researchers from different countries have developed their own definitions based on their unique experiences or contexts. In Malaysia, the current definition for rural tourism is rather vague, narrow and focuses on homestay programmes in rural areas. As rural tourism is an important component of the tourism industry in Malaysia, there is a need to redefine what rural tourism is, so that it encompasses the multiple dimensions and complexities. Hence, this paper proposes to redefine rural tourism in Malaysia. The objective was achieved through a content analysis of the different definitions used in selected developed and developing economies that were available in the published literature. With the clear understanding of what rural tourism should ideally encompass, the findings from the study can be used to guide the Malaysian Government in re-positioning rural tourism as a key niche industry and boost the tourism industry higher up the value chain.

マレーカンポンにおける組織・施設・活動とマレーシアホームステイプログラムの関係に関する事例研究

This study clarifies that the Malaysian Homestay Program (MHP) is related to the existing social organization and community activities at Malay Kampung through these points: 1. The role of the Homestay Committee is similar to the role of the existing Village Development and Security Committee, 2. Villagers use MHP facility as a community facility, 3. MHP tourists take part in the village's daily, economic, community and cultural activities. At Sungai Sireh Homestay, Selangor, cooperation among five villages; organized by a cooperative body; participation of district local authorities; and additional activities of eco-tourism, create the characteristics in its management.

Expectation and Experience Gap for Japanese Travelers Visiting Malaysian Homestay, Utilizing Holiday Satisfaction Model

Homestay program is known as one of the fastest growing segments of the Community–based Tourism, especially in third world countries and is expected to continue in near future. Recent studies in cultural and heritage tourism focused on characteristics of tourists who are visiting cultural and heritage destinations. In this sense, although HOLSAT model can be applied to evaluate tourists’ satisfaction, just a few studies have used this model and its utilization seems crucial. This study attempts to investigate holiday satisfaction among Japanese travelers who visit Malaysian Homestays using HOLSAT model. The results show that HOLSAT model can be worked as a useful tool in understanding tourists’ satisfaction in particular destinations with specific characteristics. In this study, data collected by on–site survey method in questionnaire form and analyzes using Wilcoxson Signed Rank Test. The findings prove the accuracy of Wilcoxson Test in comparison to other methods used in previous works. Keywords: Holsat, Tourist Satisfaction, Home Stay, Japanese Travelers.

Homestay Tourism and the Commercialization of the Rural Home in Thailand

Despite its growing importance to the domestic tourism market in Thailand, and its pertinence to community-based forms of tourism generally, homestay tourism remains a neglected topic. The purpose of this paper is to explore the implications of successful participation in homestay tourism in Thailand. Based on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 30 residents of Mae Kampong, a well-known homestay village located in the northern Thai province of Chiang Mai, this paper argues that success in the context of homestay tourism is a double-edged sword, because even when communities succeed in operating a homestay program, this success comes at the price of diminished authenticity, greater dependence on tourism, and enhanced social and economic inequalities. Notwithstanding such challenges, rural communities will continue to respond to tourist demand for novelty and authenticity by commercializing their homes and offering homestay experiences that deliver glimpses of rural life to curious guests.

Determining the wildlife value orientation (WVO): a case study of lower Kinabatangan, Sabah

PurposeThe aim of this article is to explore wildlife value orientation (WVO) beliefs of community members involved in the Miso Walai Homestay program in Lower Kinabatangan, Sabah.Design/methodology/approachThe researcher utilized the qualitative method of thematic analysis and the sampling technique of purposive/judgemental method which reached saturation point at 16 respondents, who were all local community employees of the Miso Walai Homestay program. A total of 13 semi‐structured questions were posed to all interviewees in their native Bahasa Melayu language or English.FindingsInterviewees expressed preference for viewing wild species not in enclosed structures but in their natural habitat. This was also the view of tourists in the homestay program. This community recognizes that community‐based ecotourism can be a means of habitat protection and income for both wildlife protection and the local community.Originality/valueThis case study may not only contribute to an increased satisfaction level of tourists with the overall experience, but also to the attraction of new tourists, searching for a participatory role by simply choosing a homestay accommodation or physically contributing to conservation activities.

Challenges and Community Development: A Case Study of Homestay in Malaysia

Homestay programme, which was introduced in 1988, has become the iconic rural tourism product highlighting Malaysian cultural and traditional ways of life. The concept of Homestay is whereby a tourist stays together with the host family and interacts with the local community for a reasonable charge. This paper presents a review of community development through the Homestay programme in Malaysia as well as to review challenges facing the Homestay operators and community. Due to the potential of homestay in providing additional income and employment within the community, more participants have become motivated and encouraged to run the Homestay programme. Research methodology using content analysis approach was adopted in analyzing the data. The study revealed the many aspects of development, issues and challenges arising encompassing the stakeholders namely the Homestay operators, community and government agencies.

Rural Tourism in Malaysia: A Homestay Program

Rural Tourism in Malaysia: A Homestay Program

A Predictive Determinant of Quality of Life among Homestay Program Participants in Malaysia

Tourism industry in Malaysia had become very crucial and important in the era of globalization in the 21st century. In Malaysia, tourism is the second largest contributor to the economy after the manufacturing sector. In 2008, the numbers of tourists recorded 22.05 million and tourism had contributed RM49.6 billion (USD13.4 billion) in revenue. Apart from that the total receipts of RM6.3 million had contributed by the homestay program through 68,416 domestic visitors and 23,117 foreign visitors. Therefore the main objective of this study is to identify the predictive determinant of quality of life, government role and attitude that influenced the general well-being amongst the homestay participant. A total of 306 samples was taken from the Homestay Program participants and the data was processed and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). Among the analysis is a reliability test, descriptive and inferential analysis. The growth of the home stay program has provided huge opportunities for the human development. These include positive impact to the rural socioeconomic development, social capital development, as well as increase the quality of life among participants in the homestay program.

Home-stay: Assessment in Lwang Ghalel

Home-stay tourism is a community-based programme introduced by the Government of Nepal, where tourists can have interaction and direct experience of the day-to-day life of the community. The concept of home-stay addresses the theme of eco-tourism in Nepal. The programme’s preliminary positive impact on women, local economy, environment, children and the community shows the effectiveness of the home-stay approach. This approach preserves the rural lifestyle, culture and identity. A growing number of locals are operating the home-stay programme, offering tourists a window into their local culture in areas without hotels. This paper briefly outlines the findings of a field research on the different aspects of home-stay tourism in Wards 2 and 3 of Lwang Ghalel Village Development Committee in Kaski district1. The study includes aspects which both help promote as well as adversely affect the operation of home-stay in the study area. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ntdr.v2i1.7382 Nepal Tourism and Development Review Vol.2(1) 2012 105-140

マレー半島の伝統農村におけるマレーシアホームステイプログラムの特徴に関する考察

This study clarifies the potential of Malaysia Homestay Program at Malay Peninsula, in the current rural development policy on increasing the rural economy and tourism industry. Findings reveal the characteristics of this homestay program, focusing on selected case study of Dorani Homestay in Dorani Village at Selangor. These characteristics are clarified based on participation of government ministries, the concept of ‘lifestyle experience’, community participation, and regional identity.

Adult Learning Development from the Prism of Homestay

This study seeks to understand how adult learning takes place in homestay programme at Kanchong Darat, Banting, and Selangor in Malaysia. The study seeks to provide an overview evaluation and some salient lessons that could be derived in providing quality homestay services to learners. More so, the study succinctly covers socio-cultural issues in the homestay environment, such as the general services, and policy governing the programme. Furthermore, the study looks at the qualification requirements for participation in the homestay programme. It also apprised readers on how adult learning has changed dramatically over the years through self-directed knowledge and skills acquisition in the homestay arrangement. In addition, the study brings to fore some issues and challenges that the operators and learners encounter in homestay programme in Malaysia. The study indicated that adult learners in homestay programme arrangement learn through their experiences, and are mostly self-directed in learning. Questionnaires, interview, and observation were used in the study.

Community Based Homestay Programme: A Personal Experience

Community-based homestay had been discussed in various forums. Malaysian Government has been actively promoting the country for tourism and the homestay program was developed to help in the economy of the rural people. This paper looks at the homestay that may be successful. Two community-based homestay programmes were chosen, the homestay community of Kg. Laklok Machang and Kg. Suri, Tumpat, Kelantan. The research method was by observation, interviews and participation. The activities at both homestay were quite well organized. These include traditional games, cooking and performances. However, the facilities provided need improvement to meet the need of the visitors.

Stakeholders’ perspectives toward a community-based rural tourism development

A study guided by stakeholder, social exchange and power theories was carried out to investigate the level of stakeholders’ interests in and their concerns towards Kampung Pelegong Homestay (KPH) Programme. Using a case study approach, the study examines the views of stakeholders in 2005 on the development of KPH Programme and explores the extent to which the conception of stakeholder and the notion of social exchange and power theory provide a satisfactory understanding of a specific case of stakeholder analysis. The study finds that the stakeholders’ interest in the development of the homestay may be explained by any and the combination of the three components: their power, or their lack of power, to affect the program, their dependency on the program, and the stakes they have on the development. The stakeholders will have interests in the programme development when they are affected by the programme or when they have the ability to affect the programme.

Tourism in rural areas: Kedah, Malaysia

This paper is an empirical study examining the adequacy of the planning approach and establishment types in developing rural tourism in Malaysia with a focus on rural capacity to absorb tourism. It explores the policy background that encourages the growth of rural tourism and highlights issues and factors hampering the involvement of rural communities in tourism. Three illustrations, which are drawn from Kedah State, involve the investigations of regional planning initiatives, remote resort establishments and a home-stay programme. Views of stakeholders, the planning agencies, tourism industry and communities, concerning their expectations, development initiatives, and responses to address concerns of tourism, are examined. Results indicate that the current development irony arises because of the insufficient attention to local capacity building, reluctance to integrate local settlements and a misplaced notion of professionalism. Insensitivity to cater for cultural and ethnic differences in the encounters of host and guest also impedes meaningful local involvement.

Exploring factors influencing individual participation in community‐based tourism: The case of Kampung relau homestay program, Malaysia

This paper presents the early findings from a qualitative investigation conducted to examine how participation is practiced in a community‐based tourism program which offers homestay experience to tourists in Kedah, Malaysia. The first objective of the study was to determine where on the spectrum of participation (Pretty 1995) does the homestay program fall. The second objective was to explore the variables that may influence the extent of community participation in this program. Findings from the present study indicate that participation in community‐based tourism is influenced by community members’ motivations to participate. An important implication from this finding is that community‐based tourism projects must include awareness programs among its members so as to educate them about the project and to motivate them to participate.

To Homestay or to Stay Home: The Canadian-Japanese Experience

The experiences of 19 Japanese high school students in a homestay program are described. They were interviewed three times during their academic year in Canada; 13 of the students were interviewed again in Japan four months later. Although students made gains in English proficiency, several expressed dissatisfaction with the organization of the homestays. They were distressed by the lack of information provided prior to departure and the inaccurate representation of their homestay environments. Students complained about lack of access to counselling promised. Despite significant agency fees, no tuition was paid to schools, no stipend was paid to homestay families, and the students felt that little program money was spent monitoring their progress. Although the problems associated with this particular program may be isolated, there should be no tolerance for homestays that do not safeguard the students' interests. The authors make suggestions for stricter regulations regarding agencies offering homestay experiences.

The High School Goes Abroad: International Homestay Programs

The High School Goes Abroad: International Homestay Programs

Cross-cultural homestays: An analysis of college students' responses after living in an unfamiliar culture

The purpose of the present exploratory study was to Jnvestigate the effects of the Johnston College cross-cultural homestay program upon student attitudes and health. During the four years of the program. 59 students lived fora period of one month in unfamiliar cultures in the Southwest and Mexico. Subjects for this study were 45 undergraduate students with a median age of 19 who came from relatively affluent family backgrounds. A one-group protest, posttest design was used employing five instruments. Participating students resembled, in most respects, other Johnston College students. It was concluded that the experience was more unsettling for the men students than it was for the women students. Future research was recommended to determine the extent to which there are sex differences in cross-cultural adaption.