Homestay Program in The Vicnity of National Park Pahang : An Exploratory Study

Anizah Hj Zainuddin,Zubaidah Zahirudin,Noor Afizah Ismail,Rosidah Musa,Wan Jooria Hood,Samirah Hamzah,Jamaliah Mohd Yusof 세계문화관광학회 2008 Conference Proceedings Vol.9 No.0

This study focused on the potential supply and demand of a Homestay program in the vicinity of National Park, Pahang (TNNP) Malaysia. A visitor (tourist) survey in the form of questionnaire was designed based on researcher's interviews, visits to and observations in TNNP Malaysia. The questionnaire was appropriately divided into different sections in order to allow the focus on different aspects of the study. In addition, personal interviews were also conducted focused on tourism development at the villages in the vicinity of TNNP Malaysia. Details of the Homestay package offered including pricing, costing, activities included and benefits received from offering such program were also gained. Interviewees were also quizzed on problems and challenges faced, interest and expectation of running a Homestay program. Their opinion was also seek on how to make the Homestay program more successful in view of the Homestay program being a viable ecotourism product in the vicinity of TNNP, Malaysia. The result revealed that there are vast potential interest and demand by tourists (both foreign and local) who visited TNNP Malaysia to join a Homestay program. With the basic infrastructure for the establishment of a Homestay program already in place, available assistance from several relevant government authorities and willingness on the part of the villages as Homestay's operators; the researchers proposed for this Homestay program to be taken up. However there should be an identification of a relevant and capable government body governing and claiming ownership over the program. Nonetheless, the success of the Homestay program depends very much on the positive attitude of the Homestay providers. It is of utmost important that the involvement of the Homestay providers together with villagers to prevail to determine the success of the program. The elected committed members of the Homestay program should be committed to ensure that all related Homestay activities are continuously offered and monitored. Additionally, it was deduced that a smart partnership with other relevant authorities namely Ministry of Tourism at the state level, local authorities, travel agencies, hotel operators and boat operators should be firstly encouraged in order to form the viable framework for the whole successful operations of a Homestay program in TNNP Malaysia

Exploring Service Quality in Homestay Tourism : a Case of Malaysia

Anizah Hj,Zainuddin,Kalsom Abu Bakar 세계문화관광학회 2008 International Journal of Culture and tourism Resea Vol.1 No.1

One of the new tourism products in Malaysia is Homestay, a combination of tourism and recreation. Tourists will experience the daily life of ordinary people operated by small-time farmers and villagers, monitored andassisted by the Federal Government of Malaysia, via the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism and normally operated under minimal fund. Literally the Homestay services are a holiday concept that started in Europe in the late 70's. Homestay is where tourist gets to stay with a selected family from a different background and culture for duration of time. Additionally, tourists will experience the daily life of locals. Meaning to say, when tourist go for vacation or holiday to one place, instead of staying inthe hotel, tourist can choose to stay with foster families nearby tourist visited sites. The impact of the Homestay service industry's activities in Malaysia are tremendous where the business generated an income of more than RM200,000 in the first seven months of 2006, which involving 5,519 tourists of which 1,736 of the tourist were the foreigners coming-from Europe, Japan and Korea. Due to that reason, it is important for the Homestay providers to focus on their customers'need and requirements while staying and experiencing Homestay programme. Thus, this paper investigates the perceptions of performance from a variety of Homestays available in Malaysiaspecifically in Selangor from the tourist's perspective. Four well-known Homestay operators were chosen which are Banghuris, Dorani, Sungai Sireh and Kuala Langat Homestay. A total of 200 questionnaires were distributed and analysed. The questionnaire comprises three sections. The first section is to measure the respondents' expectations of the service quality that they received in any Homestay programme. The second section is to measure the respondents' expectation of the service quality that they received in any Homestay program. And finally, section three is the demographic profile of the respondents. The respondents wereasked to rate the service quality on a seven Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree) for section one and also ranging from 1 (extremely dissatisfied) to 7 (very satisfied) for section two. This questionnaire was constructed based on five dimensions of SERVQUAL which are tangibles (9 questions), empathy (5 questions), assurance (5 questions), responsiveness (5 questions) and reliability (6 questions). The results suggest that for attribute tangible, empathy and assurance, the performance equals perceived expectation. For attributes, responsiveness and reliability, the performance is below perceived expectation. Dorani's Homestay was voted the highest therefore considered the Homestay provider is able to meet with the expectations of the tourist on the variables or attributes identified. This obviously requires Homestay providers' commitment to invest in relevant human capital in order to provide the highest standard of service to consumers.

Exploring Service Quality in Homestay Tourism : A Case of Malaysia

Anizah Hj,Zainuddin,Kalsom Abu Bakar 세계문화관광학회 2008 Conference Proceedings Vol.9 No.0

One of the new tourism products in Malaysia is Homestay, a combination of tourism and recreation. Tourists will experience the daily life of ordinary people operated by small-time farmers and villagers, monitored and assisted by the Federal Government of Malaysia, via the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism and normally operated under minimal fund. Literally the Homestay services are a holiday concept that started in Europe in the late 70's. Homestay is where tourist gets to stay with a selected family from a different background and culture for duration of time. Additionally, tourists will experience the daily life of locals. Meaning to say, when tourist go for vacation or holiday to one place, instead of staying in the hotel, tourist can choose to stay with foster families nearby tourist visited sites. The impact of the Homestay service industry's activities in Malaysia are tremendous where the business generated an income of more than RM200,000 in the first seven months of 2006, which involving 5,519 tourists of which 1,736 of the tourist were the foreigners coming from Europe, Japan and Korea. Due to that reason, it is important for the Homestay providers to focus on their customers' need and requirements while staying and experiencing Homestay programme. Thus, this paper investigates the perceptions of performance from a variety of Homestays available in Malaysia specifically in Selangor from the tourist's perspective. Four well-known Homestay operators were chosen which are Banghuris, Dorani, Sungai Sireh and Kuala Langat Homestay. A total of 200 questionnaires were distributed and analysed. The questionnaire comprises three sections. The first section is to measure the respondents' expectations of the service quality that they received in any Homestay programme. The second section is to measure the respondents' expectation of the service quality that they received in any Homestay program. And finally, section three is the demographic profile of the respondents. The respondents were asked to rate the service quality on a seven Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree) for section one and also ranging from 1 (extremely dissatisfied) to 7 (very satisfied) for section two. This questionnaire was constructed based on five dimensions of SERVQUAL which are tangibles (9 questions), empathy (5 questions), assurance (5 questions), responsiveness (5 questions) and reliability (6 questions). The results suggest that for attribute tangible, empathy and assurance, the performance equals perceived expectation. For attributes, responsiveness and reliability, the performance is below perceived expectation. Dorani's Homestay was voted the highest therefore considered the Homestay provider is able to meet with the expectations of the tourist on the variables or attributes identified. This obviously requires Hornestay providers' commitment to invest in relevant human capital in order to provide the highest standard of service to consumers.

Exploring SeIVice Quality in Homestay Tourism -a Case of Malaysia-

( Anizah Hj. Zainuddin ),( Kalsom Abu Bakar ) 세계문화관광학회 2008 International Journal of Culture and tourism Resea Vol.1 No.1

One of the new tourism products in Malaysia is Homestay, a combination of tourism and recreation. Tourists will experience the daily life of ordinary people operated by small-time famlers and villagers, monitored andassisted by the Federal Government of Malaysia, via the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism and nOlmally operated under minimal fund. Literally the Homestay services are a holiday concept that started in Europe in the late 70``s. Homestay is where tourist gets to stay with a selected family fi``om a different background and culture for duration of time. Additionally, tourists will experience the daily life of locals. Meaning to say, when tourist go for vacation or holiday to one place, instead of staying inthe hotel, tourist can choose to stay with foster families nearby tourist visited sites. The impact of the Homestay service industJy``s activities in Malaysia are tJ``emendous where the business generated an income of more than RM200,OOO in the first seven months of 2006, which involving 5,519 tourists of which 1,736 of the tourist were the foreigners comingfi``om Emope, Japan and Korea. Due to that reason, it is impol1ant for the Homestay providers to focus on their customers``need and requirements while staying and experiencing Homestay programme. TIlLIS, this paper investigates the perceptions of pelfol111ClIlCe from a variety of Homestays available in Malaysiaspecifically in Selangor fj``om the tourist``s perspective. Four well-known Homestay operators were chosen which are Banghuris, Dorani, Sungai Sireh and Kuala Langat Homestay. A total of 200 questionnaires were distributed and analysed. The questionnaire comprises three sections. The first sectionis to measure the respondents`` expectations of the service quality that dley received in any Homestay programme. The second section is to measure the respondents`` expectation of the ervice quality that they received in any Homestay program. And finally,section three is the demographic profile of the respondents. The respondents wereasked to rate the service quality on a seven Likelt scale, ranging fi``om1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree) for section one and also ranging fj``om I (extremely dissatisfied) to 7 (velY satisfied) for section two. 1l1is questionnaire was constructed based on five dimensions of SERVQUAL which are tangibles (9 questions), empathy (5 questions), assurance (5 questions), responsiveness (5 questions) and reliability (6 questions). The results suggest that for attribute tangible, empathy and assurance, the performance equals perceived expectation. For attJ``ibutes, responsiveness and reliability, the performance is below perceived expectation. Darani``s Homestay was voted the highest therefore considered the Homestay provider is able to meet with the expectations of the tourist on the variables or attributes identified. This obviously requires Homestay providers`` commitment to invest in relevant human capital in order to provide dle highest standard of service to consumers.