VISIT MALAYSIA YEAR 2026: HOMESTAY SECTOR EXPECTED TO GENERATE UP TO RM200 MILLION - AHMAD ZAHID

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 6 (Bernama) -- The government is targeting the homestay sector to generate up to RM200 million in revenue next year in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VM2026), says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said the government aimed to make local homestays a source of national pride and a symbol of Malaysian hospitality.

“Homestays are the heartbeat that connects tourists with rural communities. They not only generate income but also preserve culture, strengthen unity and open new opportunities for the younger generation,” he said in a statement after chairing the coordination meeting on the homestay programme today.

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Ahmad Zahid, who is also Minister of Rural and Regional Development, said the meeting reviewed the implementation of the Malaysia Homestay Experience Programme (PPHM) in conjunction with VM2026, emphasising promotion efforts and service quality improvements to attract more tourists to stay at homestays.

As of August, he said, PPHM had generated over RM39.83 million in revenue and received more than 620,000 visitors nationwide, with Sabah, Johor and Pahang recording the highest numbers.

Ahmad Zahid said to further strengthen the homestay sector’s contribution to the national economy, the government had introduced several strategic measures, including the provision of over 12 financing schemes and grants for operators through government agencies.

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He said these initiatives not only allowed operators to enhance the quality of their premises and enrich visitors’ experiences, but also boosted competitiveness and ensured the sustainability of community-based tourism products at both local and international levels.

“Therefore, operators are encouraged to fully utilise these facilities to help the homestay industry continue to grow, add value to rural tourism, and bring lasting benefits to local communities,” he said.

He added that the government had also approved more than RM1.1 million for the upgrading of rural access roads and community facilities to support the homestay ecosystem, as well as introduced educational tourism packages targeting students from Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia.

“The student exchange programme is also being expanded to make Malaysia a leading edu-tourism destination in the region, including through collaborations with institutions under the Ministry of Higher Education and MARA Junior Science Colleges,” he said.

Ahmad Zahid said the marketing and promotion of homestays at the international level were also being carried out through sales missions, exhibitions and seminars in target markets such as Indonesia, China, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam and New Zealand, as well as through digital platforms jomhomestay.my and go2homestay.my.

The government is also empowering women homestay operators through the JELITA TVET and Homestay Operations Training programmes conducted by the Institute for Rural Advancement (INFRA), which offer Malaysian Skills Certificates (SKM) levels 2 and 3 in homestay entrepreneurship.

-- BERNAMA