Assessing The Homestay Program In Malaysia

Homestay is not a new phenomenon in Malaysia. Homestay has been discovered in early 1970 where a local lady called Mak long who took guests and provide them with food and accommodation within her humble kampong house (Amran,1997).

Homestay is a program where tourists stay among local families and experience their actual lifestyle first-hand-how they prepare and eat their meals, go about their work, their leisure activities and much more.

There were about 286 houses participating officially in this homestay programme in 1997 throughout the country and the number of homestay has been increased to 2000 homestays in 2011 (Dept. Statistic Malaysia,2011).

Homestay program can thus be regarded as a rural-cultural-community-based tourism product. Rural tourism per se may have existed for a long time in Malaysia as quite a number of nature based and culture based tourism products are located in the rural areas. However, it has only received recognition as a tourism product with the launching of the Rural Tourism Master Plan in 2001. A market survey undertaken to formulate the master plan indicated that foreign tourists who came to Malaysia spent 15% of their stay in rural areas. In the eight month to August 2009, there are 102,934 visitors participate in the homestay program nationwide with a turnover of RM6.5 million compare to 57,658 visitors with a turnover of 3.3 million during the same period last year (The Star, 2009).

The idea of the homestay program is to accommodate tourists in a village with a local family, thus enabling the tourist to learn about local lifestyle, culture, nature (Louise Gai Hjulmand et al: ARBEC 2003).

The core component of the Malaysian homestay programs, which differentiates it with homestay elsewhere, is the element of staying together with host families or adopted families. The guests have the opportunities to interact, gain knowledge, and experience the life style and culture of the host family as well as the local community. This element involves the guests eating, cooking, and engaging in many activities together with their adopted families, thus allowing two parties with different cultural backgrounds to interact and learn from each other. Unlike regular bed and breakfast establishments, the homestay program in Malaysia allows the guests to participate in the hosts’ daily activities. Indeed, this can be considered as an important strength of this particular product; no other tourism product in Malaysia offers a similar experience of Malaysian rural societies as that offered by the homestay program (Kalsom, 2009).

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The uniqueness of the Malaysian program is the experiential element with the host families as well as communities. Communities are the basic reason for tourists to travel, to experience the way of life and material products of different communities. Communities also shape the natural and landscapes which many tourists consume (Richards and Hall 2000). The realization that the community itself has become an object of tourism consumption has in turn encouraged some communities to reproduce themselves specifically for tourists. Through homestay program, tourists would be able to experience the daily life of the ordinary people of a community.

The homestay program is a non-commercialized entity, as opposed to a hotel, a bed and breakfast, or a homestay run by an individual homeowner in a residential area.

Background study

The government have given emphatic stress through the ministry of tourism to the homestay program as it is a tourism product. The program having so many potential, a master plan was formulated in 2011 to advance homestay program as a catalyst for rural community development. The number of homestay providers in Malaysia has rising because it has the ability of providing additional income and likewise employment (9th Malaysian plan, 2010). Moreover, the government in their effort in enhancing the homestay program have created websites, where all descriptions, booking details and contact number are been provided. Infrastructural development are also a factor that is been strengthen by government in rural area. They make sure good road are been contractedly, constant electricity supply, provision of clean water supply and upholding the community building.

Furthermore in the 9th Malaysia plan, the government put its centre of attention into the development of rural area through the modernization and commercialization of agricultural acivities and creation of new economic activities that must especially through the system of One District One Industry program

The guesthouse nowadays, which are called homestays are actually commercial home enterprise (CHE) which is define as a small housing enterprise that are identified as a new hospitality nowadays (Paul A. Lynch, 2005). A commercial home is type of accommodation in which payment is been made by guest to stay in private homes. In most guest houses or private homes, the host or family do not usually live on the property. Likewise there are limitation differentiating open area and closed area in the premises. Some spaces are restricted for visitors because they open to host only. While the real homestay is all about living and learning the local lifestyle in their local residents and their family and most homestay do not have restrictions to visitors, where there are free to move around the house as they please. In the homestay, visitor or tourist will experience the music and cultural activities, historical significance, arts and crafts (Maimumah&AbdulRahim, 2009).

Due to the misunderstanding between the guest house that is presumed to be home stay and the experiential home stay, it causes a lot of confusion in the mindset of people. Most people or tourist takes the guest house as the home stay, which in turn makes them not to take the real home stay as their first choice of holiday accommodation.

The reason that brought about this research is to ensure the clarity between the experiential home stay and the guest house (CHE) called home stay. According to the host of a homestay in Melaka, there is lots of improvement that need to be executed. In other to make the name of the homestay unique and set a good perception and image of the homestay in the tourist mind through consistent theme, otherwise known as branding. This will help to establish a major presence in the market which will at all time attracts and maintain the customers. This wills also broadening the people’s understanding on the difference between the guest house (CHE) and homestay, because of its uniqueness due to branding.

The host also pointed out that the marketing effort for the homestay is not enough. This is because most people do not know where homestay accommodation is situated. They have to refer to the web, which in most, cases tends to be tedious and might lead them changing their mind into going for hotel. It might also confuse their perception again on the difference between guest house (CHE) and homestay. So in light of this, the government should upgrade their marketing strategy for the real homestay creating more advertising campaigns through the media such as Television, radio station, newspaper and even roadside advertisement, Likewise in airports, so as to draw the attention of tourist into going for the homestay.

Research objective

Research shows that there is a growing body of knowledge on homestay, specifically in the area of tourism industry. So the main objective of this study to understands the state of homestay development in Melaka. In order to aim the question and to conduct the objective of the research, an exploratory study is conducted and this will be discussed in chapter 2.

Chapter 2: Research Stance

Inductive reasoning is logics based on experiences and observation acquired in the real world, in which it makes use of experiences and experiments to arrive at conclusion. The hypothesis of an inductive argument shows some degree of support for the conclusion, but they do not require it. In inductive reasoning, the hypothesis is mostly based on facts and observation. There is also the tendency that that the hypothesis could be true whereas the conclusion is false giving that a logical relationship between hypothesis and conclusion is not necessary.

The reasoning through inductive logical argument begins with specific observation, then distinguish patterns and regularities, generate a timid hypothesis which we can explore and finally wind up emerging with some general conclusion. The most common type of inductive reasoning is when we gather evidence of some experimental phenomena, and then make a general conclusion on all such types of phenomena based on collected facts. An example of inductive reasoning through medical science. Scientist in their research discovered that the average human temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. A person with 99.3 degrees temperature is considered to be having a fever and is given medication to bring the temperature to normal. This type of reasoning is inductive and obvious, nobody is entirely fit as an average human beign, not in weight, height or the talked about temperature. To make a conclusion that the right temperature of all human race is the same as the average temperature of a sample of individual members is incorrect.

The advantage of inductive reasoning is able to asses’ hypothesis even if information contrary to the hypothesis is observed. It is flexible, more open minded and tentative most especially at the beginning. Inductive reasoning can be probable, believable, reasonable, because it benefit from a wide variety of probability. Moreover inductive reasoning takes place in lots of places, ranging from mere classroom to courtroom and even in the media. It is a reasoning that can start with nothing, and then make some observations which will lead to a conclusion. Inductive reasoning help us in providing new ideas that could increase our knowledge about the world. It helps in dealing with complications, likewise inductive reasoning allow us to deal with concepts with insufficient definition. Inductive reasoning is not the exact opposite to science or reasoning, it is the way science operates and progresses infect.

In induction, most of the conclusions are uncertain and this is the disadvantage of induction. Truths and objectivity are been compromised in induction, so the need for the use of evidence arises. False analogy is also a disadvantage during argument from analogy and inductive reasoning cannot be rationally justified, because we rely on assumptions (David Hume).

In philosophy, it is been contemplated that the use of inductive reasoning to justify beliefs is reasonable. Experiences gain from previous events or our memories allow us to prepare for the future. Even though the future is not certain through predictions and generalization, we can assume that what will happen tomorrow will most likely be the same as what happened today. We can make generalization based on previous information achieved, but it doesn’t necessarily means it has the same amount of certainty as the argument. For example, all human that have been seen had exactly 10 fingers, 5 on each hand, so therefore can conclude that the next human that will see will have 10 fingers too.

This conclusion is arrived at due to inductive reasoning and do not have the same certainty as the premises. Some human nay carry a certain gene that when born, may have 12 fingers, 6 fingers on each hand, Although the possibility of that occurring maybe low, but it is possible. So thereby makes the argument invalid. A prediction may turn out to right, but it does not necessarily mean the induction is reliable.

There are several type of inductive reasoning, such as inductive generalization, simple induction, statistical syllogism and argument by analogy. Inductive generalization is a reasoning that advances from an argument about a sample to a conclusion about the population. It aims at concluding about events larger than the subdivision which serves as the basis for the induction. In other for this argument to work, there is need for careful collection of information. It is descriptive and exploratory. Simple induction is the induction that continues from an argument about a sample group to an inference about another individual. It is the combination of both generalization and statistical syllogism. Statistical syllogism is the reasoning that argues from generalization to an inference about an individual. It proceed from a generalization to a particular case. Argument by analogy is the argument from analogy is as reasoning in general it is not always in turn of an argument. It is mostly about learning or explaining things, description, solving of problems by broadening our thoughts from what that been understand to what that do not been understand. Reasoning by analogy is quite common in humanities, science and philosophy.

Deductive reasoning is generally known as formal logic. This involves reasoning from genral argument, which are known or presumed to be true, into a specific and certain conclusion. Avalid argument is when the conclusion is most definitely true provided the theory are true, meaning that the conclusion directly follow the theory. The conclusion arrived atare inevitable, certain and inescapable,. Furthermore the conclusion is contained in the theory. It is a method of acquiring knowledge. A deductive reasoning is determined by its structure of the argument and moreover by the conclusion offered.

Reasoning through deductive argument starts with a major hypothesis, and based on those ideas it draws the truth and conclusion about it. Deductive reasoning begins from the more general observations to the more specific. From a topic of interest, a theory is been formulated, then narrowed down to more specific hypothesis that can be tested and then further narrowed down after observation is collected to tackle the hypothesis. In the end, it eventually help us to be able to test the hypothesis with specific data which is a configuration of our original theories. It is considered sound argument if it is valid and its premises are true and it is unsound if it is invalid or it is valid but one premises is wrong at least.

Hence, deductive reasoning is the logic used in proving things for certain. It is a formal argument that assumes one or more facts as self-evident, by following strict rules, it arrives at a conclusion. The verification of deductive reasoning conclusion depends on its correctness of the argument and the truth of the hypothesis. The correctness is determined by use of established rules. An example of deductive argument goes as follows:

All mangoes are fruits

All fruits grow on trees

Therefore, all mangoes grow on trees

In the above statement, the argument is valid and sound. An argument is correct even if its impossible for its theory to be true while the conclusion is false. Deductive argument can be correct even if the premise is wrong. An example of a correct but unsound argument is:

All baseball players eat crab

Lamar eats crab

Hence, Lamar is a baseball player

For this argument, the conclusion may or may not be true due to the premises being wrong, given that all baseball players don’t have to eat crab, they can have other things as well.

Despite the fact that meet deductive reasoning are based in particular on information and science logic, there are general ones also such as:

Members of a family include: Yusuf, Selena, Bella

Yusuf is rich

Selena is rich

Bella is rich

Hence, all members of the family are rich

Referring to the example above, we can see that deductive reasoning is based on a theory called syllogism. Syllogism is a form of argument that contains three categories. The first categories utter a tentative property that cannot be argued further. The second states that an exact item fits into the category and last step gives a conclusion by applying the deductive reasoning from step one and two.

The advantage in deductive reasoning is that the truth it created are absolute. Many of the hypothesis are generally accepted because they are known to be self-evident truths, because they cannot or do not need to be proved. Deductive reasoning draws conclusions from proofs and not by assuming about an already determined clause. It is very valuable skill that helps a student in analyzing literature or even proving a mathematical theorem. Deductive reasoning allows a student to determine the correct answer to a question and moreover deductive reasoning can be taught.

The disadvantage in deductive argument is that new facts are not arrived at because the conclusions are already contained in the premises. Before starting a deductive reasoning it must have some truths in hand or else it won’t be valid. The most obvious risk in deductive argument is when creating the major premises. The assumption made must be self- evident truths whereby no reasonable person would disagree with it, or an assumption that can be proven through clinical studies and physical observation.

There is two type of deductive reasoning, such as traditional deductive reasoning and modern symbolic logic. The traditional deductive reasoning is also known as categorical syllogism, it is a reasoning where facts and information are determined by combining statements. It is an ancient type of deductive reasoning. During ancient times, men usually presented their arguments in syllogism, but soon then they presented their arguments in a more abstract form. An example of lines of reasoning derived from this method is:

All men are mortal

Socrates is a men

Therefore Socrates is mortal

Modern symbolic logic is a deductive reasoning that develop to help create a more simple and useful method of translator ordinary arguments into a universal language of symbols. This type of reasoning can analyze longer arguments very quickly and check if it is valid. But this type of reasoning made logical argument mathematical and even made it uglier.

In the conclusion, Induction reasoning is generally related to the future. It assemble specific facts and then bring about a general conclusion that assume what will be found in the future while deductive reasoning are generally relate to the past or present. Most likely, the hypothesis are already tested, therefore it draw from general information and then create an exact conclusion which it verifies the past or present. An inductive reasoning needs faith in its conclusion, while deductive reasoning needs faith in its hypothesis. Inductive argument takes events and creates generalization while deductive arguments make conclusion based on generalization.

Positivist and anti positivist

Positivism is universally known as the philosophy of knowledge and science. The concept asserts that the only true knowledge is that which is found in sense, perception and positive verification. All knowledge arrives from positive facts of experience being observed. It is a philosophy which has a lot of theories for the entire field of theology as well as metaphysics, because they cannot be proving to be true. Positivist theories include the theory of the mind, theory of society, the theory of language and likewise the theory of morality.

Antipositivism is also known as the non-positivist or interpretive sociology and is the view in social science that academics must necessarily reject empiricism and the scientific method in the conduct of social theory and research. Antipostivism contend that only through the subjective interpretation of and intervention in reality can that reality be fully understood. The study of phenomena in their natural environment is key to the antiposotism philosophy, together with the

Acknowledgement that scientists cannot avoid affecting those phenomena they study. They admit that there may be many interpretations of reality, but maintain that these interpretations are in themselves a part of the scientific knowledge they are pursuing. antipositivism has a tradition that is no less glorious than that of positivism, nor is it shorter.

In this research the approach that have been used in carried out the research is the deductive and purely anti positivism. How the research is been conducted and the findings from doing the research will be discussed in the exploratory research section.

Exploratory Research

In the process of this research, interview from different homestay and guest house that assume to be homestay have been carried out. From the interview found out that homestay faces some problems which might affect its progress and its reputations. This problem is as follows:

The government effort toward homestay

The Malaysian government makes all effort possible in making the homestay more reliable. They make provision of training for the host on how to manage the homestay. Homestay managers are been send to gain more knowledge on how to make the homestay more efficient. Furthermore, they also provide infrastructural facilities to aid the development of the homestay area. Facilities such as provision of good road networks, clean and portable and standard electricity power supply. All this facilities will boost the image of the homestay to the tourist who might be willing to stay there. The provision of these amenities would not only attract more visitors but it will also make the villagers lifestyle to be improved.

The government in its effort also perform safety inspection on each homestay, in other to make sure that it is suitable for tourist. This is to make sure that the environment surrounding the homestay is kept clean and kept safe for the tourist or visitors because a safe environment is a place to be.

Moreover, the government have make available homestay information to visiting tourist in the website; in the website include the location of the homestay, contact number of the homestay and also the addresses of the homestay. All of this is provided to make it easier for visitors or tourist to find the homestay area. They will be able to call earlier, even to make a booking or reservation; this will enhance and promote the homestay. Besides of this tremendous effort government should have double up the effort in marketing strategy and aware of the new phenomenon which has spread widely where is a guest house that called homestay. The government should take a wise action on this phenomenon whether to abolish or rename the guest house that assumed to be homestay this is because the reputation of homestay have been down because of the guest house that assume to be homestay.

Branding and Marketing

An effective brand marketing strategy draw at the heartstring of prospective buyers to evoke an emotional response called loyalty. Consumers buy goods and services, not only because of the quality or ability of a product to perform as promised, but because of emotions products and services evoke. Branding is all about promoting the right perception to a target audience, which will convince that audience of the advertiser’s promise to bring comfort, safety, security, assurance, a sense of well being, or social acceptance. An advertiser’s brand is a name, symbol, graphic, or slogan which identifies the goods and services the advertiser sells, while setting them apart from the competition (christianet, 2008). So in light of this, the government should upgrade their marketing strategy for the real homestay creating more advertising campaigns through the media such as Television, radio station, newspaper and even roadside advertisement, Likewise in airports, so as to draw the attention of tourist into going for the homestay.

This is another problem faced by homestay in Melaka. Many homestay do not have even names, not to mention images to identify it. There is no uniqueness for some homestay. Many guest house have overshadowed the homestay. Each homestay should have a unique image or brand, which allows visitors or tourist to be able to determine where they want to stay, the exact homestay they require.

Moreover, they should try to improve their marketing strategies. This could be done through advertising and marketing branding. By advertising the homestay, it is likely to bring in more visitors which will enhance the market value. Also by raising brand awareness and driving sales, present the homestay with a more good features, which will give tourists or visitor more urge to visit.

Homestay should engage in promotions. Through promotions, more visitors are being worn over. Many guesthouse have overshadowed the homestay. Each homestay should have unique image or brand which allows visitors or tourist to be able to determine where they want to stay, the exact homestay they require.

Moreover, they should try to improve their marketing strategies. This could be done through advertising and marketing branding. By advertising the homes, it is likely to bring in more visitors which will enhance the market value. Also by raising brand awareness and driving roles, present the homestay with a more good features, which will give tourist or visitor more urge to visit.

Homestays should engage in promotions. Through promotions, more visitors are being worn over. Many tourist or visitors will tend to choose a home offering discounts as it is still a great and lovely home to stay in. Homestay offering promotions to visitors and this will lead to get more attention than others and this will enhance its finance.

Commercial Home Enterprise

The guesthouse nowadays, which are called homestays are actually commercial home enterprise (CHE) which is define as a small housing enterprise that are identified as a new hospitality nowadays (Paul A. Lynch, 2005). A commercial home is type of accommodation in which payment is been made by guest to stay in private homes. In most guest houses or private homes, the host or family do not usually live on the property. Likewise there are limitation differentiating open area and closed area in the premises. Some spaces are restricted for visitors because they open to host only. While the real homestay is all about living and learning the local lifestyle in their local residents and their family and most homestay do not have restrictions to visitors, where there are free to move around the house as they please. In the homestay, visitor or tourist will experience the music and cultural activities, historical significance, arts and crafts (Maimumah&AbdulRahim, 2009).

Confusions have always been a very bad omen for anything or to human themselves. In terms of this research, it was noted that many visitors or tourists have always taken the guest house (CHE) to be the homestay. It has reduce the level of visitors which the experiential homestay has get the impact drastically.

In dealing with this confusion, it is better to either abolish the confusion guest house or rename it to commercial home enterprise, it completely so as not to cause anymore confusions among the tourist. The perception of tourists or visitors is very important, because when they go for the guest house instead of the homestay and do not get to meet the expectation they wanted, it

might damage their perception on the homestay. This really is causing a major upset for homestay host or managers. This confusion also affects the marketing and financial aspects of homestay. So this research deduces that the confusion needs to be deal with.

The popularity of homestay also is an aspect that needs to treat. Most homestays are located in rural areas, so it is very hard for urban visitors to know of some homestays, in which they can reside in. It will help the cause of the homestays if it is been popularise in the urban areas as it will enhance the medium at which visitors or tourist visits.

The government have given emphatic stress through the ministry of tourism to the homestay program as it is a tourism product. The program having so many potential, a master plan was formulated in 2011 to advance homestay program as a catalyst for rural community development. The number of homestay providers in Malaysia has rising because it has the ability of providing additional income and likewise employment (9th Malaysian plan, 2010)

Moreover, the government in their effort in enhancing the homestay program have created websites, where all descriptions, booking details and contact number are been provided. Infrastructural development are also a factor that is been strengthen by government in rural area. They make sure good road are been contractedly, constant electricity supply, provision of clean water supply and upholding the community building.

Furthermore in the 9th Malaysia plan, the government put its centre of attention into the development of rural area through the modernization and commercialization of agricultural acivities and creation of new economic activities that must especially through the system of One District One Industry program.

The guesthouse nowadays, which are called homestays are actually commercial home enterprise (CHE) which is define as a small housing enterprise that are identified as a new hospitality nowadays (Paul A. Lynch, 2005). A commercial home is type of accommodation in which payment is been made by guest to stay in private homes. In most guest houses or private homes, the host or family do not usually live on the property. Likewise there are limitation differentiating open area and closed area in the premises. Some spaces are restricted for visitors because they open to host only. While the real homestay is all about living and learning the local lifestyle in their local residents and their family and most homestay do not have restrictions to visitors, where there are free to move around the house as they please. In the homestay, visitor or tourist will experience the music and cultural activities, historical significance, arts and crafts (Maimumah&AbdulRahim, 2009).

Due to the misunderstanding between this two, it causes confusion in the mind set of people on the homestay. Many people or tourist visiting would think take the guest house as the homestay, which makes them not to take homestay as their first choice of holiday accomodation or activities.

Chapter 3: Research Methodology

3.1 Introduction

A research methodology clarifies what the activity of research is, how to proceed, how to measure progress, and what constitutes success. The main focus on this chapter is to demonstrate what the purpose of the research is, how the questionnaire is designed, in what way the data are collected and which areas are targeted. Analysis of the data is presented to obtain the results for objectives which are stated in chapter one. To this extent, the methodology is described with the objectives of this study, which are again stated:

To access the effort of government that can enhance the success of homestay

To investigate Malaysian’s perception on homestay

To estimate the level of acceptance of Malaysian and foreign tourist toward homestay

Research framework, hypothesis development and research design are presented in section 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4 respectively. The discussion of the research instrument involved is explained in section 3.5. The designing of the questionnaire for collecting data will be explained in section 3.6. Moreover, sampling method, data collection and data analysis method will discuss in this chapter also.

3.2 Research Framework