Homestay Program in The Vicnity of National Park Pahang

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