Sarawak homestays, kampungstays record RM9.2 mln income in 2025

MIRI (March 15): Homestay and Kampungstay operators in Sarawak generated RM9.2 million in income in 2025, marking a 37 per cent increase compared with RM6.7 million recorded the previous year.

Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Chiew Choon Man said the earnings came from 74 registered homestay clusters involving 924 operators with 1,902 rooms under the Malaysia Homestay Experience Programme (PPHM), as well as four Kampungstay clusters involving seven operators.

He said the increase reflected the ministry’s continuous efforts to strengthen the tourism sector in the state, including human capital development among frontline tourism workers and licensed industry players.

“Community participation in the sector has been encouraging, with involvement from both urban and rural areas,” he said in his speech at the engagement session between Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) and Sarawak tourism stakeholders and industry players here on Saturday.

According to Chiew, the growth in revenue was also driven by higher visitor arrivals under PPHM.

He noted that in 2024, Sarawak recorded 52,927 domestic visitors and 3,046 international visitors under PPHM, while in 2025 the figures rose to 65,892 domestic visitors and 3,832 international visitors.

“This represents an increase of 24 per cent for domestic visitors and 25.8 per cent for international visitors in 2025 compared with the previous year,” he said.

He added that the ministry had also undertaken various initiatives to further strengthen tourism in Sarawak, including upgrading tourism facilities, ecotourism sites and heritage locations.

Chiew said that a total of 21 Restoration, Conservation, Renovation and Upgrading Programmes (PPUN) from 2024 to 2025, amounting to RM4.6 million, have been allocated to the Sarawak government, including local authorities.

“For 2026, the Sarawak Motac office has received 23 PPUN applications from the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak. Apart from that, nine projects approved from the 11th to the 13th Malaysia Plans, totalling RM47 million, have been allocated to the Sarawak government for the construction of tourism facilities,” he said.

On the engagement session, Chiew said it served as an important two-way platform to exchange views, align directions and strengthen strategic cooperation between the government and tourism, arts and culture stakeholders in Sarawak.

He said the session involved participants from companies, associations, institutions and entrepreneurs, covering a range of tourism, arts and cultural matters, including traditional games, dance and martial arts.

Chiew pointed out that this year would be a crucial year for the national tourism industry in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026).

To ensure the success of the campaign, he said the ministry, together with Tourism Malaysia, would continue to strengthen strategic cooperation with the government, private sector and non-governmental organisations.

“The success of Visit Malaysia 2026 cannot be borne by the government alone. It requires the active participation and sustained commitment of all parties, including hotel operators, travel agents, airlines, tourism product operators and local communities,” he said.

He stressed that the National Tourism Policy focuses not only on increasing visitor arrivals, but also on attracting quality visitors who stay longer and spend more, in order to build a more competitive tourism industry.

“This includes a strategic shift towards experiential tourism, offering high-value products to encourage overnight stays, as well as strengthening community-based tourism.

“Attention must also be given to readiness in welcoming domestic and international visitors, including good infrastructure, high standards of cleanliness and the development of new tourism products and special interest packages,” he added.

Also present at the engagement session were senior director of Motac’s Domestic and Events Division Mohd Roslan Abdullah, Tourism Malaysia Sarawak director Rubiah Tul’adwiyah Md Yusof, and director of the Package Development Division Zuraini Abdul Ghani.