KPKT mulls cross-ministry cooperation to improve homestay operation

KEPALA BATAS: The Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) is considering cooperating with the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (MOTAC) and state governments to spur homestay operators to return to active operation.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said cross-ministry cooperation is relevant to issue guidelines so that there would not be any violations of existing regulations in the effort to expand the industry.

"KPKT will study the requirements for the cooperation to issue suitable guidelines on homestay activities regulated under MOTAC, but when it involves the question of building, KPKT too needs to come out with its guidelines.

"If the guidelines are already there, we will then bolster them. If there are none, we will create them," he told reporters after opening the Visit MyKampung Homestay Kota Aur@PERDA here today.

Besides, he said KPKT will be using the existing platforms among them the State Local Governments and Housing Exco Meeting (MEXCOPT) and National Council for Local Government to provide and streamline guidelines on homestays in each state.

Reezal, who is also Kepala Batas MP, said the Penang state government's initiative in supervising short-term rental accommodation or homestays is more about controlling tourism activities in strata homes.

He said that strata housing is bound by certain acts, where, if tourism activities there cause a violation of the acts in question, then it interferes with the rights of others.

"For that reason, KPKT will examine and look at this matter and issue the appropriate guidelines," he said.

Reezal said since the COVID-19 pandemic began to show a decline, tourism activities are also positively impacted with more international flights arriving in Penang.

Apart from that, he said, homestay operators also need to take advantage of the 'staycation' trend that is rising among local residents by promoting their products, especially those that have unique characteristics such as view of rice fields and village atmosphere, which are becoming more and more popular with urban residents.

-- BERNAMA