Tourism Minister of Malaysia, YB Dato Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen will launch the Malaysia Rail Tourism tour packages at Tanjung Pagar Railway Station, Singapore, on 1st October 2010. This marks the cooperative efforts of the Ministry of Tourism, Malaysia, the Homestay Association of Malaysia, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad and travel agents in Malaysia and Singapore.

The launch is meant to foster closer tourism ties between Singapore and Malaysia, as well as promote the 42 all-inclusive homestay packages from 21 homestays licensed by the Ministry of Tourism. The Malaysia Rail Tourism packages combine the homestay experience with rail travel, enabling tourists to enjoy the scenic Malaysian landscape as part of their holiday experience.

At the event, more than 120 Singapore tourists, agents, and members of the media will be flagged off on a train bound for Kelantan, where they will be placed with their host families at the Seterpa, Kampung Suri, and Kubang Telaga Homestays.

YB Dato' Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen will also be awarding certificates to ten Singapore travel agents appointed into the Singapore Rail Tourism Consortium. They are Always Travel & Tours, Azza Travel & Tours, De Hayat Travel & Services, Exora Travel & Services, Fascinating Holidays, Halijah Travel, Muhibbah Travel Tours & Trading, Raffles Holidays, Ruby Rashid Travel & Tours, and U & I Travel & Tours. These agents will be working closely with the Malaysia Rail Tourism Consortium, i.e. RM Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd, Titian Permata Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd, Travel Forte Sdn Bhd and Ace Altair Travels Sdn Bhd, to promote the Malaysia Rail Tourism packages.

The homestay packages are priced between RM345 and RM535 (or SGD215 and SGD435), which include on-board bunk beds and meals (for long distances), an entertainment coach with karaoke facilities for groups of 40 and above, as well as a full range of authentic traditional and cultural activities at the chosen homestay.

The Malaysia homestay tourism product is becoming increasingly popular among tourists who want to experience authentic Malaysian village life. Introduced in 1995 as a means to elevate the socio-economic standing of rural populations (earnings from the homestay programmes go to the residents of these homestay villages), there are now 138 homestays throughout Malaysia licensed by the Ministry of Tourism.

Between January and July this year, homestay tour packages attracted 108,798 Malaysian and foreign tourists and generated RM6,272,958.40 in earnings. Singaporeans made up 58.9% of foreign homestay tourists for that period. To this effect, the Ministry of Tourism intends to promote the homestay product as a major tourism product that Malaysia has to offer.

For more information on Malaysia Rail Tourism, contact:

Mr. Zalizam Zakaria
Director, Tourism Malaysia Singapore
#01-01 B/C/D,
No. 8 Robinson Road
Singapore 068898
Tel: +65 65326321/ 65326351
Fax: +65 65356650
Email: zalizam@tourism.gov.my
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TMSingapore

Issued by: Communications & Publicity Division, Tourism Malaysia
Date: 1 Oct 2010
Tel: +603 26158188; Email: khairie@tourism.gov.my
Website: www.tourism.gov.my