Homestay village and programmes available for retirees

 

Letter from Francis Zhan Chief executive, Association of Management Corporations in Singapore

04:46 AM Feb 20, 2012

WE REFER to Ms Julia Ng's letter "What retirement living should be" (Feb 18).

We agree that studio apartments for retirees are the antithesis of active ageing, as residents usually have to move from their previous housing environment, with the consequential loss of their network of old neighbours.

The lack of an additional room also deprives these retirees the pleasure of having grandchildren stay over for weekends and school holidays, let alone visits by other relatives.

In the past, when retirees sold their bigger flats for studio units, they soon found their cash surplus from the sale eroded by inflation and diminished by low interest rates for fixed deposits.

Worse, some parked their cash in stocks and suffered losses when the market took a plunge.

For these reasons, the Association of Management Corporations in Singapore developed the AMCIS HomeStay programmes in 2004 to enable seniors to remain in their bigger apartments, with the spare rooms used to host foreign students or senior tourists.

We have also developed the concept of a homestay village instead of the high-priced retirement village of other countries. Our homestay village requires apartments of at least two bedrooms as opposed to the studio units of a conventional retirement village.

Such a homestay village would include a small medical centre, gymnasium, swimming pool, library and other facilities suggested by Ms Ng.

For retirees who do not have spare rooms to participate in our homestay programmes, we have formed a new non-profit company, AMCIS Seniors, to help strengthen their financial wellness in the wake of the relentless price increases recently.

AMCIS Seniors will soon launch a group buying programme for seniors, a hallmark of the association's well-known collective purchasing for condominiums, in order to enjoy some economies of scale with the consequential reduction in prices.

 

Source: TODAYonline

KERINDUAN ENT.: Kain Sarong Pelikat MANGGA dan GAJAH DUDUK

KERINDUAN ENT.: Kain Sarong Pelikat MANGGA dan GAJAH DUDUK

HOMESTAY INITIATIVE BY MALAYSIA TOURISM BOARD

Malaysia's friendly traditional communities have opened up their homes to foreign guests so they can have a taste of the kampung or village lifestyle to cherish for a lifetime. Experiencing a homestay in a traditional village is perhaps one of the fastest and easiest ways to get to know the real Malaysia.

You will discover that things here move at a slightly slower pace than in the city, and for those who relish the quiet calm of the rustic life, this is possibly as good as it gets. Homestay guests will not just be immersed in the lifestyle of the locals; they will also quickly establish a bond with their warm and welcoming families who will treat them like family.

Visitors will experience the full spectrum of village life. Home-cooking lessons and meal times will surely be a memorable part of your stay. The wide variety and sumptuousness of painstakingly prepared dishes can sometimes be enough to confuse most people! Guests will learn how to prepare the food. This might include gathering, cooking and washing it as well.

The lucky few will also have the opportunity to harvest fruits that are in season or try their skill at plucking coconuts out of palm trees 30-40 ft. above the ground with a bamboo pole! Spend time with the children after they return from school and indulge in traditonal games that are still popular, such as kite flying, top-spinning, and congkak. Or you can choose to explore your surroundings, spend some time at the local pond, trying your hand at riverside fishing or perhaps indulge in a spot of farming a la Malaysia. In the evenings, you'll enjoy cultural dances, musical performances and even a mock-wedding, all of which you will be encouraged to participate in.

Experience the charm of Malay traditions that have been preserved throughout the ages, which remain very much alive. Live with your hosts, eat with them, be a part of their family. And when you return home, take with you a memorable cultural experience, and the friendships of a family happy to welcome you whenever you return to Malaysia! The amenities in Malaysian villages offer basic comforts. Electricity and running water are available all over Malaysia, while all these villages are connected to big cities via modern highways and public transport.

The kampungs, or villages, that are involved in the homestay programme are committed to ensuring that you experience village-style living first-hand. and are used to welcoming a variety of foreign guests from around the world. These kampungs have been carefully selected and conform with strict guidelines set by the Ministry of Tourism so as to bring out the best of Malaysia.

Source: Malaysia Tourism Board

Homestay Accommodation Required

Wests Tigers (a Rugby Club) are seeking expressions of interest for providing family style accommodation for talented young footballers as part of the club’s Homestay Program.

The Club is looking to billet players aged 17-19 in the suburbs of Concord and surrounding areas as well as Campbelltown area.
The players will join Wests Tigers for the 2012 season.

It is important that these young players are placed in the right environment to give them every opportunity to develop as Rugby League players and citizens, whilst furthering their education and employment opportunities.

Wests Tigers seek your interest if you are in a position to help. Benefits include:
• $185 per week full board
• Two (2) passes to all Wests Tigers away games
• Two (2) seats to all Wests Tigers home games
• $50 Wests Tigers merchandise voucher
• Two (2) tickets to NRL Grand Final

'Home stay' to convert into village tourism

   

  

KATHMANDU: The Kathmandu Research Centre on Sunday has said that rural tourism sector should not be confined to 'Home stay' alone, as it can make important contribution in economic development of the country.

Speaking at a press meet organized here today by the Centre, Chairman of the Centre and Pioneer of the village tourism Dr Surendra Bhakta Pradhananga mentioned that 'home stay' is only a part of the village tourism.

He added that this concept should be forwarded being based on norms and values of the country.

Pradhananga further added village tourism is aimed at producing more with less investment, and claimed that village tourism could be the main basis of social and economic development of the country.

Mentioning that tourism industries have contributed 17.11pc in the gross domestic products of the country, he added that it will contribute up to 42 pc in it in the upcoming days.

Tourism expert Rajendra Bantawa said the concept of the village tourism has been included in the ninth five-year-plan, and informed that Rs 4 million has been allocated for the development of village tourism in the Himalayan, hilly, and Tarai regions. 

Source: The Himalayan Times.

Homestay in rustic Bario

HOME away from home aptly describes Leminan Lodge, a homestay in Bario.

HUSBAND-AND-WIFE TEAM: Shep and Rita Bala.

It offers guests the comfort and privacy of home in the midst of the rustic Kelabit highlands.

Perfect for guests who are less adventurous, the Lodge provides them the feel of home – at the same time, adventure at its doorstep. It also gives them the feel of space and privacy as it does not have the ‘commonness’ of a longhouse-styled homestay.

The interior of the Lodge is styled after that of a mountain cabin; the warm  hue of the wooden panelling on the wall exudes coziness that provides guests a comforting respite from the nippy highland temperature at night.

During the day when the sun is high and the temperature turns warmer, the huge sliding windows allow the cool highland breeze to waft through creating a prefect environment for a midday snooze.

The three-storey homestay is modelled after the Dutch architecture with an attic converted into a bedroom typical of that of a Swiss loft. The cozy loft is for sale, according to Shep Bala, owner of the homestay, but only upon request.

The first floor consists of a living room, kitchen and dining room while the second floor has bedrooms, a sitting room with a panoramic view of the highlands, a village centre and a wash and bath room.

Two bedrooms have the luxury of a veranda that overlooks to the rustic backdrop of Bario while all the rooms have splendid view of Nature.

Only a stone’s throw from the village centre, the Lodge has the best of both worlds – it’s within minutes from the hustle and bustle of civilisation, at the same time, far enough to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the highlands. It’s less than 10 minutes from the airport.

The homestay has a total of seven bedrooms of which six are triple  bedded while one is double bedded.

Guests have the privilege to savour the best of Kelabit cuisine with Rita, Shep’s wife, behind the stove. With her cooking, guests can be assured of a satisfying meal everytime.

For only RM85 per person, the package includes breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as transportation from and to the airport.

THE INTERIOR: The spacious Laminan Lodge.

Bario is far from being boring. It is  heavenly for those who love the great outdoors and natural attractions.

Shep has come out with six packages that allow visitors to see these attractions and enjoy the idyllic scenery.

Allowing visitors to see the making of the famed Kelabit Natural Salt at the Salt Lake is the two-day-one-night stay package while two packages with similar length of stay – three days one night – guide guests on a tour of Bario and trek to Ba Kelalan.

Those who wish to trek to Mount Murut can take the four-day-three-night stay. For a visit to the Salt Lake in Pa’ Main, take the two-day-one-night stay and finally those who want to see the highest waterfall in the Kelabit highlands should go for the six-day-five night stay.

Source: Borneo Post Online.

Homestay Sungai Petani: Malaysia Sees Homestay Growth In Australia

Homestay Sungai Petani: Malaysia Sees Homestay Growth In Australia