"We have coordinated with the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing to build 261 homestays, or sarhunta. First, we decided to conduct incubation for the management to help them in running the lodging business," Managing Director of the Labuan Bajo Flores Authority Body (BPOLBF), Shana Fatina, stated in Labuan Bajo, on Monday.
The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, through BPOLBF, provides assistance for homestays through an incubation program called the Floratama Academy Homestay activity that aims to encourage competitive local entrepreneurs to provide creative services to tourists and improve the service quality.
This also relates to amenities and the application of guidelines of Cleanliness, Health, Safety, and Environment Sustainability (CHSE) in homestays.
Furthermore, the BPOLBF will develop institutional homestay management for homestay business owners. Later, the homestay managers could join a study group, Fatina remarked.
"We will group them into a study group that will become a peer-to-peer learning not only for homestays in West Manggarai but also throughout the Labuan Bajo Flores area," she stated.
In addition to incubation and institutional management, the BPOLBF assists managers to conduct promotions and marketing. This method is conducted by introducing the homestay to tour agents/tour operators (TA/TO).
The BPOLBF will thereafter hold a special family trip to Labuan Bajo, with the experience of staying at the homestay following incubation.
Fatina is optimistic that the homestay will not only provide economic benefits to managers but also a different experience for tourists, who visit the area.
During a visit to Labuan Bajo, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) briefly reviewed the homestay development process in the Labuan Bajo city area, Friday, July 22.
The president stated that the government's efforts to improve the area of uninhabitable houses to become habitable would help to improve the welfare of people in Labuan Bajo.
The head of state also emphasized that existing facilities should be well-maintained by business actors, local governments, and the community.
Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno said that homestays had become an icon of fair tourism involving small communities.
He believes that tourism should be enjoyed by all people. Thus, this community also partook in creating the accommodation and made the most of the development of this super-priority destination.
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Translator: Fransiska Mariana N, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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