KUCHING, MALAYSIA: The state Tourism Ministry is targeting students from South Korea and Japan, as well as Singaporeans and backpackers from Australia and New Zealand, in the marketing of its homestay programme.

"Our homestay packages are popular with students from Korea and Japan who are here during the holidays to learn 'simple' English under arrangement with some schools in the city," Minister Datuk Michael Manyin said after launching the Kampung Benuk homestay programme on Monday.

He said of the 737,244 tourists who arrived in the first three months of the year, 5,632 booked a homestay package.

"Visitors are now looking for cheaper alternatives to hotel stays and in this case, it is the homestay packages."

With the trend pointing to thrifty travel, he said Sarawak would continue to promote the homestay programme over the next few years.

-The New Straits Times