LIKE most people, Mohd Safarizal Shuib is taking advantage of the long year-end holiday season to go sight-seeing with his large extended family.

This year, their destination is Pulau Langkawi. In tow are 13 members of his family. Their stay on the island is a beach-front homestay bungalow.

“My family is large, so it is a large saving to stay at a homestay. The rate of this bungalow is only RM300 a night,” Safarizal said of the accommodation which he booked via the Airbnb application.

“In homestays, we have a sitting room and a kitchen for cooking. It is very convenient for our large family.

“If we were to stay in a hotel, we won’t get enough rooms at that price,” said the 31 year-old engineer from Perlis.

Safarizal is among the thousands of visitors to Langkawi over the long year-end school holidays who prefer to stay in Airbnb-offered accommodations rather than a hotel.

A random survey of 10 visitors to the island by The Malaysian Insight found the majority who holiday there with their families would pick the homestays as their accommodation.

In the concept of homestay, the visitors normally have a family hosting them.

Unlike a hotel, the concept gives visitors a chance to learn something on the culture and customs of their host. It is not only popular with families but also tourists who travel alone.

Last week, 25-year-old Muhd Fahmi Ishak from Penang stayed in Langkawi with five of his friends. They also chose to stay in a homestay but in a village.

“When you compare the rate, per night, of a hotel room with that of a homestay, there’s not much difference actually.

“However, we chose to stay in a homestay because of the different experience it gives – the view and the feel of village life.

“The ambiance is really calming and makes for closer bonding with my friends.”

Airbnb does not own any of the properties they offer online for rent.

It only acts as the middleman in a business concept where it advertises and offers accommodations that are registered with them.

A check on the Airbnb app showed some 300 different types of accommodation in Langkawi that are registered with them.

The rate ranges from as low as RM50 to RM300.

The business concept started in San Francisco in the United States in 2008. It became hugely popular and began spreading throughout the world threatening the traditional hotels and inns.

The value of Airbnb two years ago was US$31 billion (RM128 billion).

The trend of renting non-hotel accommodation has led to hoteliers in the legendary island to complain about the decline of their business, a predicament that extends to other hotel operators across the country.

The homestay business is a new source of income for several years for former hotel worker Azmi Rahmat.

The 39-year-old started 10 years ago by registering with Airbnb two wooden houses in Kg Baru, Ulu Malacca.

Now he’s into the business full time.

“The average I can make is around RM3,000 but it can reach RM4,000 a month,” he said.

His homestay, next to a paddy field and far from the hustle and bustle of Kuah town, gives much needed peace to his guests.

“My homestay theme is on village life. There are not many hotels that can give their guests such an experience.

“I live next to one of my homestay houses,” he added. – December 15, 2019.