BIMP-EAGA Countries Explore Ways to Strengthen Village Tourism

BIMP-EAGA countries are no stranger to rural tourism, with each member state having a wealth of picturesque villages which can cater to travelers seeking off-the-beaten track destinations away from cities. 

But with the COVID-19 pandemic spawning the shift from mass tourism in favor of less-crowded destinations, BIMP-EAGA members are now looking to bolster their promotion and development of tourism villages.  

Tourism is one of the pillars of BIMP-EAGA to spur development in remote and less developed areas in the four participating Southeast Asian countries. As such, the subregion is well-positioned to promote rural tourism.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), rural tourism is a type of tourism activity in which the visitor’s experience is related to a wide range of products generally linked to nature-based activities, agriculture, rural lifestyle and culture, and sightseeing. Recognized for its high potential to stimulate local economic growth and social change, rural tourism typically takes place in nonurban areas with low population density, landscape and land-use dominated by agriculture and forestry, and traditional social structure and lifestyle. Rural tourism is also a way to promote sustainability and improve the livelihood of the community in an area.

Leaning on strengths and addressing weaknesses

At the sidelines of the 15th BIMP-EAGA Summit in May, host country Indonesia convened the BIMP-EAGA Tourism Village Forum where member countries examined ways to promote rural tourism and take advantage of their innate strengths, while addressing weaknesses. 

The four member states have common strengths, like having beautiful and unique natural landscapes and attractions as well as wild flora and fauna. 

Brunei Darussalam boasts of a growing adventure market and ecotourism offerings. Its tourism villages offer basic infrastructure, including restrooms, electricity, and clean water. Brunei is also proud of its halal food fare.

Indonesia considers attractions consisting of museums, temples, parks, cultural ceremony, and cultural performances among its strengths. It also touted good participation from local communities, including tour guide group as well as micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in advancing village tourism. It also counts among its strengths the government’s policy on providing village funds for tourism infrastructure development.
 
Malaysia, specifically Sabah, counts among its strengths its authentic and unique cultures as well as its offering of a wide range of tourism activities. It also boasted of ease of access to some of its rural villages.

The Philippines considered a 2016 law supporting farm tourism among its strengths, as it provides existing policy mandates and mechanisms to attract tourists to the country’s rural areas.

Some of the common weaknesses include poor basic tourism infrastructure; lack of tourist facilities like restrooms; poor road access, especially during the rainy season; and limited telco and internet connectivity.

Drawing up strategies

In his presentation, Indonesia Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy Acting Deputy for Destination and Infrastructure Development Frans Teguh said there are opportunities to promoting rural tourism given the growth of digital information technology. Attracting tourists in rural areas can also help local communities set up souvenir businesses, including handicrafts such as weaving, coconut shell crafts, as well as traditional food.

At the same time, he cautioned that rural tourism could change the cultural structure of traditional society due to modernization. He also warned that uncontrolled tourism could lead to environmental damage and solid waste management problems.

To address such threats, he proposed the following:

• Tapping village funds to support the development of tourism villages;
• Setting up village-owned enterprises that would carry out plans to explore a village’s tourism potential;
• Providing community members with capacity-building trainings on developing and managing tourism villages, foreign languages, and tour guiding; and
• Building roads, bridges, toilets, homesteads, gazebos, art centers, and other basic infrastructure.

Sabah Tourism Board Deputy CEO Julinus J. Jimit said the state is also working to strengthen its village tourism offerings. He said to prepare villages for tourists, the tourism board follows these steps:


• Assesses community needs and readiness for tourism; 
• Educates and prepares the community for tourism;
• Identifies and establishes leadership and local champions;
• Prepares and develops community organizations;
• Develops partnerships;
• Adopts an integrated approach;
• Plans and designs quality products;
• Identifies market and develops marketing strategy;
• Implements and monitors performance; and 
• Evaluates opportunities for improvement.

Brunei Darussalam Head of Policy, Statistics and International Unit at the Tourism Development Department of the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism Dk Hjh Amanina Syazwani Pg Hj Aliudin said tourism villages have to be accessible. They must also offer interesting products and activities, which can range from natural attractions, cultural arts, religion, education, folklores, local culinary uniqueness, among others.

Community and village officials  should also be involved in planning and developing tourism villages, she said. Authorities should also ensure security for travelers and provide good telecommunications network and adequate resources, she said.

She also recommended implementing best practices in sustainable tourism development in tourism villages. 

Tourist arrivals in the subregion plunged in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourism has since picked up, with international arrivals returning to pre-pandemic levels. 

Between 2015 and 2010, tourist arrivals in the subregion have steadily increased. In 2019, BIMP-EAGA received 145.5 million visitors, up 52% from 95.8 million in 2018. 

During the BIMP-EAGA Summit, leaders said they expected tourism to further recover with the resumption of air, land, and sea connectivity, as all four countries have relaxed border controls as the threat from COVID-19 waned.