Always wanted to know what it’s like to rough it out a little bit and sleep in a caravan? Well, it looks like this could soon be a reality and in our very own backyard, too!
In a report by The Star, caravan parks may soon be commonplace in Malaysia. Malaysia Inbound Tourism Association (Mita) president Uzaidi Udanis shared that he hopes this would be a reality in the near future. He told the daily,
“Caravans are like hotels on wheels, equipped with beds, toilets and a small kitchen. Travellers can drive rented caravans to see tourist attractions like in Australia or the United States. They just need to park in a secure area at night.”
“Tourists are also getting more adventurous these days and don’t mind driving around to see our nation.”
However, Udanis added that Mita would need approval from the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) to allow these caravans to be rented out. They are currently in talks with SPAD about this matter.
“Travelling through caravans is popular overseas including in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom, and it is expected to have encouraging response in Malaysia,” added Deputy Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.
The deputy minister however pointed out that related agencies should be studied intently before coming up with appropriate guidelines, and that these services should also have regulations to make sure that these businesses are being conducted legally.
“The recent amendment to the Tourism Industry Act has widened the definition of tourist accommodation premises to include modern and innovative hotels including tube hotels, container hotels, bus hotels and others,” she said, adding that caravans can also be registered and given star ratings as innovative hotels, based on ministry guidelines.
Ok, lah. It looks like it’ll be sometime before caravan parks become more prominent here. However, once everything’s established, we’re sure this will make road trips waaay more fun!
Also read: 8 Expectations vs. Realities of Going on Road Trips Every Malaysian Knows