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April 13, 2009 15:37 PM

Selangor's Homestay Programme Can Help Promote Local Herbal Products

SHAH ALAM, April 13 (Bernama) -- Selangor, which has more than 200 homestay tourism programme operators can play a part in promoting the various local herbal products to tourists especially those from overseas, said Safinah Yaakob the chief operating officer of the Herbal Asia secretariat.

They can prepare herbal tea from misai kucing or bitter gourd for guests' and also make available herbal steam baths for them to try out, she said here today.

She said this at a media briefing in conjunction with Herbal Asia's nationwide tour and to create an awareness among traditional medicine entrepreneurs in Selangor on the opportunities in the herbal industry and the support provided by government agencies at the state Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) office here.

Herbal Asia, represents the foremost herbal trade expo in Asia.

Safinah said by using this approach, it will indirectly assist in the marketing of local herbal products overseas and improve the industry's competitiveness against producers from China, India and Indonesia.

"The large number of homestay operators in Selangor is an advantage that should be fully utilised to stimulate the development of medicine and cosmetics based on the country's herbs," she added.

On Herbal Asia, she said that, about 30,000 visitors are expected to attend the annual event this year.

First organised in 2004, Herbal Asia will be held from April 30-May 3 at the MATRADE Exhibition and Convention Centre in Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur.

Safinah said that the 200 booths available at the exhibition had all been taken up.

She said that apart from the exhibition, Herbal Asia will also organise the Third Herbal Business Dialogue, to be attended by 200 participants from both locally and overseas who will share experiences in the world of herbal trade.

The overseas participants are from China, India and Indonesia.

Herbal Asia is organised by Gitex (M) Sdn Bhd, the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM), FAMA and Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA).

-- BERNAMA

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