Redang Island is a popular marine tourism destination, with a beautiful beach, clear waters, and an attractive underwater ecosystem. Its uniqueness has gained the attention of local and overseas tourists who yearn for peace and love the world of adventures.

To provide an economic boost to the local community, especially the residents of Kampung Baru, based on the tourism industry at Redang Island, a group of researchers from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) has implemented a program to develop and improve tourism products for the local community.

The knowledge transfer workshop, funded by the Knowledge and Technology Assimilation Grant Scheme (KTAGS) managed by the Centre for Knowledge Transfer, Industrial Linkages and Community (PPIJIM), imparted knowledge about tourism product marketing and exposed participants to digital platform.

The 34 participants were entrepreneurs and representatives from various agencies, including Redang Island Tourism Cooperative, Village Development and Security Committee, Redang Island Boat Owner Assocation, and Teratak Pak Jusoh.

A participant, Irawan Jusoh, a homestay entrepreneur, believed that the programme was a positive approach and provided new ideas for offering tourism products based on the current attraction already present around the area of Kampung Baru.

“The youths here can generate income as tour guides and by venturing into microbusinesses that sell local food products and handicraft.”

The Tourism Product Development and Redang Island Community’s Economic Enhancement Programme held from 21 – 23 February at Kampung Baru involved seven researchers who are also lecturers under the Tourism Management Programme at the Faculty of Business, Economy, and Social Development (FPEPS).

Programme leader Shahriman Abdul Hamid said the island has its own unique societal values.

“Not only of people know that there is a village at Redang Island that has a community with high societal values.

“Kampung Baru has a variety of unique products with great potential to be marketed and introduced to tourists.

He said that the knowledge transfer workshop focused on the sharing of outcomes from research conducted by UMT researchers.

“The workshop module consisted of three main topics, new tourism product development and potential activities at Kampung Baru, tourism product marketing strategies, and tourism product digitalization.

“Several new products have been identified, such as guided tour package, cycling activities around the village, hill climbing activities, and mangrove exploration.

The programme can provide a significant impact towards the economic improvement and the local community’s wellbeing. Potential tourism products at Kampung Baru can further boost tourism activities, which is line with the National Tourism Policy 2020 – 2030 under the transformative strategy of decent work and economic growth (SDG8), industry, innovation, and infrastructure (SDG9), and sustainable cities and communities (SDG11).

In addition, identification of new tourism products is also a measure towards conservation of culture and local heritage.

Original version in Malay by:

Dr. Munira Mhd Rashid and Dr. Kalsitinoor Set

Faculty of Business, Economy, and Social Development

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu

English translation by:

Corporate Communications Office

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu