The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan Province, China, spread throughout the world and became a global problem that greatly complicated various sectors in various countries worldwide. Every day there is an increase in COVID-19 cases reported by the Malaysian Ministry of Health (KKM), so it has become a public concern in Malaysia. The point of spread of the pandemic was detected in January 2020. In this phase, the Malaysian Government allows economic activities to continue normally. Because the spread is so massive, the World Health Organization (WHO) also classifies it as a pandemic, the spread of new diseases that hit globally [1]. The spread of this pandemic seems complicated for any country worldwide to conceive because it has spread across borders so quickly.

Reflecting on this, the Malaysian Government forces to issue a policy to enforce the first phase of the movement control order (MCO) for 14 days, starting on March 18, 2020, and ending on March 31, 2020. However, this 14-day MCO period is not enough to control the spread of the pandemic [2]. The MCO policy aims to break the chain of the spread of COVID-19 by encouraging people to stay at home or not travel out of town. Due to restrictions on community mobilization, almost all sectors of the economy have become sluggish, including the tourism industry and homestay accommodation have been negatively affected by disasters and crises from the COVID-19 pandemic [3].

However, the MCO implement gradually until the Government issued a movement control order (MCO) from June 10 to August 31, 2020. Furthermore, the Malaysian Government has also issued instructions requiring health protocols in standard homestays. The Government does not permit certain activities, including mass gatherings and physical contact in between, such as lodging rooms in homestay owners' homes, sports and recreational activities in swimming pools, and restaurants and cafes [4].

The MCO policy has finally paid off, indicating that the number of reported COVID-19 cases continues to decline. Meanwhile, economic recovery is needed because tourism activities have suffered significant losses [5]. The Government estimates losses of around RM3.37 billion in Malaysia's tourism industry in the first two months of 2020 [6]. In addition, the Government estimates Malaysia's GDP to fall by 0.8% to 1.2%, down by RM10.8 billion to RM17.3 billion [6].

During the pandemic, the demand for homestays has dropped dramatically due to many tourists canceling or postponing tourism visits. The lack of demand for homestays ultimately also has an impact on reducing operational and financial aspects. In addition, homestay managers also need help fulfilling health protocols imposed by the Government, such as maintaining cleanliness and maintaining social distance between guests.

This recovery must be carried out on a small or large scale to re-stimulate the country's economic growth and post-pandemic stability. Post-COVID-19 homestay activities must be revitalized to attract tourists to Terengganu, Malaysia. Therefore, practical tourism promotion efforts are needed to market a broader range of tourist attractions to increase tourist visits to homestays in the Terengganu region, Malaysia.

Literature Review

Tourism is the second largest economic contributor after the industrial sector in Malaysia [7]. Homestay programs are one of the new tourism trends that are popular there. Homestay is an accommodation business where homeowners use their residence for business purposes or rent it out for profit [8]. The definition of homestay aligns with the concept of a commercial homestay company proposed by [9]. The homestay program is a community-based program where tourists can interact and experience the community's daily life [10] directly. Homestay is one type of tourist offer that provides lodging for tourists. This service is available at tourist sites outside the city. Due to these tourist attractions being on the outskirts or rural areas and the lack of accommodation services such as chalets, resorts, and hotels, villagers took the initiative to offer alternative accommodation by entertaining tourists in their homes [11]. 

In Malaysia, homestay accommodation is mainly operated and hosted by rural communities or villagers. According to MOTAC homestay programs allow tourists to stay with a family of choice, interact and experience the daily life of their homestay family and learn about the culture and lifestyle of rural communities in Malaysia. It focuses more on lifestyle and experiences, including cultural and economic activities.

One area in Malaysia with many homestays is Kuala Terengganu, located at the mouth of the Terengganu River. For decades, Kuala Terengganu has been an important port for trade, the exchange of knowledge, and transit for sailors worldwide. As a seaside city with a combination of historical buildings, Kuala Terengganu was chosen as a tourist attraction and a place for investors because Kuala Terengganu offers thousands of enchanting places and attractions tourists will get a unique sensation where. Mixed with local traditions and urban lifestyles, people will mingle in cultural wealth, heritage, natural beauty, and the warmth of their people.

The tourism industry is set to be one of the significant contributors to Terengganu's gross domestic product and position the industry as the second most important economic sector after the oil and gas industry [12]. However, unfortunately, Terengganu was only ranked 9th in domestic tourist visits in 2018 [13]. Therefore, it is crucial to study the attractiveness of a destination because it builds a positive personal relationship with tourists, where visitors value the experience at the destination and become a competitive advantage for the destination [14]. In other words, with attraction, tourism is possible. Most tourist destinations are bound to increase their attractiveness to increase tourism revenue, government revenue, and employment [15].

Increasing tourist attraction can be further optimized through promotional activities. Promotions can be used to increase sales, attract new customers, create awareness, change attitudes, or create an image through advertising, personal sales, public relations, publicity, direct marketing, and interactive/internet marketing [16]. An essential role of promotion is to fill the perceptions and information gaps that exist between tourism resources (industry) and tourists (market) [16]. Promotions have a particular influence on the decision of travelers to visit specific destinations. Destination image, and tourist attitude significantly influence travel intention to tourism destination [17].

Community service activities by lecturers and student representatives of the Development Economics study program, Faculty of Economics and Business, Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh, were conducted at Teluk Ketapang Homestay, Terengganu, Malaysia. This activity aims to find out how the management of Ketapang Bay Homestay is in terms of supporting the development of the Islamic tourism sector in Aceh Province.

In achieving the objectives of this activity, the method used is to visit Ketapang Bay, Terengganu, Malaysia, and also conduct meetings with homestay managers in question and answer activities regarding Homestay management before or after the COVID-19 pandemic and presentation of superior products at Syiah Kuala University and provide information related to the tourism sector in Aceh.

Figure 1: Discussion on Homestay Management Strategy

As Fig.1, there are discussion activities in developing superior products and tourism in Aceh Province by considering the management strategies implemented in the development of Ketapang Bay Homestay Terengganu, Malaysia.

The results of the International Community activities at Sebrang Takir, Terengganu, Malaysia, show that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the economy of almost all sectors to become sluggish, including tourism. Strict social distancing policies and travel bans between cities limit people's mobility access, decreasing occupancy rates and tourist visits, both local and foreign. However, the opportunity to increase tourism has re-emerged along with the declining spread of COVID-19. Therefore, a strategy is needed to reactivate the tourism sector, including optimizing homestay management in Térengganu, Malaysia. 

The first strategy is to promote homestays within ASEAN, such as in Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines. In addition, it also promotes more vast countries, namely Africa, New Zealand, and Australia. The method of promotional activities is through direct visits by homestay managers in the destination country and through promotion on mass media, TV channels, and mass media in Malaysia. The homestay program is also open for student exchange visits between countries for educational and cultural exchange purposes.

The term homestay in Malaysia refers to lodging places usually inhabited by most foreign tourists in groups. Meanwhile, the term kampung stay is specifically for local Malaysian tourists who allow living without their own families. Some of the advantages homestay offers compared to other lodgings, such as hotels, are that rental prices are much cheaper. Tourists can feel the full spectrum of life in the lifestyle of the locals, and they will also quickly bond with the warm and friendly villagers like their own families.

Foreign tourists get the opportunity to learn more about the culture of the local people there, such as wearing traditional Malay clothes, local specialties, and whatever cultural programs are in the village. Furthermore, visitors can also take part in a roti canai-making program which is a local specialty. Furthermore, there is also training on various handicrafts such as batik making, weaving, waw (kite) making, coconut shell crafts, and entrepreneurship training.

In addition, visitors can enjoy the tranquillity of rural life by exploring the environment around the homestay area. At the homestay, there is manual rickshaw transportation with three rickshaws at this time so that they can freely mobilize there. Traditional boats also allow tourists to explore the waters or fish there. 

Various local cultural attractions such as cultural dance performances, music performances, and dramatic arts are also performed every week at Ketapang Bay. Cultural offerings display at the airport as part of promoting local people's culture. That will further increase the attention of local and foreign tourists to visit more and more to enjoy tourist attractions there. Furthermore, there is a cultural museum in each village around the homestay as a medium of local cultural education for tourists who visit.

The second strategy is the homestay positioning strategy. Two aspects considered by homestay managers there, namely, the competitor aspect. Of course, before the COVID-19 pandemic, many homestays had operated in Ketapang Bay and characteristically offered the exact location and facilities. Another competitor is the type of lodging, such as hotels that offer more sophisticated and exclusive facilities. Then the second aspect is re-branding. Post-pandemic conditions still have a minor trauma over the spread of COVID-19 some time ago. The manager must make various adjustments following post-COVID-19 conditions so that the current promotional and marketing substance must display and show the condition of the destination with the concept of  Cleanliness, Healthy, Safety, and Environment (CHSE), such as checking the body temperature of guests with a thermogenic, providing hand sanitizers, hand washing stations, mask checks, and implementing social distancing in all homestays with strict protocol implementation. 

The third strategy is a resource strategy by utilizing available homestay resources. Four essential aspects need to consider in implementing this strategy, namely. Physical, financial, experiential, and value aspects. For example, from the physical aspect, most homestays offer physical products (rooms, ballrooms, pools), so it is necessary to increase the quality standardization of homestay infrastructure to provide comfort for guests during their stay. The second aspect is finance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the financial condition of homestays in Teluk Ketapang, on average, experienced a drastic decrease in income. Even less, even if only to finance the maintenance needs. Homestay managers have also tightened finances by reducing the burden of homestay expenses, for example, implementing a policy of laying off employees, entering with a shift system, and even conditions that force layoffs to carry out. Managers can also supply homestays in the domestic market at low prices and even give discounts of up to 50%. This strategy is also quite effective in stimulating homestay occupancy demand even though the purchasing power of domestic tourists has decreased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The experiential aspect of this strategy is related to promotions that depict the sensation of a different experience while staying at a Homestay where guests enjoy the tranquillity away from the hustle and bustle by exploring the environment around the homestay area. The value-sharing aspect found in homestays is lodging products based on the culture of local wisdom of the local community.

The fourth strategy is capability, which is no less critical in networking and response to technological and information developments. This strategy is essential in homestay marketing and promotion activities more effectively and can save costs, time, and energy. That is useful in ensuring the hotel's sustainability in the current pandemic. Homestay managers must immediately adopt a sound system for promoting and marketing products and services based on information technology. That is due to customer trends post-COVID-19 and, in the future, will lead to effectiveness, efficiency and measurable service. 

The development of homestay-based tourism can be a unique breakthrough as tourism accommodation in addition to hotels. Homestay offers economical lodging and can bring foreign tourists closer to the local community's culture. However, homestay management must be carried out with professionalism and balanced by effective promotion. Through effective promotion, information about tourist attractions, accommodation facilities, food and beverages, and local culture can be conveyed to potential tourists to increase tourist interest in the homestay itself. Other effective promotion strategies supporting homestay sustainability after COVID-19 in Ketapang Bay are positioning resources and capability strategies. The positioning strategy analyzes competitors' positions and changes in the homestay image with the rebranding concept. Then, by using the physical aspects of the homestay as promotional and marketing materials, the strategy of resources tightens the financial rules, experience, and values carried out (value sharing). Finally, increase capability strategies strategy to apply homestay managers' capabilities to building on networking and responding to technological developments information. 

The results of the management and promotion of homestays at Sebrang Takir, Terengganu, Malaysia, can be a study material implemented in homestays in Aceh Province, which is currently known for its sharia tourism and has a beautiful coastline.

Acknowledgement

This article is based on the report on community services conducted by lecturers of the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK) - Indonesia, collaborating with lecturers from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu - Malaysia.

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