KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 — Did you know that Kampung Baru — the Malay enclave in central Kuala Lumpur — is one of the world’s top trending neighbourhoods?

This was revealed to Malay Mail by the online marketplace and hospitality service, Airbnb.

South-east Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan country manager Robin Kwok said that right smack in Kuala Lumpur lies one of the most popular destinations for visitors to Malaysia.

"Kampung Baru is the most sought after search (request) for Airbnb. Even foreign guests are excited to visit the place,” she told Malay Mail in an exclusive interview yesterday.

Kwok said tourists claimed that Kampung Baru is unique as the homes there are set in a quaint environment as well as some that are built on stilts.

"Furthermore, tourists can really experience the delicious food and mingle with the people. 

"That’s really fascinating for visitors coming to Malaysia and this enclave can stimulate growth in the (local) tourism industry,” she said.

Kwok said that Airbnb is promoting its services as part of an initiative to unlock Malaysia’s tourism potential, a promotion centralised on the current listing and trends in the country.

"Today’s travellers are a pretty exciting lot due to changes in user behaviour. They want to travel and live like locals, and discover new areas. 

Local residents play football in Kampung Baru against the backdrop of KL city skyline and the iconic Petronas Twin Towers.

"They don’t know what exactly to search for in each country, but they are looking for opportunities in discovering new things during their trips,” said Kwok.

One of the ways Airbnb can help boost local tourism is by providing access to unique neighbourhoods such as Kampung Baru.

"These homes are owned by the people who live in the neighbourhood and they are local,” she said.

Kwok said the Asian region is the fastest growing for inbound travel in the world and Malaysia plays a key part in its tourism growth. 

"We see more and more people who want to visit Malaysia, and in the past year, we saw a 250 per cent growth in terms of the number of tourists arriving to Malaysia and have their stays arranged through Airbnb,” she said.

Tourism Malaysia chairman Datuk Siew Ka Wei said the tourism board is happy with Airbnb’s proactive step to work hand-in-hand in identifying activities for tourists, places to visit and cuisines to sample.

"They (tourists) need to discover activities and places when they visit Malaysia. Airbnb will be launching a new product for luxury accommodations (homes) and this will help.

"We are happy to work with Airbnb. We hope this will bear fruit and will be a success for the tourism industry,” Siew told Malay Mail.

He said Airbnb is the most popular site visited in Malaysia and Tourism Malaysia will be able to promote the country further using the platform.

"At the same time, Airbnb is also providing information for outbound Malaysian travellers to find affordable, safe and strategic places as well as things to do overseas,” Siew said.