1. Introduction

The International Cooperative Alliance Asia-Pacific (ICA-AP) is pleased to announce a regional immersion programme jointly organised by the ICA-AP Committee on Cooperatives in Educational Institutions (ICEI) and the ICA-AP Committee on Trade & Business.

Under the theme “Coop Tourism – Unlocking Business Potential,” the programme aims to position cooperative tourism not only as a community activity, but as a viable business model that generates income, expands market access and strengthens trade linkages among cooperatives across the Asia-Pacific region.

The programme will provide participants with first-hand exposure to Malaysia’s cooperative tourism ecosystem through structured sharing sessions, site visits and direct engagement with operating cooperatives. As the national apex cooperative body, ANGKASA will host the programme and showcase selected cooperative tourism models, including school cooperative tourism initiatives and community-based homestay cooperatives. These models demonstrate how cooperative tourism contributes to revenue generation, entrepreneurship development, youth engagement and local economic participation.

2. Objectives

The programme aims to:

• Provide practical exposure to sustainable and commercially viable cooperative tourism models in Malaysia
• Demonstrate how school cooperatives can diversify income streams through tourism-related activities
• Promote knowledge exchange between ICEI and Trade & Business Committee members on tourism as a business sector
• Explore opportunities for cross-border collaboration, business partnerships and trade exchange
• Encourage replication and scaling of cooperative tourism models in participants’ home countries

3. Programme Overview

Programme Title:  ICA-AP Regional Immersion Programme on Cooperative Tourism

Theme:  Coop Tourism – Unlocking Business Potential

Host Organisation:  ANGKASA (Malaysia)

Joint Organisers:  ICA-AP Committee on Trade & Business

ICA-AP Committee on Cooperatives in Educational Institutions (ICEI)

Proposed Locations:  Raub, Jerantut (Taman Negara), Pahang & Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Proposed Dates:  22 – 26 July (5 Days / 4 Nights)

Target Participants:  Members of ICEI and Trade & Business Committees

Maximum Participants:  30 pax

4. Key Programme Components

The immersion programme will include:

• Community-based cooperative tourism business operations (Homestay model)
• School cooperative tourism initiatives and revenue-generating practices
• Cooperative tourism management, marketing and operational strategies
• Business model sharing and financial sustainability discussions
• Networking and business matching opportunities among participants
• Nature-based eco-tourism cooperative activities linked to local enterprise development

5. Expected Outcomes

• Enhanced understanding of cooperative tourism as a business and income-generating sector
• Strengthened collaboration between education-based cooperatives and tourism cooperatives
• Increased potential for regional trade linkages and service exchange
• Identification of scalable and replicable cooperative tourism models
• Positioning Malaysia as a regional learning hub for cooperative tourism and enterprise development

6. Estimated Budget

Estimated Cost per Participant: RM600 (USD 150)

Total Estimated Participants: Maximum 30 participants

Coverage Includes:

2 Tour Packages (3 days 2 nights at Raub and Jerantut) including:

• Accommodation
• Meals
• Site visit arrangements
• Programme coordination and logistics
• Transportation from KL-Pahang-KL
• Airport Transfer

(International airfare, visa, travel insurance, accommodation in Kuala Lumpur (if needed) and personal expenses are excluded)

7. Conclusion

The ICA-AP Regional Immersion Programme on Cooperative Tourism, under the theme “Coop Tourism – Unlocking Business Potential,” will serve as a strategic regional platform to demonstrate how cooperative tourism can evolve into a sustainable and scalable business sector.

By integrating education-based cooperatives and trade-focused initiatives, the programme strengthens cross-committee collaboration while promoting practical business learning, regional networking and trade exchange opportunities. This initiative reflects ICA-AP’s commitment to enhancing cooperative competitiveness and economic participation across the Asia-Pacific region.

Tentative Programme

Dates: 22 – 26 July 2026 (Wednesday – Sunday)

Submit your interest here