TRANSFORMING AQUACULTURE BUSINESS TO COMMERCIAL ECOLODGE Proposed Product & Services Offered   TRANSFORMING AQUACULTURE BUSINESS TO COMMERCIAL ECOLODGE Presented by: Nor Hayati Ahmad Harnaini @ Abdullah, Maryam Salihah Bt Abdul Ghani, Nurzehan Bt Abu Bakar, Surya Ayu Bt Sabaruddin and Norliza Aminudin Faculty of Hotel and Tourism Management, UiTM, 40450 Shah Alam Selangor. Objectives To transform the potential areas for aquaculture development to commercialize aquaculture tourism: A case of Berembang Aquaculture Sdn Bhd, Hujung Rintis, Perak Proposed Product & Services Offered / Usefulness   1) Ecolodge - Stay at GFWP Ecolodge and experience peace and calmness while enjoying element of traditional Malay Architecture of the ecolodge. -Tailor made packages are available for school children as well as college/ university students. 2) Hatchery & Nursery - Get an up close look at GFWP Ecolodge’s prawns and learn about prawns breeding process. -At Prawn Nursery, is a place where more than a million baby prawns are raised. You will be able to hand feed the baby prawns. 3) Hook– a– prawn fishing - Visitor can enjoy their prawn fishing. - You can fish all day, all equipment provided, and once you’ve landed your catch, you can cook it up and sample the local delicacy right here beside the fishing ponds! 4) Seafood restaurant - Treat yourself to a mouth-watering selection of prawn dishes. - The restaurant also provide special kids menu and kids playground. 5) Boat tour around Dedap river & watching fireflies -Enjoy a romantic firefly watching trip with your loved ones or family. Novelty Giant Fresh Water Prawn Ecolodge (GFWPE) plays a big part in boosting Giant Fresh Water Prawn production and in meeting rising demand for seafood products. This Ecolodge will be built with minimum impact to the area and with very careful planning in terms of water supply, wastewater treatment and electricity usage. These efforts are established in order to protect and preserve natural environments (rainforest, river systems, mangroves) biodiversity and ecosystems while at the same time generating sustainable business development in the tourism and hospitality operations of the Ecolodge. Another uniqueness of GFWPE is it educates public by providing the experience to learn about prawns breeding process at the Prawn Nursery. Moreover, this Ecolodge has its own restaurant, where the visitors will be able to taste a variety of mouth-watering selection of fresh prawn dishes. This project aims to ensure that GFWPE is ethically managed and profitably operated according to the highest possible international standards, practices and guidelines in sustainable tourism, environmental conservation and biodiversity protection and cultural heritage preservation. Potential commercialization This project of transforming the Berembang Aquaculture Sdn Bhd to commercial aquaculture tourism could increase the demand for Giant Fresh Water Prawn in local and international markets and furnish benefit to both local community and government Usefulness GFWPE can deliver benefits to the community area by raising their standard of living through increased generation of income, employment opportunities, and improved infrastructure and also through conservation of biodiversity (ecosystem). References Organisation For Economic Co-operation And Development (2006) Innovation and Growth in Tourism. Paris:OECD Lao National Tourism Administration (2005) Designing And Operating An Ecolodge In The Lao Pdr Suggestions For Local And International Investors Mekong Tourism. Mekong