THE new sunday express Voices Pushpesh Pant Devdutt Pattanaik Ravi Shankar Neha Sinha Anuja Chandramouli Swami Sukhabodhananda MAGAZINE Buffet People Wellness Books Food Art & Culture Entertainment November 17 2024 SUNDAY PAGES 12 Mayur Kakade Feeling at Home As travellers seek more private accommodations, homestays emerge as a compelling alternative to traditional hotels in India, igniting what is now ‘The Homestay Revolution’ E By Veidehi Gite veryone suddenly wants a home away from home. Especially someone else’s. The impersonal hotel room just doesn’t make the cut anymore for the discerning traveller, who is looking for experiences beyond the coffee machine and bathtub. India may have come late to the homestay revolution, but from Marari in Kerala to Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, Indians looking for travel experiences are foregoing room services for just rooms with a view. The homestay experience that boomed after the pandemic continues to expand. Go on Airbnb or Bookings.com, or track Instagram or Facebook to find homes boasting picturesque photos and property details advertised by obliging hosts who want to earn many extra bucks. A report by Cognitive Market Research projects the global homestay market in India to reach USD 540.44 million in 2024 and a projected CAGR of 11 per cent through 2031. “The growth of homestays in India highlights the growing demand for personalised, authentic travel experiences. At Airbnb, we’ve observed a growing trend of travellers exploring both well-known cities and lesser-explored regions. Since 2020, nearly 100 cities and towns in India have welcomed their first Airbnb guests. In 2022, we recorded over 19,000 guest arrivals in areas without hotels, generating approximately INR 40 million for local hosts. This shift has opened new destinations for travellers and helped local hosts earn money, particularly in areas where there wasn’t much tourism,” reveals Amanpreet Bajaj, General Manager, Airbnb India. Guests enjoy a bonfire at Elgin Hall in Dalhousie What distinguishes homestays from their conventional counterparts is the interest of today’s travellers in unfamiliar local experiences such as hearing Baul singers at The Rajbari Bawali in West Bengal, or watching theyyam in a neighbourhood temple in Thalassery, Kerala. These events result in a profound connection between travellers and the locales, enriching both, them and the community. “Our strategy is two fold: enhancing guest experiences while empowering hosts to offer authentic stays,” says Vinod Verma, co-founder and CEO of Homestays of India (HOI). “Each homestay listed with us is designed to immerse travellers in local culture, making every experience a destination in itself. We’re expanding into lesser-known areas and curating journeys that offer deep cultural exposure and end-to-end travel solutions.” Verma emphasises community involvement as a core pillar of HOI. “We partner with local administrations and communities, encouraging locals to open their doors to tourists. We have training programmes for hosts to deliver world-class hospitality while preserving their cultural identity.” A negative is that the small cookie-cutter homestays in India have to do it alone, which means social media expenses and investments that they cannot afford. Though there are government programmes to promote local tourism, village homestays don’t get much aid. Indian governments loves bureaucracy: a license from the district administration is a must. Should a homeowner in some states wish to open a homestay or short-term rental (Airbnb), a registration or a license from the tourism department is needed. Permission from local panchayats, a character certificate from the village pradhaan and sometimes police clearances have to be acquired before starting off in some states. A license from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) KYC documents (Aadhaar card, driving license, passport, or PAN card), an annual registration fee, photographs of facilities and a blueprint of the homestay design are prerequisites. An 18 per cent tax is applicable on the bills. The Indian government charges no homestay tax on owners. But homestay owners find negotiating the miles of red tape worth it most of the time. Daleep Shamsher Singh Akoi, owner of The Shumshere in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, says, “A homestay offers various experiences that can be tailored to suit the individual needs of the guests. Hospitality is not a one-size-fits-all concept. Each visitor has different needs. A homestay is a win-win situation for all.” To cash in on the growing popularity of homestays, hotel chains are also getting into the business. They are picking up elegant homes and cozy bungalows, which operate on the lines of a homestay, albeit with a hotel-trained staff running it. Turn to page 2 A guest practises yoga in the courtyard at Turiya Villa in South Goa