TTT NEWS NETWORK
NEW DELHI | 22 AUGUST 2025
NITI Aayog today launched the report titled ‘Rethinking Homestays: Navigating Policy Pathways’ in collaboration with Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), offering a strategic roadmap to unlock the potential of homestays and BnBs in India’s tourism landscape.
The report was released by Mr. Suman Bery, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, in the presence of Shri Yugal Kishore Joshi, Programme Director, NITI Aayog, and senior Government officials from Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture and states covered in the report like Goa, Kerala, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
Drawing upon insights from aggregators, hosts, and policymakers, the report highlights the role of homestays in offering travelers culturally immersive experiences while simultaneously fostering local entrepreneurship and employment generation. It emphasizes the need for light-touch, transparent regulatory frameworks that ensure the safety of tourists and homeowners, protect heritage, and support inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
The launch was attended by industry representatives from IAMAI, ISPP, MakeMyTrip, Airbnb, Chase India and The Convergence Foundation, underlining the importance of public–private collaboration in shaping a vibrant homestay ecosystem.
The report further underscores that homestays have the unique ability to blend cultural authenticity with livelihood creation, particularly in rural and semi-urban regions. It calls for flexible policy approaches, capacity building and the integration of digital platforms to empower hosts and strengthen consumer trust. It also features case studies and state-level best practices to illustrate scalable models for homestay development and governance.
Developed through extensive consultations the report presents actionable recommendations for policymakers, industry stakeholders and local communities, with the aim of building a resilient, inclusive and heritage-conscious homestay sector in India.
SOI Signing between NITI Aayog & The Convergence Foundation for Development of Tourism and Culture Sector in India:
NITI Aayog and The Convergence Foundation have signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) to strengthen India’s tourism and culture sector. This collaboration will focus on designing robust institutional frameworks for Destination Management Organizations at the regional and local levels, ensuring participatory and sustainable tourism governance. It will also establish mechanisms for data-driven decision-making through integrated tourism data platforms with real-time visitor monitoring, tourism forecasts, and segment-wise analytics. In addition, the partnership will identify and pursue other areas of common interest, including but not limited to joint research, pilot initiatives, and knowledge exchange, as mutually agreed to further enhance India’s tourism and cultural landscape. This partnership marks an important step towards creating a more resilient, inclusive, and globally competitive tourism ecosystem for Viksit Bharat.
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