Policy to standardise homestays likely by October end

New Delhi: Homestays will soon get their own common national standard and accreditation with the tourism ministry in the process of finalising details of a comprehensive national policy, said a senior official.

The policy could be announced as early as next week.

Earlier this month, senior officials of the tourism ministry had a meeting with aggregators like Air B&B, Makemytrip, Yatra and Oyo to discuss details and ways to promote homestays.

"Promoting homestays means providing employment to a local family, giving tourists a family experience and also to help turn unproductive real estate productive. We will come out with a national policy by October end," Tourism Secretary Rashmi Verma told PTI.

According to a tourism ministry official, promoting homestays -- that allows visitors to rent rooms from local families -- is being explored as a viable alternative for the tourism sector, which is struggling to fill the void of around 200,000 hotel rooms.

"The idea is to turn existing establishments and give them a fillip to accommodate tourists without building more real estate," said an official.