Following is an excerpt on this from a New Indian Express report.
… Orissa is bracing up for a new addition to its tourism development initiatives.
It is set to launch home stay facilities for both foreign and domestic travellers in major tourist destinations across the State.
Further under the Bed and Breakfast Establishments scheme of Indiatourism, the home stays would first be introduced in Bhubaneswar and the most popular destinations of Puri and Konark.
Indiatourism aims at harnessing about 100 households, majority of them in Bhubaneswar, during the first year 2007- 08 to provide the facilities, which would be expanded to other parts.
The basic objective is to establish and consolidate a supplementary accommodation infrastructure ready to absorb increasing inflow while providing opportunities for the tourist to experience the life and customs of the region concerned, real and up close.
Around 40,000 foreign tourists visited Orissa last year and the inflow has shown a growth rate of over 10 percent annually. With the numbers rising the pressure on providing hotel accommodation has begun tightening and so alternative measures are explored.
… Delhi also joined the list recently and is aggressively marketing it in view of the Commonwealth Games 2010.Any house owner can become a home stay facility provider, if he meets the stipulations – that of providing a truly ethnic atmosphere to the guest while maintaining stringent quality standards.
Well-maintained house and guest rooms with comfortable bathrooms conforming to Western practices, clean and sanitised kitchens, living and dining rooms or spaces along with offering proper guest services are the prime requisites.
The house owner has to stay in the same house too. Interested households would be selected through an inspection and listed by Indiatourism and promote them internationally.
The housekeepers shall be provided training in guest and room services, housekeeping, sanitation, etc, free. The rental would be decided by the house owners themselves and they would keep all the earnings themselves.
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