Government set to promote home stays in North Bengal

Pramod Giri, HT, 15 Jun 2016, SILIGURI: Two thousand rooms and increasing. Home stays are the new craze for tourists visiting North Bengal, and Darjeeling hills is set to get another boost following the Centre’s move to give thrust to implement its ‘Incredible India Bed and Breakfast Scheme’ in the region. 

The state government has also decided to supplement the move by promoting organic farming in areas promoting home stays. 
On Tuesday, the Union ministry of tourism here organised a sensitisation workshop for the stakeholders of home stays on its Incredible India Bed and Breakfast Scheme. 

Incredible India Bed and Breakfast Scheme is aimed at improving the services in the home stays being promoted across the country while making the tourists’ visits memorable. The idea is to provide a clean and affordable place for foreigners and domestic tourists alike including an opportunity for foreign tourists to stay with an Indian family to experience Indian customs and traditions and relish authentic Indian cuisine, said JP Shaw, the regional director (east), Union ministry of tourism. 

The move is also aimed to streamline the services and to have a data base on home stay facilities and to categorise them as per their standard. Under the scheme it is mandatory to get the home stays registered with the Union ministry of tourism. The concept started during the last Commonwealth Games in Delhi to provide worldclass services to tourists and to supplement the availability of accommodation in the metros and tourist destinations. 
Home stays have become very popular in remote tourist destinations in Dooars and Darjeeling hills where many unemployed youths and families have made them their main source of income.
“There are more than 2,000 home stay rooms and the number is increasing rapidly,” said Goutam Deb, West Bengal tourism minister. “The state government will religiously and seriously promote home stays. We will also promote organic farming in the areas coming up with home stay facilities. Organic food would be another attraction,” said Deb.