Push for policy on homestay units

BIRESWAR BANERJEE, TT, 02 Jul 2019, Siliguri: Stakeholders of the tourism industry have demanded a homestay policy to ensure the facilities operate under a standard set of rules and tourists do not face inconvenience. Homestay  units have mushroomed across hills and the plains of Darjeeling, besides Kalimpong and the Dooars.

According to them, several tourists who had flocked in the region during the recent summer seas on had chosen home-stays instead of hotels and resorts, during their trips. After their stay, a section had reported about certain short-comings in some of these accommodations,right from facilities to service.

“The state government has recently adopted a policy for regularising the homestay facilities for tourists. Once the policy is implemented, we believe the homestays can be developed in a systematic manner, ” said Raj Basu, advisor, Himalayan Hospitality Tourism Development Network (HHTDN).

On Monday, a delegation of HHTDN met state tourism minister Gautam Deb at his office here in Mainak Tourist Lodge campus and spoke on the issue.

Sources said any homestay owner having maximum six rooms for tourists is eligible to run a homestay. The basic condition is that the owner or his family has share rooms, kitchen and other facilities at the accommodation with the guests.

The new policy will not only put the things in order, but also make the registered homestay owner eligible for getting Rs 1.5 lakh as a subsidy from the state to run his business.

In course of the meeting, the representatives also requested Deb to ensure that an infrastructure is set up in Fulbari, one of the land customs station at the India-Bangladesh border 5km from here.