SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Friday described homestays as the “bedrock” of tourism in unexplored destinations of Jammu and Kashmir, calling for easier access to finance and greater training and handholding for local residents to expand the sector.
Dulloo made the remarks while chairing a meeting of the Tourism Department to review the renewed Homestay Policy, aimed at taking tourism to lesser-explored areas while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for local communities.
He said homestays offered an environmentally sustainable tourism model particularly suited to the ecologically fragile region and could help local residents become active stakeholders in tourism development.
“Homestays offer an environmentally sustainable model particularly suited to an ecologically fragile region like J&K,” Dulloo said, stressing that the initiative would expand tourism beyond established destinations while generating employment and income opportunities.
The Chief Secretary directed the Tourism Department to intensify capacity-building and handholding programmes for existing and prospective homestay owners to enable them to provide quality services to visitors.
He also urged financial institutions to provide easier credit for the construction, renovation and improvement of homestay facilities under the renewed policy.
During the meeting, the Tourism Department said Jammu and Kashmir currently has 2,802 registered homestay units with a combined accommodation capacity of 20,514 beds.
Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Ashish Chandra Verma said a homestay under the policy is a residential property where the owner and family reside on the premises and can offer between one and six guest rooms, subject to prescribed standards for safety, hygiene, water supply and electricity.
The renewed policy also introduces a Bed & Breakfast model under which owners can register secondary residential properties for tourist accommodation. The model allows one to six rooms to be offered, providing households an opportunity to generate income from vacant or underutilised properties.
The policy provides homestay owners with official recognition, promotion through J&K Tourism platforms, access to training programmes, facilitation of financial assistance through government schemes and banks, and participation in tourism promotion campaigns.
To simplify the registration process, applicants can register online through the J&K Tourism portal by uploading property details, photographs and required documents. Digital integration and geotagging will also help tourists discover registered properties across the Union Territory.
Under the financial inclusion component being facilitated through J&K Bank, loans of up to ₹5 lakh per room can be extended for converting a residential house into a homestay, subject to a maximum of ₹30 lakh per unit and applicable eligibility conditions.
The department also highlighted the “Crown of Incredible India” Homestay Initiative launched in partnership with OYO under Mission YUVA. The initiative seeks to promote village-based entrepreneurship and self-employment among youth by encouraging homestays in rural and lesser-explored areas.
The renewed framework also provides for a simplified and time-bound inspection mechanism. Applicants submitting all required documents will receive provisional registration under the Silver Category for six months, while an inspection committee will assess properties against prescribed standards for Silver or Gold classification.
The policy further provides that if verification is not completed within 15 days, the registration will be deemed to have been approved, reducing procedural delays for applicants.
The meeting was attended by senior Tourism Department officials, representatives of J&K Bank and other concerned departments.
The government said the renewed policy is aimed at building a more inclusive, digitally enabled and financially supported tourism ecosystem, with local households and youth at the centre of tourism-led economic development across Jammu and Kashmir.
