Homestay concept getting popular in Darjeeling

The Samikhsya Bureau

KOLKATA: In view of the rising popularity of the homestay concept in Darjeeling, the Union Ministry of Tourism will host a three-day Incredible India Mega Homestay Development & Training Workshop in Darjeeling starting tomorrow.

The Ministry of Tourism’s Indiatourism Kolkata, Regional Office (East) will organize this workshop in association with Eastern Himalayas Travel and Tour Operator Association (Resource Partner) and IIAS School of Management (Knowledge Partner) to enrich the hospitality skill of Homestay owners to ensure a better experience for the tourists.

The concept of Homestay is getting popular in Darjeeling and Kampong districts of Northern part of West Bengal. The involvement of local community is more than ever in this Homestay Tourism at one of the most favoured Hill Stations for Domestic and Inbound Tourists, the hosts stated.

However, most of these homestays lack professional training of Hospitality etc. which would impact the destination in the long run, they observed.

A total of 450 Homestay owners would be trained in the Workshop where IIAS School of Management (Knowledge Partner) would train them free of cost in different spheres of Hospitality (i.e., Behavioral Skill, Marketing and Sales Skills, Destination Promotion Skills etc.).

The aim of this robust hospitality training workshop is to upgrade the hospitality skills of local community stakeholders by capacity building. This initiative is directed towards the rural development through tourism and preservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage of local communities, the hosts added.