Ab Qayoom Bhat
Tourism is a flourishing and priority sector in India. The Kashmir Valley with its enchantress cultural heritage, its snowcapped mountains, lush green forests, abyssal blue lakes, biodiversity, cultural traditions, local food and diverse ethnic groups provide exclusive attractions for tourists. “Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast, Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast” Amir Khusro’s famous words, if there is a heaven on earth, it’s here in Kashmir. Kashmir ensures that despite the unrest and the violence, its sheer beauty continues to attract tourists from across the globe.
The modern-day scenario and urbanization burdened with anxiety, stress and weariness of the city dweller has forced them for a solace where exactly a homestay imparts its significance. Homestay is a relatively new concept that has been introduced to the tourism sphere. A homestay can offer the tourist with facilities that traditional types of accommodations may not be able to provide. Travelers are tired of repetitious hospitality of hotel industries and there is no better way to experience the incredibly diversified and charming Kashmir other than a homestay in walnut engraved log house, shikaras & etc.
In contrast to a hotel, a homestay usually has a few rooms and is runned by the family who resides their & acts as a host. This emphasizes, the guest receives plenty of individual attention. One can spend a little or as much time with the host family as per interest. Some guests choose only to dine with them while other spends hours chatting with them.
The plethora of information that the host have about their local area make a tourist decide what to see and where to spend his leisure hours in the valley. There is a marked difference between the service provided in restaurants vis-à-vis the food that is served in homestays. Kasmiri homestay provides the most authentic homemade cuisines such as Wazwan, Rogan Josh, Naat Yakhni, Tabak Maaz spiced with the most genuine flavors.
Tourist who opt homestays feels a sense of security being emotionally attached to the hosts and the hosts are usually very accommodating and put a great deal of effort into arranging activities that are interesting to a guest like shikara ride, houseboat stay, gondola cable car ride, wildlife tour, mountain biking or for the matter of deal a good shopping to incl carpets, pashminas, copper utensils and spices such as saffron.
With an aim to provide utmost comfort and natural staying facilities to the tourists and to supplement the availability of accommodation in the tourist destinations, the concept of homestay is introduced by J&K government in collaboration with central government under “Incredible India Bed and Breakfast Scheme”. The administration is committed to provide 50,000 rooms through the homestay initiative across 75 tourist destinations. In addition the administration has decided to develop 5 tourist villages within Dal Lake in Srinagar. This initiative is highly appreciated at a global platform, the destinations where a tourist, earlier never thought of visiting and if someone has thought, he never thought of staying has become a child’s play. A directory of all such approved establishment also appears at various tourist offices, airports, railway terminals and also on the travel websites. The scheme for approval and registrations is voluntary in nature. The classification for approval and registration of the scheme will be given only in those cases where the owner/ promoter of the establishment along with his/ her family is physically residing in the same establishment and letting out minimum one room and max six rooms (12 beds). The scheme will be on bed and breakfast bases and charges will have to be levied accordingly.Classification will be valid for two year from the date of issue of orders. The quality of facilities and services of the scheme will be inspected and evaluated by regional classification committee.Two categories of classification namely gold and silver are there.
Homestays has catalyzed tourism industry as a main source of income for the people of Kashmir who are devoid of a quality education, sound infrastructure amid the influence of terrorism in the valley. Tourists invest a lot of money into the destinations by paying for accommodation, food, travel and entertainment which further contributes to overall development of the valley. Homestays acts as a platform for socio-cultural exchange which enables the locals to broaden their horizon beyond Kashmir. Homestay Tourism has a different dimension all together wherein it has profoundly impacted the youth in drawing attention to illustrious employment opportunities and thus diverting the focus of Kashmiri youngsters from drugs and terrorism.
Homestay as a concept, brings people from varied backgrounds under a single roof, and manifests an ideal platform for long lasting friendship. The concept has clearly received the attention of common people of valley as well as government stakeholders. It will provide an opportunity to pull up the earning and will directly help in development of Kashmir and the community. Kashmiri families who own splendid homes with lots of vacant rooms find homestay as an alluring option to earn an extra income without having to invest more than housekeeping supplies and a cheery disposition additionally, the exposure gained by entertaining delightful guests from different corners of the world is indispensable. The only requirement is to promote and make locals aware about the innovative concept and also provide some formal training in the form of workshop about how to run a homestay. The homestay will not only increase the influx of tourist in valley but also it will contribute immensely towards village tourism.
