Get ready to explore the stunning beauty and vibrant culture of India’s tribal regions like never before! Exciting plans are underway to encourage tribal communities to welcome tourists into their homes, allowing them to share their unique heritage.

Supporting this remarkable initiative, the Union Tourism Ministry plans to promote, to begin with, 1,000 Homestays at tourism-potential villages across the tribal belts of the States like Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu among others. The aim is to preserve rich traditions of the tribal communities as well as enhance their incomes, thus empowering them economically and fostering sustainable development.

The Union Tourism Ministry plans to provide funding to tribal households and villages for the construction of 5 to 10 homestays in each tourism-potential tribal village under its Swadesh Darshan program.

 “Each household will be eligible for Rs 5 lakhs for the construction of two new rooms and upto Rs 3 lakhs for renovation of existing rooms and Rs 5 lakh for village community requirement,” an official of the Ministry shared the details.

He said that the plan is the nascent phase and nitty-gritty will be worked out to ensure there is no violation of the regulations and tribals and visitors rights are protected.

The Ministry’s Homestay scheme in tribal areas is part of the central flagship Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan which was cleared by the Union Cabinet Ministry, a day ago. With a total outlay of Rs.79,156 crore (Central Share: Rs.56,333 crore and State Share: Rs. 22,823 crore), the scheme aims to improve the socio-economic condition of tribal communities, by adopting saturation coverage for tribal families in tribal-majority villages and aspirational districts.  Around 5 crore tribals in the 63,000 villages are expected to benefit as 549 districts and 2,740 blocks spread across all tribal majority villages in 30 States/UTs will be covered.

The Mission comprises 25 interventions/schemes which will be implemented by 17-line ministries. Each Ministry/Department would be responsible for implementation of schemes related to it in a time bound manner through funds allocated to them under the Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST) in the next 5 years, as per the official.

India has a scheduled tribes population of 10.45 crore as per 2011 census and there are more than 705 tribal communities, spread across the country, living in remote and hard-to-reach areas.

As the Union Tourism Ministry advances plans for homestays in tribal regions, the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board (MPTB) is already leading the way. Many tribal families have opened their homes as homestays as a part of the homestay project of the MPTB, and are now ready to host visitors. According to the MPTB officials, rural tribal communities have established over 64 new homestays across 28 villages.

Post-COVID, homestays have become a favored option for travelers seeking unique and personal experiences. “They often allow guests to immerse themselves in local culture, enjoy homemade meals, and access off-the-beaten-path attractions. For homeowners, turning a property into a homestay can be financially rewarding, providing a steady income stream while allowing them to share their space and hospitality with others.”

 It’s a win-win, creating memorable experiences for guests and fostering connections between visitors and local communities, said an official from the Ministry.

According to Cognitive Market Research, India homestay market had a market share of USD 540.44 million in 2024 and is projected to grow at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate(CAGR)  of 11.0% during the forecast period.

India’s homestay sales will increase due to the country’s rich cultural heritage, diverse landscapes, and the rising popularity of experiential travel among domestic and international tourists, it said.

In a study ‘The Future of Homestays: A Study on Opportunities and Challenges in the State of Himachal Pradesh (India),’ published in International Journal Of Research Culture Society, authors Dr. Mamta Joshi and Dr Pooja Joshi, both  Assistant Professor at Kumaun University, Nainital have a cautionary note. “It is beneficial to create a homestay environment and facilitate the host community to carry out the business to the benefit of all stakeholders. There are nonetheless countless temporary challenges which can be resolved with appropriate strategies and careful planning.”