SRINAGAR: Jammu & Kashmir State Rural Livelihood Mission (JKRLM) today conducted a two-day workshop on homestay management for homestay owners in collaboration with the global travel technology company, OYO at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) Shalimar here.
The workshop aims to enable SHG members to learn about the processes involved in setting up homestays and to impart the skills to SHG members related to homestay management.
A total of 200 Homestay owners would be trained in the mega workshop by the Senior Trainers from OYO, Delhi. The trainee homestay owners will be trained in different spheres of Hospitality like Behavioural Skills, Marketing & Sales, Potential responsibilities, and Destination Promotion Skills.
The training programme was attended by Mission Director JKRLM, Indu Kanwal Chib, Additional Mission Director, JKRLM, Riyaz Ahmad Beigh, Senior project Managers, District Programme Managers, Block programme Mangers and SHG members of Umeed.
Speaking on the occasion, Indu Kanwal Chib said: “This initiative of JKRLM will create new entrepreneurs, provide gainful employment to the rural women and strengthen the rural economy. It will also open up several new avenues of employment for people with different skill sets.”
Giving details, MD added that the Mission is already identifying homestays in 8 Districts of J&K under the Tourist Village Network. “The Missions collaboration with OYOs will not only generate jobs for the SHGs, but it will also improve the local economy and infrastructure.” She assured that the Mission will provide all the necessary support and assistance to the homestay owners.
MD urged upon the SHG members to take maximum benefit from the training programme and to make the homestay intervention of JKRLM a unique experience for the Guests.
On the occasion, various success stories of existing homestays in Kashmir were shared with the participants and the training program ended with the question answer session.
Ritesh Agarwal, Founder, OYO said “We are delighted to be a part of this initiative and reaffirm our commitment to strengthen tourism in the state by helping local homestay owners. This will help promote sustainable, responsible travel and offer a unique travel experience to the tourists.”
Since entering Jammu & Kashmir in 2015, OYO has hosted thousands of guests at the hotels on its platform, while ensuring higher earnings for 140+ hotel and home-owners. The company has further created direct and indirect economic opportunities for 500+ people. Many such patrons have started multiple hotels since joining the OYO family.
It is to mention that Homestay is a form of hospitality and lodging where in the guests have the opportunities to interact, gain knowledge, and experience the lifestyle and culture of the host family as well as the local community. The idea of the homestay program is to accommodate tourists with a local family, thus enabling the tourist to learn about local lifestyle, culture, nature etc.
