Homestay owners in the Darjeeling and Kalimpong hills have formed the Darjeeling-Kalimpong Homestay Conservation Committee to work with the Bengal government to ensure homestay facilities operate smoothly across areas under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).
Dawa Gyalpo Sherpa, the GTA's field director for adventure tourism, said that the new committee comprises representatives of homestay owners’ associations from the hills and some adjoining areas in the plains.
The initiative aims to address the concerns of homestay operators and facilitate coordination with the state government amid the latter's plans to tighten regulations governing the sector.
The government's move was largely prompted by an incident at a Sittong homestay on September 20, where a tourist suffered burns from a barbecue, prompting concerns over homestay safety standards.
The state tourism department, headed by tourism minister Shankar Ghosh, also the Siliguri MLA, recently announced a proposed homestay tourism policy as part of the government's efforts to strengthen regulatory oversight of the sector in the hills.
Ghosh said a group of ministers of the state cabinet submitted a proposal for an exclusive homestay tourism policy, which was likely to be approved soon.
Sherpa also referred to the September 20 fire at the Sittong homestay.
“Following the recent incident at Sittong, many homestay owners across the hills have become apprehensive about the new guidelines being introduced by the government," he said.
"We have been urging all the homestay owners not to panic but to comply with the prescribed regulations, including appropriate fire safety measures, proper registration of guests and adherence to all other necessary rules. We have formed this committee to work with the government to ensure the hassle-free operation of these tourism facilities," he added.
Ghosh directed the district administrations of Darjeeling and Kalimpong to conduct a detailed ground-level assessment of homestays that are currently operating within the GTA’s jurisdiction.
In addition, the department is introducing an online registration system for homestay facilities across Bengal.
According to Sherpa, more than 6,000 homestay facilities are currently operational across the two hill districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong and parts of the Dooars.
He said tourism-related activities, including homestays, ecotourism and adventure tourism, accounted for around 70 per cent of the regional economy.
In recent years, homestays have become a popular choice for tourists seeking cozy hospitality in offbeat locations, home-cooked local cuisine and guided village walks.
Sherpa expressed concern over the alleged misuse of the homestay model by some property owners. "Some owners lease commercial properties and operate them under the guise of homestays. This goes against the very concept of homestay tourism. We will urge the government to ensure strict regulation of such properties,” Sherpa said.