The Ministry of Tourism has strengthened its efforts to promote quality accommodation and unique travel experiences with the ‘One India, One Registration’ initiative under the National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry (NIDHI) portal. As part of its voluntary classification scheme, the Ministry classifies fully operational homestay rooms including those in rural and tribal areas into Gold and Silver categories based on existing guidelines, ensuring standardized services for both domestic and international tourists. While the scheme does not offer financial assistance, it plays a crucial role in elevating quality benchmarks in India’s homestay ecosystem.
In a major step towards rural and tribal empowerment, the Government has also approved the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan, under which the development of 1,000 homestays forms an important component. States and Union Territories can avail up to INR.5 crore of assistance for creating 5–10 homestays per village across a cluster of 5–6 villages, in line with guidelines issued on 1 July 2025. Additionally, the Union Budget 2025–26 announced the provision of collateral-free Mudra Loans for homestays, encouraging entrepreneurs in rural and tribal belts to set up new facilities and cater to the growing demand for experiential tourism.
The NIDHI portal plays a pivotal role by serving as a centralized platform to collect data on registered and classified hospitality units under the voluntary scheme. It is not a booking platform but a national registry that enables policy-making and monitoring by providing reliable data on the homestay and hospitality sector. The ‘One India, One Registration’ initiative ensures uniform recognition, better visibility, and improved credibility for homestay operators, thereby enhancing tourist confidence while traveling across India. With these reforms, the government aims to strengthen rural tourism, empower local communities, and create sustainable livelihood opportunities, making India’s homestays a vital part of its global tourism appeal.
