KOCHI: The changing trends in world tourism and the increasing interest in experiential tourism will hugely benefit the home stay and rural tourism segment in the country, Suman Billa, the Joint Secretary to the Union Ministry of Tourism has said.
Inaugurating the Homestays and Rural Tourism travel meet organised by Kerala Homestay and Tourism Society (HATS) here on Tuesday, Suman Billa said that homestays have a great potential in the fast changing world tourism scenario. Tourists are in search of experiential tourism and they want to experience the heart and soul of the destination.
Many tourists are turning towards curated tours and towards different experiences which they can cherish forever, he observed. If the country needs to maintain the current growth rate, the tourism segment has a lot more to contribute. India needs 1,90,000 hotel rooms in addition to the existing numbers to cater to the targeted tourist inflow. Making up for the lack of hotel rooms would demand huge investment.
In this context, the homestay and non-traditional sector can contribute much and tap the emerging potential, Suman Billa pointed out. Kerala has a rich history of hospitality that dates back to several centuries.
This will help it take a lead over other states in the homestay sector, the tourism joint secretary said.
The state hosted ancient foreign traders and engaged with them warmly and had few quarrels with them. This culture still stands in good stead with Keralites giving them an edge over others, Suman Billa opined. The big players in the tourism industry are increasingly turning towards home stays and it is a great opportunity at hand, he added.
Delivering the keynote address, Prabat Kumar, Indian Ambassador to Columbia, said that homestays are here to stay and is the future of tourism. Kerala Ayurveda is popular in Columbia, he said and hoped that Kerala tourism will also have takers there. KV Thomas MP presided the inaugural session. MLAs Dominic Presentation, Hibi Eden, Kerala Tourism director PI Sheik Pareeth, Kerala Travel Mart Society president Abraham George, Kerala HATS chairman PN Prasannakumar and Kerala HATS director MP Sivadathan also spoke.