**Executive Summary**
On 17 March 2026, the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs inaugurated a Capacity Building Program for Tribal Homestay Owners in New Delhi. The initiative aims to enhance hospitality standards and create sustainable livelihoods for tribal communities, starting with an initial batch of 40 participants from Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Gujarat. A key immediate objective is to train 1,500 participants as part of a broader vision to establish one lakh homestays across the country.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Program Objectives and Implementation**
* Strengthen professional hospitality skills and service standards for tribal homestay operators.
* Promote community-based, sustainable tourism that preserves tribal traditions while generating economic opportunities.
* Provide structured training delivered by IHM Ashok, ITDC, for the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
* **Resources and Accessibility**
* Release of the “Tribal Homestay – Operation & Development Manual 2026,” a practical guide for managing homestays.
* The manual is a multilingual resource, available in English, Hindi, and Gujarati to ensure wider outreach.
* The framework focuses on meeting the needs of modern travelers seeking nature-based, less crowded destinations.
* **Strategic Vision and Scaling**
* Aims to empower initial participants to become "trainers of trainers" to facilitate training closer to home in their respective states.
* Reflects a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and the Incredible India platform.
* Addresses the national shortage of hotel rooms by positioning the homestay model as a viable alternative.
**Impact Analysis**
**Tribal Homestay Owners**
* **Impact:** They receive professional hospitality training and a structured management framework, enabling them to transform local economies and improve service standards.
* **Action Required:** Participate in capacity-building workshops and utilize the operational manual to implement professional hospitality practices.
**ITDC and Ministry of Tribal Affairs**
* **Impact:** These organizations establish a collaborative framework for inclusive development and tourism-led livelihoods.
* **Action Required:** Scale training efforts to reach the target of 1,500 participants and support the expansion of the homestay model nationwide.
**Travelers and Tourists**
* **Impact:** Benefit from improved visitor experiences, better service standards, and increased access to unique, nature-based accommodations in tribal regions.
* **Action Required:** None specified; the document highlights their evolving preference for longer stays in less crowded, unpolluted environments.
Key Entities Referenced
Capacity Building Program for Tribal Homestay Owners: An initiative aimed at promoting community-based tourism and strengthening professional hospitality skills among tribal operators across India.
Ministry of Tribal Affairs: The primary government ministry collaborating on this initiative to support sustainable livelihood opportunities for tribal communities.
India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC): The implementing agency responsible for executing the training program and developing professional hospitality standards for tribal homestays.
Tribal Homestay – Operation & Development Manual 2026: A multilingual policy document providing a structured framework for the development and professional management of tribal homestays.
Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Gujarat: The key states from which the inaugural batch of tribal homestay operators participated in the program.
Ministry of Tourism
ITDC and Ministry of Tribal Affairs Inaugurate
Capacity Building Program for Tribal Homestay
Owners
Posted On: 17 MAR 2026 11:39AM by PIB Delhi
The India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), under the Ministry of Tourism in
collaboration with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, held the inaugural opening ceremony of the
Capacity Building Program for Tribal Homestay Owners at Kautilya Hall, Hotel Samrat, New Delhi.
The initiative marks an important step toward promoting community-based tourism while
strengthening the professional hospitality skills of tribal homestay operators across the country. The
programme aims to enhance service standards, improve visitor experiences, and support sustainable
livelihood opportunities for tribal communities through structured training and capacity building by
IHM Ashok, ITDC for Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The program was attended by first batch of 40
participants from Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Gujarat.
The ceremony was attended by Smt. Ranjana Chopra, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs; Mr.
Manish Thakur, IAS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Ms. Mugdha Sinha, IAS,
Managing Director – ITDC, Dr. Varnali Deka, IAS, Director, Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Mr.
Rajesh Rana, Director, Commercial & Marketing, ITDC.A key highlight of the event was the release of the publication developed by IHM Ashok, titled
“Tribal Homestay – Operation & Development Manual 2026.” The manual provides a structured
framework to support the development and professional management of tribal homestays across India.
Designed as a practical guide for aspiring and existing homestay operators, the publication has been
developed as a multilingual resource and translated into Hindi and Gujarati to ensure wider
accessibility and effective outreach among communities.
Commenting on the occasion, Secretary of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs said, “The mindset of the
Indian tourist is evolving. Today’s travellers are increasingly seeking destinations that are less
crowded, closer to nature, and free from pollution, while also choosing to stay longer to truly
experience these environments. In a country where there is a significant shortage of hotel rooms, the
homestay model offers a powerful solution.”She further said, “It not only meets the expectations of modern travellers but also creates meaningful
livelihood opportunities for tribal households, particularly in mountainous and tribal regions rich in
natural trails. By equipping homestay owners with the basic principles of hospitality, this initiative has
the potential to transform local economies. As ITDC celebrates sixty years of excellence, this
partnership with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs is a significant milestone. The small seed we are
planting today through this training programme will grow into a strong and sustainable model that
inspires many more communities to adopt tourism-led livelihood opportunities.”
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Mugdha Sinha, IAS, Managing Director - ITDC, said, “The homestay
movement in India draws strong inspiration from the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of establishing
one lakh homestays across the country. Our immediate effort to train 1,500 participants is only the
beginning. The larger goal is to empower them to become trainers of trainers in their respective states,
enabling the model to expand rapidly and ensuring that communities can access training closer to
home.”
She also added, “This initiative also reflects our commitment to breaking silos and working through
meaningful collaboration. By bringing together the strengths and synergies of the Ministry of Tribal
Affairs, the Ministry of Tourism, and the Incredible India platform, we are creating a framework that
supports sustainable tourism while generating new livelihood opportunities for communities across
the country.”
The collaboration between ITDC and Ministry of Tribal Affairs reflects the government’s broader
focus on inclusive development and generating livelihoods through tourism. This also aims to
strengthen community-based tourism by equipping tribal homestay operators with the skills and
knowledge needed to deliver high-quality experiences. It also contributes to sustainable development
by generating meaningful economic opportunities while preserving tribal traditions.About India Tourism Development Corporation:
ITDC was incorporated in 1966 with a mandate to develop and expand tourism infrastructure in the
country. The Corporation has been moving ahead with consistent efforts on development, growth and
world-class services and amenities to its guests. Apart from running Hotels, the ITDC has diversified
into non-hotel sectors like Ticketing, Tours and Travels, Event Management, Duty- Free Shopping,
Publicity & printing consultancy, Engineering Consultancy, mounting Sound & light shows,
Hospitality education and skill development– all under one roof.
*****
M. Annadurai
(Release ID: 2241041) Visitor Counter : 420
Read this release in: Urdu , ही , Bengali , Telugu