**Summary:**
NITI Aayog, in collaboration with the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), released a report titled "Rethinking Homestays: Navigating Policy Pathways" on August 22, 2025. The report offers a strategic roadmap for developing the homestay and BnB sector within India's tourism landscape. Launched by Shri Suman Bery, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, the report emphasizes the role of homestays in providing culturally immersive experiences, fostering local entrepreneurship, and generating employment. It advocates for light-touch, transparent regulatory frameworks that prioritize tourist and homeowner safety, heritage preservation, and inclusive, sustainable economic growth.
The report, developed through consultations with aggregators, hosts, and policymakers, highlights the importance of public-private collaboration. It calls for flexible policies, capacity building, and the integration of digital platforms to empower hosts and strengthen consumer trust. The report also includes case studies and state-level best practices. Actionable recommendations are presented for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and local communities to build a resilient, inclusive, and heritage-conscious homestay sector in India. The report can be accessed at https:niti.gov.insitesdefaultfiles202508RethinkingHomestaysNavigatingPolicyPathways.pdf. Shri Yugal Kishore Joshi, Programme Director, NITI Aayog, and senior government officials from the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture, and states like Goa, Kerala, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh were present at the launch. Industry representatives from IAMAI, ISPP, MakeMyTrip, Airbnb, Chase India, and The Convergence Foundation also attended.
Key Entities Referenced
NITI Aayog: A policy think tank of the Government of India.
Rethinking Homestays: Navigating Policy Pathways: Title of the report released by NITI Aayog in collaboration with IAMAI.
Internet and Mobile Association of India: Industry association that collaborated with NITI Aayog on the report.
Suman Bery: Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog.
Ministry of Tourism: Government ministry involved in tourism policy.
Ministry of Culture: Government ministry involved in culture.
Goa: State in India covered in the report.
Kerala: State in India covered in the report.
Uttarakhand: State in India covered in the report.
Uttar Pradesh: State in India covered in the report.
NITI Aayog
NITI Aayog Releases Report on “Rethinking
Homestays: Navigating Policy Pathways”
Posted On: 22 AUG 2025 5:42PM by PIB Delhi
NITI Aayog today launched the report titled ‘Rethinking Homestays: Navigating Policy Pathways’ in
collaboration with Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), offering a strategic roadmap to unlock
the potential of homestays and BnBs in India’s tourism landscape.
The report was released by Shri Suman Bery, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, in the presence of Shri Yugal
Kishore Joshi, Programme Director, NITI Aayog, and senior Government officials from Ministry of Tourism,
Ministry of Culture and states covered in the report like Goa, Kerala, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
Drawing upon insights from aggregators, hosts, and policymakers, the report highlights the role of homestays
in offering travelers culturally immersive experiences while simultaneously fostering local entrepreneurship
and employment generation. It emphasizes the need for light-touch, transparent regulatory frameworks that
ensure the safety of tourists and homeowners, protect heritage, and support inclusive and sustainable
economic growth.
The launch was attended by industry representatives from IAMAI, ISPP, MakeMyTrip, Airbnb, Chase India
and The Convergence Foundation, underlining the importance of public–private collaboration in shaping a
vibrant homestay ecosystem.
The report further underscores that homestays have the unique ability to blend cultural authenticity with
livelihood creation, particularly in rural and semi-urban regions. It calls for flexible policy approaches,
capacity building and the integration of digital platforms to empower hosts and strengthen consumer trust. It
also features case studies and state-level best practices to illustrate scalable models for homestay development
and governance.
Developed through extensive consultations the report presents actionable recommendations for policymakers,
industry stakeholders and local communities, with the aim of building a resilient, inclusive and heritage-
conscious homestay sector in India.
The Report on ‘Rethinking Homestays: Navigating Policy Pathways’ can be accessed at:
https://niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2025-08/Rethinking-Homestays-Navigating-Policy-Pathways.pdf
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MJPS/SR
(Release ID: 2159840)