The last year and a half have been a bad time for the tourism industry with travel becoming a luxury. Now that things are slowly returning back to normal, a lot of tourists are opting to go for short trips and staycations while keeping hygiene and safety precautions in mind. Travelers are interested in affordable and most importantly clean spaces rather than luxurious ones and hence are considering living in a homestay in India.
What are homestays?
Homestays are spaces that offer tourists accommodations within someone’s home. Nowadays they provide the same amount of comfort as hotels. They are an extension of a local’s home – an extra room or living quarters nearby to where they stay, which is offered to guests. There are many benefits of staying in a homestay and that is why homestay tourism is gaining popularity nowadays.
Reasons why people are choosing homestays in India over hotels
- Provides good company– A homestay is like a home away from home. For people traveling solo, it is an even better choice as you would have company after a long day of traveling solo. You’ll meet other travelers, hear their stories, and get to share your stories.
- Helps local community– Staying with locals helps provide them with a source of income. Homestays are a part of sustainable tourism. The money you spend as your rent contributes directly to their income.
- Helps immerse in the culture – Travel to a place is not complete until you have interacted with locals. Part of the reason why people travel is to experience different cultures. When living in homestays in India tourists share residence with locals like an extended family and get a first-hand experience of their culture. Tourists can learn about their customs and day-to-day lives and even share your lifestyle with them.
- No need for guidebooks– Who needs guidebooks when you have locals guiding you? They’ll have a far better understanding of the roads, and preferable modes of transportation and can also help you avoid traffic. They can suggest off-beat places which you won’t find in any guidebook. Sometimes if you’ve struck a great friendship they may even want to join you in your tours. Imagine going to an unknown place and making friends who end up touring with you. You’ll make so many memories to take back with you.
- Enjoy the local cuisine– Returning to home-cooked food after a long day of eating outside is one of the best plus sides of staying in a homestay. Also, no one will know the cuisine better than locals who eat it on a daily basis. Sometimes they are even ready to share their secret recipes and that helps in understanding what goes into the preparation. Nothing compares to home-cooked food, not even food from elite restaurants.
- Improve language skills– Depending on the place that you are visiting, people might only be familiar with the local language. However, the homestay owners might be familiar with English or a common language as they are catering to tourists. So they can help you learn the local language. Knowing the local language will help you integrate better and help in your tour.
- Memories you’ll never forget- Making friends is the best reason why you should choose a homestay. You’ll stay with genuine people and get a share of their world. You’ll make memories that no other kind of accommodation will give you.
We hope that by now you know why homestay tourism is a better model and are convinced to stay in one the next time you travel.
