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INDIA: Airbnb has signed a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India’s Ministry of Tourism to strengthen the country’s homestay ecosystem and emerging destinations.
For this collaboration, Airbnb will work with the Ministry of Tourism to further India’s tourism-led economic growth through hosting workshops, training resources and promoting emerging travel destinations.
“India’s tourism landscape is evolving rapidly, with travellers increasingly seeking authentic experiences that allow them to connect more deeply with our culture, heritage and local communities,” said Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, union minister for tourism and culture.
“This presents an important opportunity to bring lesser-known destinations into the tourism mainstream while creating new avenues for homestay owners, local artisans, young tourism professionals and communities to participate in and benefit from the tourism economy,” he added.
Airbnb will also feature “Soul of India,” a website that highlights lesser-known destinations with unique cultural heritages across the country.
This partnership is part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to encourage the exploration of emerging destinations beyond traditional touristy hotspots to showcase the country’s diversity.
Highlights:
- Airbnb and India’s Ministry of Tourism have signed a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen India’s homestay ecosystem and support the development of emerging tourism destinations.
- The partnership will include workshops, training resources and destination promotion, with the goal of supporting homestay owners, local communities, artisans and tourism professionals.
- Airbnb will promote lesser-known Indian destinations through “Soul of India,” a website highlighting locations with distinctive cultural heritage and experiences.
- The initiative aims to encourage travellers to explore destinations beyond India’s traditional tourism hotspots, while showcasing the country’s cultural and regional diversity.
- The agreement forms part of the Ministry of Tourism’s broader efforts to support tourism-led economic growth and expand participation in India’s tourism economy.
