Bhubaneswar: The Government of Odisha has launched the Odisha Homestay Scheme to strengthen rural and community tourism across the state while creating new income opportunities for local entrepreneurs and village communities.
The scheme is aimed at encouraging the development of quality homestay infrastructure in tourism destinations and promoting sustainable, community-led tourism models in Odisha.
Under the initiative, the Department of Tourism has introduced financial and non-financial support mechanisms for homestay operators.
Financial Incentive Category
The financial assistance component will apply to new homestays established in notified Gram Panchayats covering 19 tourism clusters and 25 destinations.
The key provisions include:
- One-time capital incentive support of up to 50% of the fixed capital investment
- Financial assistance capped at ₹2.5 lakh per room
- Incentives applicable for a maximum of four rooms per homestay
- Maximum assistance of up to ₹10 lakh for each homestay
- Capacity building and promotional support for selected beneficiaries
Officials stated that cluster-wise targets for the first implementation cycle have already been notified on the official tourism portal.
Non-Financial Support Category
The non-financial category will cover registered homestays across the state that are not eligible for direct financial incentives.
Under this component, the Department of Tourism will:
- Promote registered homestays through official digital tourism platforms
- Organise training and exposure programmes for homestay staff
- Classify homestays into GOLD and SILVER categories based on quality and service standards
The initiative is expected to boost village tourism, enhance tourist experiences and generate employment opportunities in rural areas. Authorities believe the scheme will also help showcase Odisha’s traditional culture, heritage, cuisine and eco-tourism potential to visitors from across the country and abroad.
