Homestays open doors, await train service resumption

Kolkata: Homestays in the Hills and forests of North Bengal have started welcoming guests after staying shut for almost six months but the flow of tourists is yet to pick up after the pandemic as rail connectivity with Kolkata and other parts of the country is yet to be restored.
Homestay owners are optimistic about a surge in business when tourism starts full swing after train connectivity to Kolkata and other parts of the country is restored
According to them, the homestays which not only provide an affordable option to tourists combined with comforts and privacy of a home, will be preferred over hotels and resorts after the pandemic as most of them are standalone properties with only limited number of gusts.
“A lot of families in the interiors, who would let their homes out to tourists, have suffered a lot during the lockdown. Many of them even had to take loans from relatives. A lot of families had invested a lot of amount in converting a part of their homes into homestays,” said Prasanth Pradhan, general secretary of the Himalayan Homestay Owners’ Association.
Guests have already started trickling in and homestay owners have been receiving booking queries for winter season. Everything will, however, depend on when the rain connectivity between North Bengal and Kolkata and other parts of the country is restored.
On September 5, the state government allowed hotels and homestays to resume operation in Darjeeling and Kalimpong, with adequate distancing norms and other safety measures in place.
“Some homestays have started receiving guests already. Many families are preferring homestays because they can take up an entire unit, which minimises any interaction with outsiders. As homestay owners we are also taking all precautions for the safety of our guests, including proper sanitisation of the property and social distancing,” said Tshering Bhutia, a homestay owner in Mirik.
Many homestay owners have made provisions for separate kitchens for the guests so that they don’t have to come in contact with the owners and staff very often.
“If guests want they can buy vegetables and groceries from the local markets. We are also trying to get a good internet connection for those who want to do their office work while staying here,” said Bikas Chetri, owner of a homestay in Kalimpong.
Most homestays are located away from the bustling market places and tourist attraction, which means the risk of the virus is minimum. “Many villages, where homestays are located are untouched by the virus because of the seclusion and low density of population.
There are close to 1,200 homestays in North Bengal, which are registered with the state government, but the actual numbers are more than 3,000 in the Hills and the forests. Earlier this year, the government made several changes in the law making it easy to register the homestays. The government has also proposed a one-time grant of Rs 1.5 lakhs for registered homestays. 

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