Published on August 15, 2025
The Government of Goa is mounting a modular successful women empowerment by introducing its Homestay and Bed & Breakfast Scheme. It is simply a programme that has been initiated by nan Department of Tourism, aiming towards transforming agrarian tourism and supply caller livelihood opportunities. It specifically targets women, encouraging them to return up nan domiciled of entrepreneurs and showcase Goa’s existent agrarian beauty. The inaugural provides grants to thief women group up homestays, foster self-reliance and community growth.
Encouraging Women to Lead Goa’s Rural Tourism
In an exclusive training program held astatine Novotel Goa Panaji, nan Department of Tourism organized an consciousness convention to familiarize existing and aspiring homestay owners pinch nan operational aspects of nan Homestay and Bed & Breakfast Scheme. Through this arena a beardown accent was held connected encouraging women entrepreneurs to play a captious domiciled successful Goa’s tourism sector, specifically beyond nan coastal areas.
The inaugural session was graced by Shri Rohan A. Khaunte, nan Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, who highlighted nan government’s committedness successful promoting beach tourism but besides capitalizing connected rural tourism potential of Goa. He expressed nan government’s imagination of ensuring economic growth and empowerment for women successful agrarian areas, pinch a attraction connected introducing caller tourism avenues.
Focusing connected Rural Areas for Sustainable Growth
The Homestay and Bed & Breakfast Scheme is not conscionable astir providing accommodation to travelers; it is simply a broader inaugural to uplift nan section communities, particularly successful rural regions for illustration Sattari, Dharbandora, Sanguem, and Ponda. These villages, rich | successful culture, heritage, and natural beauty, will spot an infusion of economic activity done nan constitution of homestays.
Shri Kedar Naik, Director of Goa Tourism, emphasized that nan government’s attraction is not only connected promoting Goa arsenic a tourer destination but besides connected strengthening nan local economy by providing authentic Goan experiences to visitors. By supporting homestay owners, nan authorities intends to build infrastructure and supply sustainable livelihoods for nan locals.
The Role of Women successful Goa’s Cultural Landscape
Women person ever been nan backbone of Goan households, and nan inaugural seeks to supply them pinch nan devices and resources to transform their homes into tourism assets. With a attraction connected culinary tourism, Goa’s unsocial homemade flavors are gaining traction, making nan programme a awesome opportunity for women to showcase nan rich culinary heritage of nan region.
During nan program, Shri Rohan A. Khaunte said astir really Goa’s tourism should beryllium seen arsenic a level for women to not conscionable make income but besides sphere and dispersed nan region’s unsocial traditions pinch nan world. The scheme will connection grants of ₹2 lakh to 100 women to thief them kickstart their homestay businesses.
Training and Guidance for Women Entrepreneurs
The arena besides featured cardinal trainers and partners from organizations for illustration Airbnb, SEWA (Self Employed Women’s Association), and nan IT Department, who provided applicable insights connected really to tally homestay operations. With digital tools and marketing strategies, aspiring homestay owners were fixed a applicable activity exemplary connected really to efficiently tally their businesses and link pinch world tourists.
Smt. Asmita Joshi, Public Policy Head India astatine Airbnb, said astir really nan level could beryllium leveraged for women entrepreneurs to summation world visibility and reach. Similarly, Smt. Meeta Parmar, a homestay proprietor for complete 25 years, shared her journey, discussing really she established Meetaben’s Homestay successful Gujarat and became a successful entrepreneur. She urged women to measurement retired of their comfortableness zones and embrace opportunities successful nan tourism sector.
Recognizing Achievements of Homestay Owners
The arena concluded pinch a felicitation ceremony wherever successful women entrepreneurs successful nan homestay business were honored. Among those recognized were Janki Rama Samkar, proprietor of Jungle Trails, and Sonia Roy Saldanha, proprietor of Tambdi Surla and Cozy Homes successful Ponda. These women were acknowledged for their dedication to local tourism and creating welcoming spaces for visitors successful nan agrarian parts of Goa.
Impact connected Local Communities
The Homestay and Bed & Breakfast Scheme will supply a sustainable root of income for women successful agrarian Goa. By transforming homes into tourer accommodations, women will thief bring visitors to villages that are often overlooked. This inaugural will lead to a multiplier effect successful nan section economy, arsenic visitors will walk connected various services specified arsenic food, transportation, and taste experiences, frankincense benefiting nan section organization arsenic a whole.
By bringing tourism benefits to these regions, nan strategy besides ensures that nan local culture and traditional hospitality of Goa are preserved and passed connected to nan adjacent generation.
Goa Tourism’s Vision Beyond Beaches
The Goa Beyond Beaches initiative, started by nan authorities to showcase nan beauty of Goa’s hinterlands, will proceed to turn pinch this scheme. As Shri Rohan A. Khaunte mentioned, nan eventual extremity is to make Goa a culinary superior of India by empowering women to beryllium ambassadors of Goa’s taste and culinary legacy.
Bottom Line: Empowering Women, Enriching Goa’s Tourism
In conclusion, nan Homestay and Bed & Breakfast Scheme offers women successful Goa an opportunity to create meaningful businesses that align pinch nan state’s imagination for a much inclusive and diversified tourism industry. By empowering women successful agrarian areas and offering them nan devices to succeed, Goa Tourism is not only boosting nan agrarian economy but besides enriching nan cultural fabric of nan state. With this scheme, Goa’s tourism will return connected a caller dimension, focusing connected authentic experiences and women empowerment.