As the idea of home stays for promotion of tourism is gaining ground across the world, the Jammu & Kashmir Government too is working hard to execute plans of home stays for promoting village tourism in Kashmir Valley. Though scope for home stays for tourists in Kashmir is very vast but home stays when implemented would be full of challenges and opportunities both for the Government and as well as the communities of the tourist destination identified for home stay tourism in Jammu & Kashmir. Home stays would most probably generate immense opportunities given the fact that tourism is not all about visiting tourist destinations but it also gives an opportunity to tourists and travelers to know all about culture and heritage of a world class tourist destination like Kashmir. Notably home stay tourism is not tried and tested in Jammu & Kashmir only but it is gaining ground in several states like Sikkim, Uttrakhand and Kerala. The tourist destinations looking ideal for home stay tourism in the opinion of the tourism experts could be Bungus Valley and Lolab Valley in Kupwara district, Khilan Marg, and Watlab in Baramulla district , Gurez Valley in Bandipora district, Daksumer and Veerinag in Anantnag district. Whether it comes to the introduction of home stay tourism or Village tourism the fact remains that without focusing on developing facilities like roads, transport services, power distribution, healthcare, and communication particularly internet and mobile connectivity neither neither the tourism of home stays nor the village tourism can be implemented at the ideal tourist destinations of Kashmir Valley due to their locations in higher reaches. After developing basic facilities for the purposes of hassle free availability of basic human needs to the tourists at the identified home stay destinations in the higher reaches of Kashmir valley the home stay tourism will most likely promote local economies, reduce increasing joblessness and generate more income for the local communities in the identified home stay destinations in the upper reaches of Kashmir valley.
Though heavy investments are not required for the local communities to adopt home stay tourism at the ideal tourist destinations of Kashmir valley but for the Government the huge challenges include upgradation of roads for the purposes of hassle free transport services to the tourists, prompt and round the clock power facility for the convenience of the tourists, upgradtation of healthcare facilities and expansion of communication facilities particularly the mobile and internet connectivity at the tourist destinations ideal for home stay tourism. The Government can overcome challenges if it executes it’s plans well to reduce the inaccessibility of tourists to basic human facilities at the tourist destinations ideal for home stay tourism in Kashmir valley.
Keeping in view the increasing interest of tourists in trekking in the higher reach of Kashmir valley the home stay tourism will also most likely change the complexion of winter tourism in Kashmir valley. Though heavy investments are not required for the local communities to adopt home stay tourism at the ideal tourist destinations of Kashmir valley but for the Government the huge challenges include upgradation of roads for the purposes of hassle free transport services to the tourists, prompt and round the clock power facility for the convenience of the tourists, upgradtation of healthcare facilities and expansion of communication facilities particularly the mobile and internet connectivity at the tourist destinations ideal for home stay tourism. The Government can overcome challenges if it executes it’s plans well to reduce the inaccessibility of tourists to basic human facilities at the tourist destinations ideal for home stay tourism in Kashmir valley.
