GANGTOK, Sept 12: The Sikkim government has banned
homestay owners in the Himalayan state from leasing and
renting their establishments to any third party, an official said
on Tuesday.
Homestays will now be run and operated only by the local
entrepreneur owning the business.
An advisory issued by the state government’s Tourism and Civil
Aviation department September 11 stated that as per rule of
the Sikkim Registration of Homestay Establishment Rules of
2013, the homestay owners are not permitted to lease, rent
their homestay unit to any third party and that the homestay
owners are advised to comply with the same.
Further, any report on violation of the same shall be dealt with
strictly by the department, it said.
The Homestay Association of Sikkim(HAS) has been demanding
a ban on leasing and renting of homestay establishments to any
third party.
The Sikkim government provides subsidised loans for the
establishment of homestays in the Himalayn state to promote
entrepreneurship amongst local stake holders in the Tourism
industry. (PTI)
