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THE Himachal Pradesh is promoting homestay in villages. Residents are now being encouraged to throw open their doors to both domestic and foreign tourists for homestay in rustic settings, formalising a practice that has anyway been prevalent in the state’s scenic Kullu valley for many years. Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) managing director Ram Subhag Singh said under the ‘homestay scheme’ any villager can rent out a portion of his house to tourists. "Today tourists do not want to remain cocooned in a five-star environment. Their actual requirement is rural tourism - the real experience of nature," Singh said. He says the scheme not only generates self-employment for people living in villages but will also de-congest urban areas. "Tourists love to stay in my spacious wooden cottage with apple trees all around," said Ram Kondal from Sairopa village in Kullu district. "We can also take the tourists trout fishing in the Tirthan river." "From rock climbing or jungle trekking to white-water rafting or parasailing - it’s all here," says Rikhi Ram who lives on the outskirts of the popular tourist town Manali. "Tourists coming to the Kulu valley can experience plucking apples or sowing fields with bullocks or cooking from garden fresh vegetables," he adds. — IANS
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