BED & BREAKFAST ESTABLISHMENTS IN INDIA

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THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN BY SHREETAMA GHOSH, A STUDENT OF RAJIV GANDHI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF LAW.

– Introduction –

India is a country known not only for its variety and richness of culture that tourists from all over the world come to experience, but also for its history of hospitality. But it is difficult to experience our culture and the beauty of India and her people when these tourists stay in commercialized hotels. Indeed, they provide with the best of facilities and these hotels are good for people on business trips, but they fail to provide the Indian touch.

Where every locality of India has different customs and food habits, the best way in which tourists, whether domestic or foreign, can enjoy our diversity is by living with an Indian family. But the problem remained that all families may not want to take strange visitors, even as paying guests. The solution to this was discovered by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India when they came across the idea of Homestays or what is more popularly known as Bed & Breakfasts in the western world.

– Guidelines –

To legalize the concept of Bed & Breakfasts and regulate them, the Ministry of Tourism introduced the Guidelines for Approval and Registration of Incredible India Bed & Breakfast / Homestay Establishments (hereinafter referred to as the Guidelines). The objective of these Guidelines is

to provide a clean and affordable place for foreigners and domestic tourists alike including an opportunity for foreign tourists to stay with an Indian family to experience Indian customs and traditions and relish authentic Indian cuisine.[1]

as well as to supplement the already crowded hotel facilities available in the metropolitan cities. Although today, Bed & Breakfast establishments form only around 6% of the total tourist accommodation in India, this scheme will eventually help add a touch of the Indian hospitality to the journey of every tourist, thereby causing development in this sector.

Scheme

The scheme will be on the basis of bed and breakfast wherein the type of breakfast to be served and the charges thereon shall be levied accordingly and displayed to the tourists to avoid unnecessary disputes.

Eligibility for Registration

Only properties owned or held on lease under proper law can be registered as a Bed & Breakfast establishment. The Ministry of Tourism has further stated that the classification as an Incredible India Bed & Breakfast establishment will be given only in cases where the owner or the promoter physically resides in the same establishment along with his/her family and is letting out a minimum of one room and a maximum of six rooms (i.e. 12 beds).[2]

Licensing

The Central Government has classified the establishments into Silver and Gold class which can be varied on a state to state basis.[3] An establishment can apply for such classification or re-classification to the respective Regional Directors, Directors and Managers who are available even at the district level so as to ensure that even establishments in the rural or remote areas can be registered. Such a classification or re-classification is valid for a period of two years and once it is applied for, the owners or promoters have to be ready for an inspection at any time.[4]

To increase participation in this scheme, the Central Government has now made the availing of licenses for such establishments easier, especially by trying to ensure the registration process is expedited and can be completed online.

Registration

For the purpose of registration, the owner or promoter of a Bed & Breakfast establishment will have to complete and submit the application format, the checklist of facilities and the undertaking annexed to the Guidelines,[5] along with the applicable registration fees, i.e. Rs. 3000 for Silver class and Rs. 5000 for Gold class, [6]to the respective Regional Director, Director or Manager, as stated above.

It has been further stated in the Guidelines that once registered, the Bed & Breakfast establishments will be given due publicity by the Government so that their business increases and the Government will also attempt to provide certain hospitality training courses to those who are interested to undertake the same in order to ensure higher quality of services.[7]

The registration of a Bed & Breakfast can be cancelled for the abuse or breach of the aforesaid Guidelines, including the following circumstances –

1. Providing false information in the Form A.
2. Non-maintenance of a register for visitors.

• Lapse of the registration period without application for re-classification.

1. Using the establishment for unlawful purposes, for example, prostitution or drug peddling.

– Problems –

Security is the main issue in case of the Bed & Breakfast establishments. It is now necessary for the Government to introduce guidelines which make it compulsory for these establishments to install CCTV cameras and maintain the records of the guests, for which they must take photocopies of their identity proof, in order to avoid any problems in the future.

Another issue is the misuse of the Guidelines wherein the owners of properties which are not eligible under the Guidelines are registering under the Guidelines just to gain the applicable tax and other facilities, although they do not even reside in the establishment so registered. When caught, this leads to cancellation of registration but the Government should have in pace a mechanism that will ensure that such fraudulent practices are curbed, especially by undertaking stringent inspections of the establishment on application for its registration.

– Conclusion –

The concept of Homestays or Bed & Breakfast establishments is a novel idea that has led to a boom in the tourism industry in several other South Asian countries and this is one of the reasons why it has now been adopted in India. Though a very hospitable idea, it is necessary to ensure that there is no abuse of the aforesaid Guidelines and that their functioning, though majorly independent in nature, is not allowed to go unregulated. A regulated development of this industry will lead to a growth in tourism in India and for all the right reasons.

~ Atithi Devo Bhava ~

[1] Government of India, Ministry of Tourism, Guidelines for Approval and Registration of Incredible India Bed & Breakfast / Homestay Establishments, 2016.

[2] Guideline 1, Guidelines for Approval and Registration of Incredible India Bed & Breakfast / Homestay Establishments, 2016.

[3] Introduction, Guidelines for Approval and Registration of Incredible India Bed & Breakfast / Homestay Establishments, 2016.

[4] Guidelines 3-4, Guidelines for Approval and Registration of Incredible India Bed & Breakfast / Homestay Establishments, 2016.

[5] Guideline 5, Guidelines for Approval and Registration of Incredible India Bed & Breakfast / Homestay Establishments, 2016.

[6] Guideline 6, Guidelines for Approval and Registration of Incredible India Bed & Breakfast / Homestay Establishments, 2016.

[7] Introduction, Guidelines for Approval and Registration of Incredible India Bed & Breakfast / Homestay Establishments, 2016.