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New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
Kerala to roll out K-Home scheme; turn vacant houses into budget tourist stays
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The ambitious K-Home initiative of Kerala Tourism is gaining steam with the tourism department submitting a comprehensive set of guidelines and standard operating procedures to facilitate the transformation of unoccupied homes into budget friendly tourist accommodations. Announced in the recent budget, K-Home is going to be a new tourism product that aims to tap into the state's large inventory of vacant houses particularly those owned by NRIs and convert them into viable short-stay lodging facilities for travellers. As per a rough estimate prepared by the state government, there are around 10-15 lakh unoccupied or vacant houses. Tourism Minister P A Mohammad Riyas said that K-Home will be rolled out soon. 'Preparatory works are under way for the launch of the K-Home initiative. K-Home is expected to become a key product that will strengthen Kerala's tourism sector. It is envisioned as an upgraded version of homestays,' he said. According to official sources, the committee constituted by the department has finalised the guidelines for launching K-Homes. 'We have submitted it to the government. Once the guidelines are approved, immediate steps will be launched to roll out the initiative. The guidelines are intended to bring clarity to stakeholders and house owners on how to enrol and be part of the scheme,' said the official. The state government has earmarked Rs 5 crore for the project and the tourism department is planning to pilot the project in a 10- km radius of all major tourism destinations in the state. 'We need to build a safe platform for the property owner and registered tourism operator to connect. There will be a verification process for the operator. Also the house owners need to have a clear idea about what all documents need to be produced to enrol their property for the scheme,' said the official. Once the guidelines are approved, the authorities are planning to launch a survey in a 10-km radius of the tourism destination to find out vacant houses. According to officials, the domestic arrivals are increasing year after year and K-Homes will help add more affordable accommodation units for the domestic tourists.
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Tourist Arrivals In India Peak: Where Are They Coming From & How Much Are They Spending?
As per the World Travel and Tourism Council, India hosted a record 20 million international visitors in 2024 Foreign tourist arrivals in India are soaring. As per the World Travel and Tourism Council, India hosted a record 20 million international visitors in 2024. International Tourist Arrivals (ITAs) had already reached 18.89 million in 2023, surpassing the pre-Covid peak of 17.91 million in 2019 and thus exceeding pre-pandemic levels, registering a growth of 5.47% over 2019. Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India have grown significantly over the decades, reaching 10.93 million in 2019 before the pandemic caused a decline. With recovery underway, 9.52 million FTAs were recorded in 2023, achieving 87.09% of pre-pandemic levels with a 47.89% increase from 2022, which saw 6.44 million FTAs. Winter in India emerged as a particularly attractive time to visit: travel peaked at 1.10 million arrivals in December 2023. Source nations Foreign tourist arrivals from the US, Bangladesh, the UK, Australia, and Canada accounted for the top 5 in 2024, while Germany, France, Singapore, Nepal, Japan, South Korea, Italy, and Thailand accounted for some of the other major countries. The US alone accounted for 18,04,586 tourists in 2024, as per PIB data. The numbers have continued a trend of increasing tourist footfall. In 2023, South Asia contributed the largest share of FTAs (29.02%), followed by North America (21.82%) and Western Europe (20.40%). Germany, France, Australia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Canada, the UK, and the US made up the top 10 source markets, accounting for 70.06% of total FTAs. Spending Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEE) from tourism grew by 31.5% from US$21.360 billion in 2022 to US$28.077 billion in 2023, while the average spending by a foreign tourist in India stood at Rs 2.90 lakh, according to the latest available figures. Even though Agra and Varanasi remain favourite destinations of international tourists, the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and the Buddhist circuit in Uttar Pradesh draw a number of foreign visitors. view comments First Published: August 08, 2025, 07:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Govt to diversify Kota's economy with focus on tourism
1 2 Jaipur: Over the past couple of decades, coaching centres have been instrumental in driving the economy of Kota. However, with incidents of student suicides not abating, the govt wants to de-risk and diversify it, with tourism being given priority. Earlier this week, tourism minister Diya Kumari announced Rs 1 crore financial assistance to an industry body to bring travel agents and tour operators from across the country to Kota and promote destinations in the Hadauti region, which is rich in ancient forts, palaces, lakes, and waterfalls. The minister has been vocal in promoting tourism in lesser-known destinations by holding roadshows and tourism industry events in every district. In fact, the focus on Kota, the leading district in the Hadauti region, aligns well with its improved infrastructure. Hussain Khan, president of the Hotel Federation of Rajasthan (HFR), which is organising the event in January 2026, said, "Kota's expansion as an economic hub of Hadauti owes it to the thriving coaching centres. There is nothing much besides coaching centres. After the incidents of student suicides and negative publicity nationally, the govt is actively thinking of a second line of economic activities." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Susan Boyle Is Now so Thin and Looks Beautiful! Undo Because of the coaching centres, not only do lakhs of students reside in the city, but their parents also visit them. "Students and their parents visiting the city can be considered a captive market for tourism. But the opportunities are immense. The hotel industry has come up in a big way. Roads and transport facilities are very tourist-friendly. That's why the city has everything to become a leading tourist hub in the state," added Khan. With the promotion of Kota, neglected landmarks like the Gragron Fort in Jhalawar, Ramgarh Crater in Baran, and Buddhist caves at Kolvi are also expected to draw attention for development. In fact, Kota itself, with its developed Chambal riverfront, will pivot the momentum in the region, added Khan. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and s ilver prices in your area.
