Leh, Dec 7: Department of Tourism UT Ladakh with the approval of the Lieutenant Governor Ladakh has issued UT Ladakh’s first Tourism Home Stay Policy with a view to preserve, promote and encourage the unique Ladakhi culture involved in the tourism sector as well as to strengthen the rural economy by means of a responsible and sustainable tourism in Ladakh. This comes as a follow-up of the recently released Tourism Incentive Policy of the Department of Tourism and Culture, UT Ladakh.
According to the policy rural tourism can be a more effective tool to give a boost the overall tourism scenario of UT Ladakh as its rural areas are endowed with amazing natural beauty, serene environment, heritage sites and unique cultural flavor. The endorsement of rural tourism will ensure the dispersal of tourists from city congestion to the villages so that they can have a glimpse of the rural Ladakh and familiarize themselves with the unique village culture and heritage.
The policy further envisages harnessing the vast untapped rural tourism potential of Ladakh so that its benefit reaches out directly to the rural communities. The Home Stay Policy is expected to boost tourism in remote areas of Ladakh such as Changthang, Nubra, Singe-Lalok, Zanskar, Drass, Batalik, Shargole, Suru Valley and Shakar-Chiktan areas of UT Ladakh.
Thus, the new Tourism Home Stay Policy has been formulated by the Department keeping in view all the above aspects into consideration. The draft of the policy jointly prepared by the Department of Tourism and Wildlife Ladakh was put for discussion and feedback in the trade.
One of the highlight of the scheme is the Hospitality Training/ Skill development to the stakeholders/ personnel engaged, besides identifying Eco Guides to provide training to the local youth.
As regards to the selection of the Home Stay beneficiaries, various committees are constituted at the level of Director Tourism, Ladakh to scrutinize, monitor and approval of the cases.
Further details can be had from the office of the Director Tourism Ladakh Kargil or the Assistant Director Tourism Leh/Kargil during office hours.
