SEIJOSA, 3 Oct: Pakke Tiger Reserve (PTR) DFO Satyaprakash Singh held a meeting with existing and new homestay owners of the fringe villages here on Thursday as part of the ‘Van samvaad: Samvaad se samadhan’ initiative.
The discussions centred on enhancing the quality of the homestays to attract more tourists, boost ecotourism, and create livelihood opportunities in the region.
The DFO stressed the importance of maintaining high-quality homestays to attract tourists, “ensuring comfort, safety, and a memorable experience for visitors, thereby enhancing the appeal of the region.”
He also highlighted the need for training homestay owners in hospitality, “focusing on service excellence and the creation of a welcoming environment that reflects the region’s natural and cultural richness.”
Singh said that the environment, forest & climate change department has committed to provide financial assistance to support the establishment and improvement of homestays in the tiger reserve.
“New homestays will receive funding of Rs 2.5 lakhs, while existing homestays will be eligible for Rs 50,000 to upgrade their facilities,” he said, and encouraged the homestay owners to also seek “additional funding options through the corporate social responsibility initiatives” to further boost their ventures.
The DFO also stressed the importance of equipping the homestay owners with training to serve as local nature guides. “This would enable them to offer guided nature tours to guests, enriching the overall tourist experience and promoting a deeper connection with the region’s biodiversity,” he said.
The meeting was aimed at fostering sustainable tourism and ensuring that local communities benefit from the growing interest in ecotourism while contributing to the preservation of wildlife in the PTR.
