[ Badak Yomgam ]
Arunachal Pradesh has recently transitioned into a new era of rural tourism development, centred on the newly approved Tourism Policy 2025-2030 and the strategic brand campaign ‘Take a new turn in Arunachal Pradesh’. This policy marks a significant departure from traditional sightseeing by prioritising experiential, community-led travel that directly benefits the local populace.
This transformation is driven by the aggressive expansion of the Arunachal Pradesh Homestay Scheme, which seeks to decentralise the tourism economy. By moving away from concentrated urban hotel models, the government is incentivising villagers to develop certified guest facilities on their ancestral lands – whether by repurposing existing homes or constructing new traditional dwellings – ensuring that the revenue generated from travellers remains within the village ecosystem. To support this, the Chief Minister’s Paryatan Vikas Yojana (CMPVY) provides substantial financial subsidies for the construction and renovation of these homestays, while the newly launched Chief Minister’s Paryatan Vipanan Sahayata Yojana (CMPVSY) offers marketing assistance to help rural entrepreneurs reach international markets.
A pivotal milestone in this strategy was the International Homestay Convention held in Mechukha from 16-18 February, 2026, organised by the state’s tourism department, which gathered homestay owners, tour operators and stakeholders from across the state to synchronise rural hospitality with global standards. This convention specifically targeted the transformation of the Mechukha valley into a global benchmark for community-based tourism by hosting intensive workshops on digital operations and standardised hygiene protocols.
During this three-day event, the tourism department introduced new digital toolkits that allow rural homestay owners to manage bookings via global platforms, directly bypassing urban-based middlemen. The convention highlighted the government’s commitment to the Vibrant Villages Programme, proving that even the most distant border settlements can host professional-grade tourism summits if the local community is empowered as the primary stakeholder.
The policy framework discussed during the convention emphasizes a ‘saturation-based development’ – a ‘100% coverage’ strategy ensuring that every eligible household in a specific area receives the full benefits of government schemes like tourism subsidies, digital connectivity and modern utilities, without leaving anyone behind – where remote settlements like Kibithoo and Dong are being equipped with high-speed digital connectivity and green infrastructure.
To maintain high service quality and to preserve the ‘homely’ essence, the registration guidelines now mandate that the owners must live on-site and are limited to renting out between one and six rooms. Under the CMPVY, homestay operators can receive funding to renovate rooms with specific modern amenities, including western-standard toilets and geysers, while still adhering to traditional architectural designs that use local materials. This ensures that as Arunachal aims for a 50% growth in accommodation capacity by 2030, the expansion remains rooted in the state’s social and ecological fabric, turning traditional farming and village life into a sustainable livelihood model for the entire Himalayan region. (The contributor is a PhD scholar at NEHU, Shillong)
