J&K Govt. and OYO launch home-stays to encourage startup entrepreneurship under Project ‘Crown of Incredible India’

Jammu & Kashmir, February 10, 2022: With an aim to uplift the lives of local communities and to turn  the youths of the State into startup entrepreneurs, OYO has partnered with the Government of Jammu  & Kashmir to launch a state-wide initiative - ‘Crown of Incredible India’. OYO is a leading, new age  travel-tech platform enabling the global hospitality system. Under this collaborative approach, OYO  will also partner with the government’s ‘Mission Youth’ programme to open home stays across 75  villages to promote entrepreneurship and create self-employment opportunities.  

The Mission Youth initiative of the J&K Government provides a platform to local youth under multiple  schemes. It offers financial assistance, last-mile infrastructure and accessibility to promote sustainable  livelihood. This initiative includes supporting the provision of Livelihood Generation, Skill  Development, Education, Counseling & Rehabilitation, Sports and Recreation etc. In its efforts to  promote rural tourism, ‘Tourist village network’ includes 75 villages that have been identified on the  parameters of scenic beauty, landscape, cultural diversity & heritage and OYO will provide its tech  platform to onboard home stays and boost the local economy. J&K Govt under Mission Youth will  support 500 youth for establishing home stay and Rs. 50,000 financial assistance per home stay will  be provided for refurbishment. The venture will help in building a tourist infrastructure of world  standards in rural J&K.  

The ‘Crown of Incredible India’ project was inaugurated by Shri Manoj Sinha, Honourable Lieutenant  Governor of Jammu & Kashmir and aims to help operationalise upto 200 home stays in Udhampur,  Srinagar, Jammu, Anantnag, Doda and other underpenetrated districts in the next year. The company  will expand its network across 75 villages under ‘Mission Youth’. OYO will assist in the training of  existing and potential homeowners on responsible hosting, hospitality standards, hygiene and basic  amenities. OYO will provide a constant stream of guests to these home stays by listing and promoting  them on OYO’s customer app, which is the world's third-highest downloaded travel app. In addition,  the homestays will also be listed on OYO’s website and multiple Online Travel Agent (OTA) platform. 

The homestays owners will also be able to use OYO’s technology to run the operations and customer  service through the company’s simple to use home-owner facing Co-OYO app. This partnership is a  part of OYO's ongoing efforts to boost tourism across India and empower underserved communities  in the process.  

The homestay owners in Jammu & Kashmir are primarily engaged in agricultural activities making it a  key source of their income. This includes apple, saffron, corn and walnut cultivation, one of the  mainstays of Jammu & Kashmir's economy. Many have had to migrate to cities in search of livelihoods.  OYO’s rural-home-stay initiative will provide a valuable opportunity for these households to generate  more income with minimum additional investment.  

The concerted efforts made by the government of Jammu and Kashmir have already started showing  results, with many private players from India already investing in the Union Territory. The government  is also regularly organising summer and winter festivals, exhibitions showcasing local handicrafts,  handloom, cuisine, sanctions for ropeway projects, and efforts for new cable car projects at Pahalgam,  Shiv Khori and Gulmarg are supporting the local economy.  

Shri Manoj Sinha, Honourable Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, said, “Rural homestays in  MP, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra have started to rival conventional tourism. Having the most  beautiful locales in the country, J&K is determined to catch up. This partnership marks the start of a  new chapter. OYO has made a great start to onboard J&K’s rural homestays on their platform.Our  Mission Youth department has identified 75 villages under the Tourist Village Network, each with their  distinct identity. They will partner with OYO, not just to generate jobs, but to improve the local  economy and infrastructure. I am announcing that those youth in this program, who want to start their  homestays, we will support them through an incentive of Rs 50,000/- each.”  

He further added, “Under Hon. PM's guidance, J&K is today the 6th largest tourist destination in India  in terms of tourist influx. It has created both jobs and revenue. In Aug-Nov 2021, the state witnessed  52 lakh tourists, which is growing by the day. With this project, OYO plans to start with 20 homestays  immediately of which 10 are already live. I am hoping, as committed, Ritesh will ensure that 200 of our  homestays are on their platform by December. This will provide both national and international  tourists the opportunity to experience and live the culture and tradition of JK. We will be able to create  the most well developed rural tourism circuit.”  

Commenting on the developments, Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & Group CEO, OYO, said, "We, at OYO,  are thrilled to be a part of the unique tourism opportunities in Jammu & Kashmir, and are excited to  welcome travellers visiting the state for unique stay experience at these home-stays. We are proud to  extend our partnership with the Jammu & Kashmir Government to generate economic and  employment opportunities in the district. The ‘Crown of Incredible India’ will enable socio-economic  development helping people become Atmanirbhar. As the country celebrates Azadi Ka Amrit  Mahotsav, 75 glorious years of progressive India, we at OYO renew our commitment to strengthen  tourism for the benefit of local communities and aim to work together with these entrepreneurs to promote sustainable, responsible travel and homestays that contribute to resilient local economies and  support jobs. "  

Since entering Jammu & Kashmir in 2015, OYO has hosted thousands of guests at the hotels on its  platform, while ensuring higher earnings for 140+ hotel and home-owners. The company has further  created direct and indirect economic opportunities for 500+ people. Many such patrons have started  multiple hotels since joining the OYO family.  

According to OYO Travelopedia, a travel trend report, in 2022, 61% of Indians would prefer to go local  and explore domestic destinations surrounded by nature which is reassuring to boost rural tourism in  India. With revenge travel picking up especially among millennials and Gen Z, Jammu & Kashmir is  among the favourite destinations in the North. The affordable tariffs for rooms at OYO rural homestays  will cater to experiential and immersive travellers. These come with all basic room amenities, great  views, and an opportunity for travellers to experience Kashmiri life in its truest form. These home-stay  kitchens and dining spaces are stocked with Kashmiri food, including traditional bread - Khambir, local  fruits and Kahwa.  

The possible additional revenue from each room at a home stay could range from INR 1.2 Lakhs to INR  3.6 Lakhs per annum for the owner. Abdul Gani Chopan, a father of three daughters and one son, has  been a farmer, selling potatoes and beans from his land to make a living. The option of earning a living  by hosting travellers in his home has come as a great opportunity. Abdul has a traditional Kashmiri  home, with eight rooms, two of which the family has kept for their own use and the remaining have  been onboarded on OYO’s platform. He added, “I’m extremely excited to partner with OYO and I look  forward to offering the guests new experiences and giving them a glimpse of the famed Kashmiri  hospitality. I thank the OYO team for its efficiency and responsiveness throughout the onboarding  process. I look forward to a successful and long-lasting relationship with the company.”  

OYO will apply some of the learnings it gained from a rural homestay initiative it started in Kevadia,  Gujarat. OYO currently has 10 live homestays in Kevadia and 20 more in the pipeline.  

Customers choose OYO's platform for many reasons, including unique inventory and availability of  storefronts, quality of accommodation, the price competitiveness of its offerings, ease of use of its  app, personalization, the trust and safety of the OYO platform and the quality of its Customer support  through Yo! Chat, end-to-end proprietary Customer support platform. Throughout the COVID-19  pandemic, OYO has offered industry best practices to help its patrons (hotel & home-stay owners)  implement the cleaning process, including an enhanced cleaning protocol, checklists, and displaying  the COVID-19 vaccination status of its Patrons' staff in India on its mobile application through its  "VaccinAid" filter.  

About OYO: 

OYO is a global platform that empowers entrepreneurs and small businesses who operate hotels and homes by  providing them with full-stack technology products and services that increase revenue and ease operations;  bringing easy-to-book, affordable, and trusted accommodation to customers around the world. OYO offers 40+  integrated products and solutions to patrons who operate over 157,000 hotel and home storefronts in more  than 35 countries including India and those in Europe and Southeast Asia, as of March 31, 2021. For more  information, visit www.oyorooms.com.  

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