Airbnb has signed a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Ministry of Tourism, to strengthen India’s homestay ecosystem, empower local entrepreneurs and support tourism-led economic growth across emerging destinations.
Signed in the presence of Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture, Government of India, Bhuvnesh Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Suman Billa, Additional Secretary and Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Vibhava Tripathi, Deputy Director General for Incredible India and Amanpreet Bajaj, Country Head, India and Southeast Asia, Airbnb, the MoU reflects a shared commitment to expand community-led tourism by equipping prospective and existing hosts with the skills, tools and digital capabilities needed to participate in India’s growing tourism economy.
As part of the two-year collaboration, Airbnb will act as a capacity-building and digital onboarding partner to the Ministry of Tourism. Through host workshops, training resources and destination-promotion initiatives, the partnership aims to strengthen hosting capabilities while spotlighting India’s rich cultural heritage, diverse destinations and authentic travel experiences. Specific programmes and destinations will be jointly identified and implemented over the course of the partnership.
The collaboration will support the Ministry’s efforts to encourage travellers to discover lesser-known and emerging destinations beyond traditional tourism hotspots. By expanding the visibility and availability of quality homestays across destinations, the partnership seeks to create new economic opportunities for local communities while distributing the benefits of tourism more widely across the country.
To support this, Airbnb will host workshops and co-develop training resources covering listing creation, pricing, platform tools and hospitality best practices, while supporting the digital onboarding of homestay owners onto its platform. The partnership will also back destination promotion initiatives aligned with the Incredible India campaign, helping showcase the breadth and diversity of India’s tourism offering.
Complementing these efforts, Airbnb will spotlight ‘Soul of India’, a digital microsite that brings together India’s diverse destinations, local communities and cultural heritage, inspiring travellers to discover lesser-known places and experience the country through a more local lens.
Speaking on the partnership, Shekhawat said, “India’s tourism landscape is evolving rapidly, with travellers increasingly seeking authentic experiences that allow them to connect more deeply with our culture, heritage and local communities. This presents an important opportunity to bring lesser-known destinations into the tourism mainstream while creating new avenues for homestay owners, local artisans, young tourism professionals and communities to participate in and benefit from the tourism economy. Technology can serve as an important enabler, helping create greater opportunities for local communities and connecting emerging destinations with travellers. Our partnership with Airbnb is a step in this direction. As we work towards realising India’s immense tourism potential, strong partnerships and people’s participation will remain central to building a more inclusive, responsible and sustainable tourism ecosystem.”
Bajaj added, “India’s tourism sector continues to evolve, with growing demand for authentic, community-led travel experiences that enable travellers to connect more deeply with local culture and heritage. Across the country, Airbnb hosts are helping unlock these experiences while creating new economic opportunities for local communities. Our partnership with the Ministry of Tourism reflects a shared commitment to strengthening India’s homestay ecosystem by empowering hosts with the digital skills and tools they need to succeed, while encouraging travellers to explore beyond traditional tourism circuits. Together, we look forward to supporting a more inclusive and distributed tourism ecosystem that showcases the richness and diversity of India’s destinations.”
The partnership adds to Airbnb’s broader efforts in India to expand access to quality homestays and support a more distributed, inclusive tourism economy.