New Delhi, Oct. 15 -- With tourists wanting an authentic travel experience of the places visited, the novel concept of Homestays allows them to soak in a local culture like never before. Here is more on it



While traveling to tourist destinations in Uttarakhand, as elsewhere, it was common to see signboards of guesthouses and lodgings with the very inviting tagline, 'A Home Away From Home'. By then the concept of 'Homestay' had not taken off, and so even if the owner lived in the same building, the portion to be given out was completely segregated, so that the privacy of both the 'guest' as well as the 'host' has not encroached.

However, now homestays have blurred this dividing line as the owner lets the tourists get the feel of the pl...