The host is a farmer, one of those selected to act as “rural homestay operators” under a proposal funded by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and promoted by the Sikkim government. While the concept may not be new, the project has been received very well in the state. Ever since its launch in Ray Mindu village in East Sikkim on November 29 last year, the project has been adopted by many other villages like Lingee Payong in South Sikkim, Kewzing, Yuksom and Patsanga.

“The villages which have been chosen for the project were far-flung places. The people were totally isolated and lived in almost aborigine conditions. Not only has this initiative helped to bring them into the mainstream by making them a part of tourism sector, but it has also taught them things like proper hygiene, waste management and a familiarity with English language,” said Subroto Gupta, officer in charge of NABARD, Gangtok.

“Moreover, since the arrival of tourism in these areas, we have installed communication centres with computers, telephone lines, internet facilities. So these villages also feel connected now,” he added.

Ugen Bhutia, a farmer in Kewzing village, about five hours from Gangtok, is one of those selected as a homestay operator. “On an average, my monthly income has increased from Rs 2,000-3,000. This has motivated other families in the village to apply also. But they will first have to meet the basic requirements. In the last one year, almost every house in the village has constructed a proper western toilet,” he said.

These are small villages, some with just about 15-20 households. To ensure that there is no business rivalry, village communities have formed their own rules. For example, in Kewzing, no family is allowed to take more than 10 tourists per season.

“We have been trained to use Internet to promote ourselves. This has helped us make contact with travel agents in Delhi. Some youngsters are now creating their own websites,” said Bhutia. “Ever since we started, there has hardly been a vacant period. So far, most of the tourists were foreigners, but now Indians are also coming,” he added.

The identification of families and training of villagers is being done by an NGO called Ecotourism and Conservation Society of Sikkim. “Once we select a house, we give the person training and a six-month period to create the basic infrastructure. There are periodic checks to ensure that quality is being maintained,” said Radhika Kothari, one of its office-bearers.

“The main training component includes spoken English, organisational development, cooking of varied cuisines, computer management. So, even as the tourist gets to live with the family and gets a feel of farm life including ploughing, milking cows, his basic comfort isn’t disturbed,” she added.

G P Upadhyaya, Commissioner and Secretary, State Tourism Department, feels that the project is in consonance with Sikkim’s policy of “promoting tourism without disrupting its fragile ecosystem and to make it as an engine of economic growth and employment generation.”

“The villagers’ way of life is not disturbed. That is why even remote villages are keen to become a part of this project. The project envisages that both NABARD and the state government will walk out after three years. During this period, the locals would have been trained to run the show on their own,” said Renzino Lepcha, president of the United Progressive Organisation of Sikkim.