Bhubaneswar: Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida Thursday, launched the Go-Homestay portal to promote community-based tourism and streamline homestay operations across the state.
The portal was inaugurated during a state-level workshop on the Odisha Homestays Establishment Scheme-2025, aimed at sensitising stakeholders about the scheme’s provisions and implementation.
Addressing the gathering, Parida said homestays are not merely accommodation facilities but gateways to Odisha’s rich culture, traditions and hospitality. She said the Go-Homestay portal would ensure transparency, accessibility and ease of doing business for aspiring homestay owners.
The initiative aligns with the state government’s vision of inclusive growth by empowering rural households, women and local entrepreneurs through tourism-led development, she said.
The Go-Homestay portal is a dedicated online platform designed to streamline registration, management and promotion of homestays under the 2025 scheme. It enables online applications, document uploads, application tracking, approvals, visitor management and compliance monitoring.
Officials said the portal is expected to strengthen sustainable tourism development, particularly in rural and lesser-known destinations, while offering visitors authentic cultural experiences.
The workshop featured presentations on operational guidelines of the scheme and a live demonstration of the portal by the technical team. Experts from Homestays of India and Svanir Wilderness Homestay shared insights, while experienced homestay owners discussed best practices and success stories.
The session concluded with discussions on district-level responsibilities and an action plan for effective implementation.
Among those present were Balwant Singh, commissioner-cum-secretary of the Department of Tourism; Deepankar Mohapatra, director of tourism; Monica Priyadarshini, state mission director-cum-CEO of OLM; district officials; representatives of financial institutions; PRI members; and homestay operators.