Home-stay culture can emerge more strongly if an enabling environment is provided. Furthermore, homestays are proving to be a game changer in attracting more tourists, said Deputy Commissioner (DC) Samba, Abhishek Sharma.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Samba, Abhishek Sharma held an interactive session recently with district stakeholders in DC Office. The discussion focused on enhancing tourist facilities and sanitation in the district, which is a part of Jammu division, especially at popular tourist destinations like Chichi Mata Temple, Shri Narsing Dev Ji Temple, Baba Sidh Gouria, Baba Chamliyal, Samba Fort and Mogargarh Fort.

The DC encouraged the locals to invest in tourism infrastructure to cater to the needs of the tourists. He emphasised that Samba has vast conventional and pilgrimage tourism potential and reiterated full support and cooperation from district administration in building tourism infrastructure.

He also encouraged the locals to promote the home-stay facility because it allows the tourists to experience host culture and pristine nature in a more authentic way. “Home-stay culture can emerge more strongly if an enabling environment is provided. Furthermore, homestays are proving to be a game changer in attracting more tourists,” he added.

He underscored that local people will be able to eke out their livelihood from the tourism activities and it will boost the rural economy.

Sharma also deliberated upon the scope of camping sites, adventure and recreation setup and added that the home-stay blended with local Dogra cuisine can be offered to tourists to increase length of stay in the district.