'Home stay' has come to stay

Introduced last year during the Dasara in Mysore, 'home stay' is catching on.

Mysore runs short of hotel rooms during the annual mega-festival. Hotels raise the room rents and there is a acute shortage of hotel rooms.

To overcome the shortage of rooms, the concept of 'home stay', popular in Kerala and quietly attracting visitors in Mysore's neighbouring district, Kodagu, was introduced last year.

Now, with a good response both from those willing to provide good 'home stay' and tourists willing to be exposed to Mysore's way of home life coming in good numbers, the authorities have decided to extend the service beyond Dasara.

Some 25 house owners have enlisted this year, offering 'home stay' service to tourists. After a scrutiny, the authorities have rated them into three categories.

"They will offer quality boarding and lodging at an affordable price," district minister Tanveer Sait said after releasing the 'home stay' brochure.