The MoU will empower micro-entrepreneurs from rural and undeserved areas to join the alternative accommodation sector and earn some livelihood by sharing their homes.
Skill India has partnered with Airbnb, the online marketplace and hospitality service, to upskill 50000 entrepreneurs in the hospitality sector. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between three stakeholders—National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Tourism and Hospitality Sector Skill Council (THSC) and Airbnb.
The aim is to impart hospitality skills to the small entrepreneurs in the hospitality sector in India. The MoU will empower micro-entrepreneurs from rural and undeserved areas to join the alternative accommodation sector and earn some livelihood by sharing their homes.
It will help generate more jobs in the country, as the tourism sector is growing at a healthy rate.
As per the MoU signed, all the parties will work to establish occupation standards and competency matrices for job roles and develop the courses for hospitality entrepreneurs offering homestay and facilities, other unique accommodations and local experiences for travellers.
They will create standards for certification and accreditation as per the requirements and global benchmarks of the tourism and hospitality industry for hospitality entrepreneurs providing homestay facilities, as well as other unique accommodations and local experiences to tourists.
A long-term Council–Industry partnership will also be established under the MoU.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said, “We believe that this partnership will help augment the Skill India Mission by bringing in global best practices for the training of small hospitality entrepreneurs. Domestic tourism has immense potential in India and this partnership will benefit the ecosystem by creating opportunities for women and youth. We will extend all possible cooperation to make India a tourism hotspot.”
Regional Director of Policy for India, Southeast Asia and ANZ, Mr Brent Thomas said, “This partnership will help to create more skilled, digitally-literate hospitality entrepreneurs—especially among the women and those in underserved areas—who can create a homestay in every house, offer authentic experiences in every Indian locality and help spread the benefits of tourism”.