Airbnb ties up with women NGO for rural homestay to tourists

Community-driven hospitality company, Airbnb has tied up with an NGO working for women empowerment to provide accommodation to tourists in rural areas of Gujarat through the network of its members.
"We will work with SEWA (Self-Employed Women's Association) to help women from rural areas to share their homes in their community and teach people about Gujarat in a really unique and local way," Airbnb's director of policy partnerships, Asia Pacific, Thao Nguyen, told reporters here today.
As per the MoU, Airbnb will help SEWA members in sharing their homes with Airbnb community of international and domestic guests.
"This is the first time we have launched a partnership of this type (aimed at women empowerment). It will inspire women to look at it as an economic opportunity," Nguyen said, adding there has been a 188 per cent on-year rise in listing on Airbnb platform of tourists visiting India.

Airbnb is a peer-to-peer online marketplace and homestay network that enables people to list or rent short-term lodging in residential properties, with the cost of such accommodation set by the property owner.
SEWA director Reena Nanavaty said the online platform to book homes of SEWA members will open up new economic opportunity for rural women.

"To begin with, we have identified homes in Surendranagar, Patan, and Mehsana districts of Gujarat. We will eventually expand across the state, country and even neighbouring countries using our network.
"We have oriented members about the basic requirements of hospitality, whether they have access to internet, and how to get access to internet. They have been briefed about the kind of history, culture, about the local areas, exchange and dialogues, hygiene requirements and other quality standards," Nanavaty said.

She said the network will expand across the state, country and also in neighbouring countries through SEWA's existing members network.
"Through the partnership, we will help our members become powerful micro-entrepreneurs, best placed to promote sustainable and responsible tourism in India," Nanavaty added.