Home stays not registering by Nov 15 to face shut down

The Karnataka Tourism Department today warned that home stays in the state that don't register byNovember 15 will be deemed illegal and will face shut down.
"We are very closely monitoring the home stayregistration; we have given them the deadline till November 15to register with us," Karnataka Tourism Minister PriyankKharge told reporters here.
He said "if they don't register with the department, we will deem them illegal and we will shut them down, we will take action".
The registration is aimed at maintaining a databaseof homestays in the state and to monitor their activities.
Noting that home stays in Karnataka need some kind of "regulation", Kharge said the government intends to promote the home stay industry.

He said: "We are not just trying to regulate them, but trying to ensure that they give best of services to tourists."

According to tourism department officials, there aremore than 4,000 home stays in Kodagu district, and about 2,500 in Chikkamagaluru district, along with considerable presence in Hubballi, Belagavi, Mysuru, Bengaluru, Shivamogga, Hassan districts.
Stating that earlier for home stay registration, a fee of Rs 10,000 was collected and rating was compulsory, Khargesaid it had been brought down to Rs 500 and registration made compulsory.
"Now rating is not compulsory, but thedepartment will endorse those home stays that have been ratedand help in their promotional or marketing activities."

Pointing out that there are lot of resorts that are running on home stays,the Minister said the idea to recognise and register them, because of the fact that "we don't know what they are doing."
"There are villas which are offering five starfacilities but are being classified as home stays and they aretrying to avoid luxury tax, liquor licence and other taxes.