Airbnb to be official accommodation partner for Hornbill Festival 2019
Airbnb representatives with the CM of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio and department officials during the signing of the MoU to become the official accommodation partner for the upcoming Hornbill Festival.
Morung Express News
Airbnb has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Tourism, Government of Nagaland today to become the official accommodation partner for the upcoming Hornbill Festival.
The MoU was signed in Kohima in the presence of Khehovi Yeputhomi, Advisor, Tourism Department and Chris Lehane, Head of Global Policy and Communications, Airbnb.
Through the MoU, the parties aim to help build a sustainable tourism ecosystem which benefits local communities and promotes the festival.
Key elements of the partnership include skills development workshops, jointly conducted by Nagaland tourism and Airbnb, for existing and potential hospitality entrepreneurs; promotion of key festivals and underserved areas in Nagaland; and to share best practices to create a conducive regulatory environment for home sharing in the state
As part of the partnership, Airbnb was also announced as the official ‘Alternate Accommodation Partner’ for the week-long Nagaland Hornbill Festival, which showcases the rich cultural heritage of the state.
“While the festival is already one of the top tourist attractions in Nagaland, Airbnb will help further promote the festival to its audience of international travelers,” a press release stated.
Announcing the partnership, Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio said, that the importance of economic development in the North-East for inclusive growth of India and the central role of tourism in the region to put India on the global tourism map, has been reiterated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on several occasions.
“Through the partnership with Airbnb, the government aims to create a more inclusive tourism sector in Nagaland that empowers local communities by creating skilled micro-entrepreneurs and build a sustainable homestay ecosystem. Nagaland is a treasure trove of tourism, offering a plethora of unique experiences and Airbnb’s global platform will augment the tourist growth rate. As our official accommodation partner for Hornbill Festival, we look forward to working with Airbnb to welcome more international and domestic tourists to Nagaland,” the CM added
Chris Lehane, Head of Global Policy and Communications, Airbnb meanwhile stated that the MoU demonstrates how “Airbnb is working hand in hand with the government to promote the North-East. There is so much potential for the State of Nagaland to develop a healthy and sustainable tourism industry that delivers economic benefits to local communities.”
“Empowering and skilling local hospitality micro-entrepreneurs will support the government’s objectives of creating more sustainable, diverse accommodation options and attracting more visitors,” he added.
In the past, to boost tourism and create positive travel experiences for tourists in the North-East region, Airbnb has entered into strategic partnerships with the North Eastern Council (NEC), the North East Tourism Development Council (NETDC), the North Eastern Rural Livelihood Programme (NERLP) and North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Society (NERCRMS).
These partnerships aimed to generate technology-enabled livelihood opportunities in tourism and hospitality for micro-entrepreneurs, and to help low-income families monetize their existing assets through home sharing. Under these agreements, Airbnb has provided training to core teams of the NERLP and NERCRMS, which further train existing and potential hosts on home sharing, responsible hosting and hospitality standards.
