Holday-rental aggregator Airbnb launched its first-ever Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy in India at Goa in collaboration with the Department of Tourism, Government of Goa. This initiative has been launched as part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Airbnb and the Department of Tourism (DoT), Goa, to promote homestay tourism and build capacity among hospitality entrepreneurs across urban and rural areas in the state.
Interestingly, Goa is the fastest-growing region for Airbnb in India. The academy was jointly launched by Rohan Khaunte, Minister for Tourism, Government of Goa, and Amanpreet Bajaj, General Manager, Airbnb India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
This academy is designed to empower participants by providing them with the tools and relevant knowledge to begin their hosting journey. So far, through the academy, Airbnb and the Department of Tourism (DoT), Goa has trained 25 homestay owners through interactive workshops conducted in partnership with Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE) Impact Ventures. The first round of workshops was held in Miramar Residency for participants from North Goa. The next round of trainings would be conducted in Madgaon, targeting another 25 trainees from South Goa.
“For Goa, the homestay segment plays a pivotal role in promoting regenerative tourism by preserving rich Goan culture and hospitality. Our homestay policy is designed to benefit rural Goa and seamlessly aligns with our Goa Beyond Beaches vision. Women, who are often the custodians of homestays, stand to gain significantly through various fiscal and non-fiscal incentives under these initiatives. This Academy will give an opportunity for Goa to leverage its unique cultural and natural assets while empowering local communities. By equipping residents with the skills to operate homestays, we are not only fostering economic growth but also advancing regenerative tourism and women’s empowerment. This program will enable us to showcase Goa’s diverse and authentic experiences, inspiring visitors to explore beyond conventional tourist hotspots and embrace responsible, inclusive travel,” remarked Khaunte during the launch.
Interestingly, at the global level, Airbnb launched the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy in 2017 with the objective of helping communities around the world benefit from tourism. This initiative introduces people from diverse and historically underrepresented communities to hosting on Airbnb on its platform. Through the Academy, Airbnb works with local organizations to develop tailored education programs that help participants learn how to become entrepreneurs by turning their spare room or property into a source of extra money on the platform. Since its launch in 2017, this program has introduced Airbnb hosting to over 4,500 individuals from diverse backgrounds globally by collaborating with local organizations to create tailored education programs.
“We aim to transform lives through tourism entrepreneurship through the launch of the academy. This program has been strategically designed and carefully curated to empower local communities with the right education and expertise to help them transform their homes into profitable ventures. With the launch, we further aim to cultivate a vibrant local tourism economy that benefits everyone, creating sustainable opportunities for the participants while enhancing the overall guest experience in Goa,” said Amanpreet Bajaj, general manager at Airbnb for India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, during the launch.
Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home and it has since grown to over 5 million Hosts who have welcomed 1.5 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe.