PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE / Dehradun
The Uttarakhand Government recently notified the Uttarakhand Tourism and Travel Business Registration Rules 2026 replacing the Tourism and Travel Business Registration Rules 2014 and the Homestay Rules 2015.
Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB) additional director Poonam Chand stated that the new regulations create a single framework for registration, renewal and regulation of tourism-related establishments, including hotels, resorts, homestays, bed and breakfast units, travel agencies, tour operators and adventure tourism operators. Under the rules, all tourism units will be required to register with the UTDB. Registrations will remain valid for five years, after which renewal will be mandatory.
The rules comprise a classification system for homestays and bed and breakfast establishments, categorising them into gold, silver and bronze grades based on infrastructure, amenities and service standards, Chand said. Homestays will be permitted a maximum of eight rooms and 24 beds. Owners must be permanent residents of Uttarakhand and reside on the premises. The registration fee has been fixed at Rs 1,000 for homestays and Rs 5,000 for bed and breakfast units.
She said that the rules also require operators to maintain visitor records and display registration certificates carrying QR codes. Provisions relating to fire safety, parking arrangements and police verification in specified cases have also been included. Tourism businesses operating without registration or found violating the rules may face penalties starting from Rs 10,000.
Chand added that Uttarakhand has around 6,000 registered homestays. The State government will continue implementing the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Homestay Development Scheme, which provides financial assistance for construction, renovation and expansion of homestays in rural areas outside municipal limits. Under the scheme, beneficiaries in mountain districts are eligible for subsidies of up to 50 per cent of bank loans, subject to a ceiling of Rs 15 lakh, while applicants in plain areas can avail subsidies of up to 25 per cent, capped at Rs 7.5 lakh.
