Explained: How Karnataka Plans to Make Homestays Safer And Why it Matters Now

The proposals were discussed at a high-level review meeting held earlier this week, coming close on the heels of an alleged sexual assault of an American woman in Kodagu.

Madikeri: In the wake of recent incidents involving tourists, the Karnataka Tourism Department has proposed a comprehensive overhaul of regulations governing homestays and bed-and-breakfast (B&B) units, with a strong emphasis on safety, accountability, and stricter monitoring.

The proposals were discussed at a high-level review meeting held earlier this week, coming close on the heels of an alleged sexual assault of an American woman in Kodagu. The incident has raised fresh concerns about tourist safety, particularly in popular destinations that rely heavily on homestay-based accommodation. It also follows last year’s gangrape of two women, including a foreign national, in Hampi, further underscoring systemic gaps in oversight.

District-level monitoring to tighten compliance

A key proposal is the formation of District Tourism Inspection Committees, to be led by deputy commissioners and include officials from the police, tourism, and other relevant departments. These committees will conduct random inspections of properties to ensure compliance with safety norms and standard operating procedures.

Officials say this decentralised monitoring mechanism is aimed at addressing inconsistent enforcement across districts, particularly in high-tourism regions such as Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, and coastal Karnataka.

Focus on women’s safety and staff accountability

The department has placed significant emphasis on improving safety for women travellers and hospitality staff. The Department of Women and Child Development will roll out mandatory gender sensitisation training across the sector and ensure adherence to the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act (POSH Act).

In cases of distress, support services will be routed through Sakshi One Stop Centres, which provide integrated legal, medical, and psychological assistance.

Additionally, mandatory police verification of all staff—both permanent and contractual—has been proposed, with records to be maintained for inspection.

Technology-driven tracking and enforcement

To strengthen surveillance and accountability, the government plans to integrate all registered homestays with the police’s Smart E-Beat system. This would enable GPS-based tracking of beat constables’ visits and create a digital audit trail of inspections.

Further, Station House Officers (SHOs) will conduct quarterly meetings with homestay owners to assess risks, share local intelligence, and improve emergency preparedness.

Authorities are also considering linking all registered units to the 112 emergency response system, enabling faster response to distress calls.

Crackdown on unregistered units

One of the biggest challenges flagged during the meeting was the proliferation of unregistered homestays operating outside regulatory oversight. Karnataka currently has over 3,700 registered homestays, with a high concentration in districts such as Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, and Hassan.

Local bodies will now be tasked with identifying and acting against unregistered properties. Non-compliant units could face suspension, especially those failing to meet safety and licensing norms.

Officials reiterated that owner-occupied homestays are treated as domestic units, while commercially operated B&B establishments must obtain trade licences.

Tighter rules for online platforms and foreign guests

The department has also proposed stricter regulation of online travel platforms such as MakeMyTrip, Agoda, and Booking.com. These platforms may soon be required to display government registration numbers for listed properties and delist those suspended by authorities.

To improve monitoring of foreign tourists, officials have called for stricter compliance with the FRRO Form C. Plans are also underway to integrate FRRO and police databases for real-time tracking of guest check-ins and to flag discrepancies.

Standardised safety protocols

As part of the proposed reforms, all homestays and B&B units will be required to prominently display emergency helpline numbers such as 112, 1090, and the national tourist helpline. QR codes linking to the Karnataka Police SOS app may also be made mandatory.

In parallel, the department is developing a dedicated online portal to streamline the registration of homestays and B&B units. Revised guidelines are expected to be notified separately.

A push for safer tourism

Taken together, the proposed measures signal a shift towards a more regulated and technology-driven tourism ecosystem in Karnataka. With the state’s tourism sector heavily dependent on homestays, particularly in hill and coastal regions, officials say balancing ease of doing business with visitor safety will be key to restoring confidence among domestic and international travellers.

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