Maharashtra Tourism and Airbnb introduce Tourism Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme

Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) is strengthening its ties with Airbnb, the world’s leading community-driven hospitality company, and aims to launch the Tourism Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme in the state to boost the tourism prospects.

Commemorating the one year partnership with the hospitality company, Airbnb, the Maharashtra Tourism has launched Tourism Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme. The Programme aims to help entrepreneurs in the hospitality sector to grow their business through four key pillars of support, namely Training, Enabling, Access and Promotion.

By this Programme, the selected entrepreneurs will be provided with a comprehensive training toolkit prepared by Airbnb and also by providing training on technology, hospitality, financing, regulations and promotions.

Airbnb has been sharing a portion of its earnings in Maharashtra with Maharashtra Tourism towards the development of tourism in the state. The trained entrepreneurs under this Programme will be connected for existing government programs for additional funds.

The selected entrepreneurs will also get access to technology, address language barriers and provide mentorship support enabling youth and community based organisations to become partners to micro-entrepreneurs.

Airbnb will partner with content creators to the entrepreneurs to promote their tourist homes around the world and Maharashtra Government will support by giving promotional platforms.

The program would be launched first in Elephanta village where MTDC and Airbnb will associate with Gram Panchayat and identify 35 homes and get aligned with Airbnb standards. Hosts of these homes would be the first set of entrepreneurs benefitting from this program.

Commenting on the occasion, Jaykumar Rawal, Minister of Tourism Government of Maharashtra said, “In Airbnb, we have found a global partner whose vision to create skilled micro-entrepreneurs in hospitality and homestay ecosystem to further expand Maharashtra’s tourism potential. We are pleased to expand our partnership with Airbnb with the launch of the Tourism Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme, which will help mentor and support budding entrepreneurs in in hospitality sector and build a strong homestay network across key destinations. “

Meanwhile, VK Gautam, principal secretary, Department of Tourism and Culture, Government of Maharashtra said, “Through the Accelerator Programme, Maharashtra Tourism and Airbnb aim to create a homestay ecosystem in Elephanta and create at least one hospitality micro-entrepreneur in every village across Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri and Palghar. In year one, we target to create and nurture 1500 tourism and hospitality entrepreneurs.”