A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed here today between National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Tourism and Hospitality Sector Skill Council (THSC) with Airbnb, the world’s leading community-driven hospitality company.   The MoU will provide hospitality skills training to hospitality micro-entrepreneurs in India.   Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri  Dharmendra Pradhan said, “We believe that this partnership will help to augment Skill India Mission by bringing in global best practices for the training of small hospitality entrepreneurs. The domestic tourism has immense potential in India and this partnership will benefit the ecosystem by creating opportunities for women and youth.  We will extend all possible cooperation to make India a tourism hotspot.”

Regional Director of Policy for India, Southeast Asia and ANZ, Mr. Brent Thomas said, “This partnership will help to create more skilled, digitally-literate hospitality entrepreneurs – especially among the women and those in underserved areas – who can create a homestay in every home, offer authentic experiences in every Indian locality and help spread the benefits of tourism”.

The signing of MoU is in line with the Government’s endeavor to promote entreprenuership under the Government’s Skill India Programme. NSDC is the implementation arm of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

Through the partnership, the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Airbnb, NSDC and THSC will work together to create an accredited skill development module for hospitality entrepreneurs offering homestay facilities, unique accommodations and local experiences.

Building on Airbnb’s commitment to support Skill India Mission by creating 50,000 hospitality entrepreneurs in India, the MoU signed today aims to empower more citizens, including those in rural and underserved areas to join the ‘alternate accommodation’ sector and pursue new livelihood opportunities by sharing their homes.

 Under the terms of the MoU, the parties agree to:

ESTABLISH occupation standards and competency matrices for job roles and develop the courses for hospitality entrepreneurs offering homestay and facilities, other unique accommodations and local experiences for travellers;

CREATE standards for certification and accreditation as per the requirements and global benchmarks of Tourism and Hospitality industry for hospitality entrepreneurs offering homestay facilities, other unique accommodations and local experiences for travellers;

SET the framework for long-term Council-Industry partnership;

STRENGTHEN the Skilled Labour Pool required by Tourism and Hospitality industry.