Mizoram’s ‘village tourism’ gets a certification: what the new standard protects

Mizoram’s village tourism programme has introduced a certification for homestays that meet community standards: a percentage of income to the village fund, waste management, and limits on visitor numbers during festivals.

The certification is voluntary — and nearly all of the state’s 200 registered homestays have applied.

Officials see it as a way to grow tourism without letting it grow the villages out of recognition.