How to grow richer in India with an investment in travel and tourism!
My Personal Analysis and Top 5 Trends ⬇️

As somebody who travels a lot - I often book apartments, experiential stays, homestays, and interesting places across India and abroad. So, if you are looking to open your short-term rental accommodation or bed and breakfast (BNB) to earn money, read on for my analysis of the top 5 trends.

Interestingly:
- There has been a big boom in the short-term rental economy in India since the COVID-19 Pandemic. So naturally, it is a great future investment that is extremely lucrative currently.

- Airbnb saw India emerge as one of its fastest-growing countries in 2022. There are at least 70,000 properties listed on the site in India (as of July 7, 2021). Domestic bookings rose 80% in Q3 of 2022 over pre-pandemic levels, while hosts collectively made $12M+ from bookings with families.
{Sources: deccanherald.com and Economic Times}

But How can you get started?
Here's all the juice from me:
📌 Big-city service apartments like Delhi or Mumbai can reach 60% occupancy, potentially earning you more than the standard 11-month leases. If you live in any tier-1 city, furnish your apartment with international standards and list it on platforms like Airbnb and booking.com (check local legalities first).

📌 The concept is everything! Experiential stays like A-frame homes, glass cabins, and tree houses rule. They enjoy up to 80% occupancy, even off-season. Leverage the power of social media and virality to your advantage.
But the initial investment is quite high. Treehouses can cost up to ₹25 lakhs to build safely, payback takes 2 years. In such a case, it makes sense to lease the land on which it is built to manage the cost.

📌 Analyze top destinations to find your dream location. Consider footfall, seasonality, and unique offerings. Think beyond Goa, destinations like Himachal, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam, etc.
If possible, find local connections that you can trust.

📌 Oftentimes, to break even and even become profitable, the math kicks in when you sell in high volumes - multiple hostel beds, a homestay with more than 5 rooms, a 5-bedroom villa with a private pool, etc. Here the investment is very substantial.
Building from scratch is expensive, so consider leasing existing properties for less upfront cost.

📌 Finally, this is my favourite. Many people don’t know this, but you can also sell tours and experiences via websites like Headout and GetYourGuide. For example, I tried mushroom foraging in Finland with an individual operator and paid ₹8000 per person for this!
Here, you don’t need an initial investment, except for creating a website, or curating an experience, based on your skill, that is memorable and worth booking. You can earn a lot of extra money on the side and this will only require your time!

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