The number of farmhouses in Haa has mushroomed over the years. At a glance, this may give an impression of a thriving homestay business, but a closer look reveals there is more than meets the eye. Not all farmhouses are faring well.
There are over 30 farmhouses in Haa today.
Kinley Wangchuk Homestay is one of them. The farmhouse received 40 tourist visits last year. But not everyone in the business has the same story to tell.
“Some farmhouses get guests constantly but others do not receive a single tourist the the entire year,” Kinley Wangchuk said.
However, things are expected to improve soon. A Visitor Centre for the farmstay business that is under construction is seeking to turn the tide.
Haa Dzongda Kinzang Dorji says the biggest challenge at the moment is promotion and marketing of the homestays.
The other is administration, including bill collection. “Going after tour operators and collecting bills remains a challenge,” he said.
“So, the Visitor Centre will do all the marketing. The centre will get the tourists, send them to different farmhouses, and will also take care of bill collections. So, it will serve as a platform for farmstay operations.”
The centre will also serve as a market place to promote local souvenirs.“We have already trained yak herders how to make souvenirs from yak products. What we are going to do now is to let them make different souvenirs and bring it to the centre for sale,” the dzongda said.
For the initial year, a manager appointed by the government and a JICA volunteer will run the centre.
If things go well, the centre will handed over to the community.
35 farmhouses have already registered with the centre, which is expected to be up and running by June.
