Mangaluru: The tourism department in Dakshina Kannada district has received 256 applications seeking permission to open homestays under the Karnataka Tourism Trade (Facilitation and Regulation) (KTTF) Act.The number of applications for homestay permissions has increased compared with previous years. In 2024-25, the district received fewer than 220 applications. Due to strict conditions, permission was granted for only 176 out of 256 applications in 2025-26. According to officials, all applications for homestays should be submitted through the ‘KTTF Application for Homestay’ option in the Seva Sindhu portal of the govt. Applicants must submit photographs of the owner, interior rooms, exterior, front view and bathroom interiors of the homestay along with the application. Further, documents including the ownership (property khata copy document with the name of the owner), residence certificate from the competent authority, NOC from police department (local jurisdiction), and an NOC from local body also need to be submitted.Tourism department deputy director (in-charge), Dileep Kumar, said that the department has been getting a good number of applications for homestay approvals. “Now it is not the season for homestays. Generally, the peak season begins in Oct and continues till Dec,” he said.The govt has already initiated 42 tourism projects worth Rs 3,198.31 crore to be established across the state. Out of the 42 projects, 10 were proposed through private partnership in Dakshina Kannada. Letters of intent have been submitted to the govt by 10 investors in Dakshina Kannada during the Karnataka Coastal Conclave-2026 held in Mangaluru in Jan. Various tourism projects worth Rs 822.5 crore will be implemented in the district, he said.
