Bhubaneswar, Jan. 3: Get a local flavour and feel-home experience while availing yourself of homestay accommodations at various tourist spots in the state during your next holiday.

The Odisha Tourism today signed an MoU with homestay aggregator Stayzilla, which has tie-ups with seven tourism departments across the state, to provide the alternative accommodation facilities to tourists.

Homestay is a stay option wherein guests can rent a room in the home of a local family thereby enabling themselves to get first-hand knowledge about the local culture and practices.

Tourism director Nitin Jawale, who signed the agreement with Marketplace of Stayzilla vice-president Ankit Rastogi, termed the pact a welcome move to provide unique stay experiences to the travellers.

"A safe and secure accommodation has become a big issue these days. Moreover, we want to promote the state's other areas, which are unexplored beyond Cuttack and Bhubaneshwar. Creating and promoting new destinations in the rural heartland, thereby empowering the local communities, is one of our core objectives," said Jawale.

In the first phase, around 80 homestays have been earmarked in places such as Puri, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Chilika and Konark. Similar accommodation facilities will also be set up at the handloom cluster Nuapatna and crafts village Raghurajpur.

"The homestays have been selected after proper screening where service and quality will be top priorities. We wish to enhance the homestay ecosystem in the state in a standardised manner," said Jawale.

Focus will also be given on the types of tourists, including solo travellers, couples, family and groups.

One can book the homestays through Stayzilla or from the website of Odisha Tourism.

Rastogi said: "We aim to address well-maintained and quality accommodation. We look forward to enhancing the experience of tourists."