Chennai: Global hospitality technology platform OYO will open homestays, hotels and walking trail to promote tourism in Rameswaram. With its iconic Ramanathaswamy Temple, the town’s tourism potential predominantly revolves around its religious significance, making it a popular destination for spiritual seekers and pilgrims. However, other attractions such as Pamban Bridge and pristine beaches also offer opportunities for historical exploration and beach-centric activities.
Aimed at unlocking the untapped tourism potential of Rameswaram, the plan seeks to project and promote Rameswaram as a major tourist attraction while ensuring the preservation of the town’s rich cultural heritage.
As part of its strategy, OYO plans to promote alternate economic opportunities for the locals to reduce their dependence on natural resources for livelihood. Homestay development plan is an integral part of the plan along with promoting a variety of tourist activities such as water sports, marine biodiversity exploration, walking trails and outdoor camping.
OYO plans to add 50 hotels and homestays by the end of this year in Rameswaram and Ramanathapuram. Most of the homestays will be near Ramanathaswamy Temple. OYO will also train homestay owners on earning opportunities by enhancing guest experience and efficiently operating their property, besides creating awareness on homestays using various marketing tools.
OYO also plans to organise workshops for homestay owners to help them get better in various hospitality disciplines such as behavioural skills, use of technology and destination promotion through innovative strategies.
Dhanushkodi, Pamban and many other parts of Rameswaram hold a rich yet unexplored cultural diversity. OYO will co-develop nature and marine walking trails for nature lovers and bird lovers and promote them through multiple online travel platforms.
OYO has already introduced homestay development programs in Jammu and Kashmir for leisure travelers and Ayodhya for religious travelers. These initiatives have received encouraging responses from local hoteliers as well as the guests as they get an authentic experience
Speaking on the initiaitve, Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO, OYO, said “OYO is excited to play a supporting role in the development of Rameswaram as a tourist hotspot. We plan to unveil the hidden gems, showcase the unique experiences, and elevate the tourism potential of this iconic destination through a sustainable tourism development plan. We are committed to working closely with government authorities, local stakeholders, and the community to implement this tourism development plan effectively”.
OYO data reveals that revenue of hotels onboarded on OYO platform doubled within three months compared to independent budget hotels of a similar size. OYO 360, a self-onboarding tool, provides a simple two-click platform to enroll hotel owners on its platform and provides three types of benefits – growth benefits, partnership benefits, and OYO network benefits.
