No squat-style toilets for old people. Always use white bedsheets. Do not stare at the guests. These are some of the lessons Abida Ghulam Jilani learned as she trained to be a host at her homestay in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Jilani is among a growing number of women in South Asia who are opening their homes to guests to earn money, gaining a degree of financial independence and helping to revitalise remote communities and promote sustainable tourism. The 34-year-old mother-of-five, who left school when she got married aged 18, began hosting visitors in 2019 and charges 2,500 Pakistani rupees ($15) a night. She has made more than 60,000 rupees since March last year despite the pandemic, allowing her to buy her first washing machine and a giant flat screen TV. “I can r...
Read More
You must be logged in to post a comment.