The Andhra Pradesh tourism department's latest idea to rope in locals to revive the flagging tourist numbers in the state seems to have failed with hardly any takers among the property owners.

Named 'bed and breakfast', the scheme was announced in November 2012 and it invited the public to rent out their homes to tourists. The department had extensively advertised this 'homestay' programme hoping to get a good response from locals. However, to their dismay, the department received only three filled-in applications till date, including two from Hyderabad and one from Rajahmundry.

According to the officials, the programme was initiated to encourage cultural exchange, with tourists staying in local households. The department had planned to popularise it through their websites once the registration of the houses was done. A six-member committee was also constituted to oversee the smooth implementation of this scheme, inspect and give approval for these homes.

A similar concept in Kerala has been successful but property owners of AP did not warm to the idea of opening their homes to strangers. The scheme had also specified that at least one member of the family should know English and the home should not be used for any other commercial purpose.

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