Title: Authenticity in homestays: from hotelstays to plusstays

Authors: Rohit Chauhan; Himanshu Jishtu; Hiramani Kashyap; Ankit Shukla; Sunil Kumar; Om Prakash

Addresses: Mittal School of Business, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, 144411, India ' M. M. Institute of Management, Maharishi Markandehswar (Deemed to be University), Haryana, 133207, India ' Department of Tourism, Government Degree College, Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, 175101, India ' Faculty of Liberal Arts, Raja Mangala University of Technology Thanyaburi, 12110, Thailand ' Department of Hospitality and Tourism, Kanya Mahavidyalaya, Jalandhar, 144004, India ' Institute of Vocational Studies, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, 171205, India

Abstract: This study proposes a new theoretical typology for classifying homestay accommodations based on authenticity levels, introducing the categories of hotelstays, homestays, and plusstays. Through research conducted in Shimla's peri-urban region, we identify and analyse three distinct operational models that represent varying positions on the authenticity-commercialisation spectrum. This study incorporated a mixed-methods approach incorporating cluster sampling, stakeholder interviews (n = 6), and operator surveys (n = 63). The typology extends authenticity theory beyond the conventional staged-existential binary by demonstrating how accommodations negotiate cultural preservation and market demands in practice. Hotelstays prioritise commercial convenience and often compromise cultural authenticity, while plusstays enhance authentic experiences through cultural immersion and traditional practices. This classification framework provides researchers with analytical tools to examine authenticity operationalisation across different hospitality contexts and offers practical guidance for policymakers seeking to balance tourism development with cultural preservation. The study explores authenticity in peri-urban hospitality, preserving culture amid tourism commercialisation.

Keywords: homestay accommodation; authenticity in tourism; periphery tourism; homestay types; spatial proximity; Himalayas; homestay; culture; hotelstay; plusstay.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTP.2026.151865

International Journal of Tourism Policy, 2026 Vol.16 No.1, pp.77 - 95

Received: 02 Feb 2025
Accepted: 03 Oct 2025
Published online: 24 Feb 2026 *

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