Homestay

Homestay is a form of tourism and/or study abroad that allows a visitor to rent a room from a local family in a homelike setting. It is sometimes used for improving language skills and getting familiar with the local lifestyle. Homestays can occur anywhere in the world, but certain countries encourage homestay as a means of developing their tourism industry. Hosting a homestay participant also allows the local family to earn income. Students tend to arrange a homestay with their school or educational institution, but they can also informally arrange to stay with a family through social connections as well as through a variety of private agencies. There are a number of online homestay agencies that connect students with hosts families all over the world, usually for a nominal fee.