A free channel manager for individual Airbnb and homestay hosts in India
A free channel manager for an Indian host needs to solve calendar sync across Airbnb, Booking.com, and Agoda, the platforms this free tier actually syncs, while being upfront that MakeMyTrip and Goibibo, the two OTAs that carry most of India's own domestic homestay bookings, connect by login credentials, not a calendar link, so no free iCal-based tool, including this one, keeps them in sync automatically. Homestay registration itself is not one national rule, it is state government policy, so what counts as compliant depends entirely on which state your property is in.
India has no single national short-term-rental law. The Ministry of Tourism runs a voluntary "Incredible India Homestay Scheme" star-classification, but the binding requirement is each state's own homestay policy, and those differ on room caps, fees, fire-NOC thresholds, and renewal cycles. Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, and Rajasthan all require state tourism department registration; Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, and Assam each moved to single-window digital registration in 2026. A host with properties in two states can be following two unrelated rulebooks.
GST registration is required once a host's turnover crosses ₹20 lakh a year (₹10 lakh in special-category states: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand). Below that threshold, Airbnb itself remits GST on the host's behalf; above it, the host needs a GSTIN and remits directly. Under Notification No. 15/2025 (17 September 2025), the GST rate on homestay accommodation priced at ₹7,500 or below per night dropped from 12% to 5%, effective 22 September 2025.
MakeMyTrip and Goibibo, not a second Western OTA, are the real second channel for most Indian hosts, and neither connects over iCal. MakeMyTrip's integration is credential-based (a Hotel ID plus an access token), so keeping it aligned with Airbnb needs a channel manager wired to both, not a free calendar-link tool.
Do I need to register my homestay with the government to list it on Airbnb in India?
It depends entirely on your state. Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, and Rajasthan, among others, require state tourism department registration for homestays, each with its own room caps and renewal cycle; Airbnb does not check or file this for you. Confirm your specific state's current homestay policy before listing.
Do I need to charge and pay GST on my Airbnb income in India?
Only once your turnover crosses ₹20 lakh a year (₹10 lakh in special-category states including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and the North-East). Below that, Airbnb remits GST on your behalf; above it, you need your own GSTIN. Homestay stays priced at ₹7,500 or below a night carry a reduced 5% GST rate since September 2025, versus 12% above that price.
Does getfursat's free tier sync with MakeMyTrip or Goibibo?
No. MakeMyTrip (and its sister brand Goibibo) connects over login credentials, not a calendar link, so no iCal-based free tool, including this one, can keep it in sync automatically. The free tier syncs Airbnb, Booking.com, and Agoda; MakeMyTrip/Goibibo distribution needs a full channel manager wired directly to their systems.
GST thresholds and the September 2025 rate cut checked 2026-07-21 against Airbnb's own India tax guidance (airbnb.com/help/article/1991, Airbnb India Tax Guide) and Notification No. 15/2025. State homestay-registration details checked 2026-07-21 against Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Assam, and West Bengal 2026 policy coverage. State rules change often; verify current requirements with your state tourism department before listing.