Kathmandu, February 29 In the wake of mushrooming homestays in the country, the recently held convention of authorised homestay service providers has urged the government to formulate proper policy to regulate and promote the industry. The Homestay Association — an umbrella organisation of authorised homestay service providers in the country — has drawn the attention of Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to come up with a policy to govern homestay industry. Currently, homestays are being operated based on the Homestay Guidelines. Due to lack of proper regulation and monitoring, the number of illegally operated homestays is on the rise, as per Bhim KC, president of Homestay Association. Homestay entrepreneurs have urged the government to formulate the law eyeing eco-friendly tourism promotion, recognition of typical identity of particular place, rural poverty alleviation and natural conservation. Organising a press meet at Nepal Tourism Board here today, the Association has proposed equipping Taragaon Development Committee as the Centre for Excellence for the promotion of homestays and also extend it the authority to regulate and monitor the homestay industry.