HB CreatorConnect Program T&C

Last Updated: 01/10/2025

By applying to, enrolling in, or participating in the HomestayBuddy® Creator Connect Program (“Program”), you (“Creator”) agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not participate in the Program.

1. Definitions

“HomestayBuddy” refers to HomestayBuddy, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, successors, and assigns.

“Creator” refers to any individual participating in the Program.

“Content” includes, without limitation, photographs, videos, reels, stories, blogs, written reviews, audio recordings, graphics, social media posts, captions, campaign materials, testimonials, and any other creative work produced in connection with the Program.

“Campaign” means any assignment, promotion, collaboration, event, experience, or activity facilitated by HomestayBuddy.

2. Eligibility

Participation in the Program is subject to approval by HomestayBuddy. HomestayBuddy reserves the right to accept, reject, suspend, or remove any Creator from the Program at its sole discretion.

Creators must provide accurate and complete information during registration and maintain updated profile information throughout their participation.

3. Creator Responsibilities

Creators agree to:

Conduct themselves professionally and ethically.
Comply with applicable laws, advertising regulations, and platform policies.
Accurately represent experiences and partnerships.
Deliver content and campaign requirements within agreed timelines.
Avoid publishing misleading, defamatory, offensive, unlawful, or harmful content.

HomestayBuddy® reserves the right to request modifications or removal of content that does not meet campaign requirements or brand standards.

4. Content Ownership and Intellectual Property

4.1 Exclusive Ownership

All Content created, produced, captured, recorded, written, edited, submitted, or otherwise generated by the Creator in connection with the Program, whether paid, unpaid, sponsored, volunteer-based, or incentive-based, shall be deemed a “work made for hire” to the fullest extent permitted by law.

To the extent any such Content is not legally considered a work made for hire, the Creator hereby irrevocably assigns, transfers, and conveys to HomestayBuddy all worldwide rights, title, and interest in and to the Content, including all intellectual property rights, copyrights, neighboring rights, moral rights (to the extent waivable), trademark rights, and any other proprietary rights therein.

4.2 Exclusive Rights

HomestayBuddy shall have the exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, transferable, sublicensable, royalty-free, worldwide right to:

Use
Reproduce
Publish
Display
Modify
Edit
Adapt
Translate
Distribute
Broadcast
Promote
Commercialize
License
Archive

the Content in any format, medium, platform, technology, or channel now known or later developed.

4.3 Creator Restrictions

Without prior written authorization from HomestayBuddy, the Creator may not:

Sell the Content to any third party.
License the Content to any third party.
Reuse campaign-specific Content for competing services.
Claim ownership inconsistent with these Terms.

Creators may share approved content on their personal social media profiles solely for portfolio and promotional purposes unless otherwise instructed by HomestayBuddy.

4.4 Waiver of Moral Rights

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Creator waives any moral rights, rights of attribution, rights of integrity, and similar rights related to the Content.

5. Use of Name, Image, and Likeness

The Creator grants HomestayBuddy a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free right to use the Creator’s:

Name
Image
Voice
Likeness
Biography
Social media handles
Testimonials

for marketing, promotional, advertising, educational, public relations, and commercial purposes.

No additional approval or compensation shall be required unless otherwise agreed in writing.

6. Compensation

Compensation, rewards, reimbursements, incentives, or benefits may vary by campaign and shall be communicated separately.

Participation in one campaign does not guarantee participation in future campaigns.

HomestayBuddy® reserves the right to withhold payment where deliverables are incomplete, fraudulent, non-compliant, or materially deficient.

7. Confidentiality

Creators shall maintain strict confidentiality regarding:

Campaign details
Business operations
Partner information
Pricing information
Internal communications
Proprietary information

unless expressly authorized for disclosure.

Confidentiality obligations shall survive termination of participation.

8. Compliance and Disclosures

Creators are responsible for complying with all applicable advertising and disclosure regulations, including clearly identifying sponsored relationships where required by law or platform policy.

9. Termination

HomestayBuddy may suspend or terminate participation at any time without prior notice for:

Breach of these Terms
Misconduct
Fraudulent activity
Misrepresentation
Conduct detrimental to HomestayBuddy or its partners

Termination shall not affect any rights already granted to HomestayBuddy under these Terms.

10. Indemnification

The Creator agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless HomestayBuddy and its affiliates from any claims, damages, liabilities, losses, costs, and expenses arising out of:

Breach of these Terms
Violation of law
Intellectual property infringement
Misconduct by the Creator

11. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, HomestayBuddy shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, punitive, or special damages arising from participation in the Program.

Participation is voluntary and at the Creator’s own risk.

12. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India.

Any disputes arising out of or relating to these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in [City, State].

13. Modifications

HomestayBuddy reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. Continued participation after such modifications constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

14. Acceptance

By submitting an application, participating in a campaign, accepting campaign benefits, or creating content through the Program, the Creator acknowledges that they have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms and Conditions in their entirety.

HOMESTAYBUDDY® CREATOR CONNECT PROGRAM AGREEMENT

TERMS OF PARTICIPATION, CONTENT ASSIGNMENT, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY TRANSFER, CONFIDENTIALITY, AND CREATOR CODE OF CONDUCT

This Creator Program Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into between HomestayBuddy (“Company”, “HomestayBuddy”, “we”, “our”, or “us”) and the individual accepting these terms (“Creator”, “you”, or “your”).

By applying to, enrolling in, accepting assignments from, participating in, creating content for, or receiving any benefit through the HomestayBuddy Creator Connect Program (“Program”), you agree to be legally bound by this Agreement.

1. PROGRAM PURPOSE

HomestayBuddy Creator Connect is a creator collaboration platform designed to connect content creators with homestays, hospitality providers, tourism operators, restaurants, local businesses, travel experiences, cultural organizations, and community initiatives.

The Program may include paid collaborations, sponsored campaigns, barter arrangements, hosted experiences, volunteer opportunities, promotional activities, ambassador programs, social media campaigns, destination marketing initiatives, and other assignments determined by HomestayBuddy.

Participation does not create an employment relationship, partnership, joint venture, agency relationship, or franchise arrangement.

2. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

To participate, Creators must:

Be at least 18 years of age or have verifiable parental consent where legally permitted.
Provide complete and accurate registration information.
Own or control the social media accounts used in the Program.
Maintain a public reputation consistent with brand safety standards.
Not engage in fraudulent audience growth practices including purchased followers, engagement manipulation, automated bots, click farms, or artificial reach inflation.

HomestayBuddy reserves the unrestricted right to approve, reject, suspend, or remove any Creator at its sole discretion.

3. CREATOR OBLIGATIONS

Creators agree to:

3.1 Content Delivery

Produce and submit content according to campaign briefs, timelines, and quality requirements.

3.2 Authentic Representation

Accurately represent locations, experiences, accommodations, products, and services.

3.3 Professional Conduct

Treat hosts, businesses, partners, travelers, local communities, and HomestayBuddy representatives respectfully.

3.4 Legal Compliance

Comply with all applicable laws, advertising regulations, disclosure requirements, intellectual property laws, privacy laws, and platform policies.

3.5 Non-Deceptive Practices

Creators shall not:

Publish misleading claims.
Manipulate reviews.
Create fake testimonials.
Misrepresent campaign participation.
Artificially inflate performance metrics.

4. COMPLETE ASSIGNMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

4.1 Work Made for Hire

All Content created by the Creator in connection with the Program shall be considered a work made for hire to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law.

This includes Content created:

Before travel
During travel
After travel
During campaign participation
During volunteer engagements
During hosted stays
During sponsored collaborations
During unpaid collaborations

4.2 Absolute Assignment

To the extent any Content does not qualify as a work made for hire, the Creator irrevocably assigns, transfers, and conveys to HomestayBuddy all rights, title, and interest worldwide.

This assignment includes:

Copyrights
Neighboring rights
Database rights
Design rights
Trademark rights
Publicity rights
Commercial exploitation rights
Adaptation rights
Translation rights
Derivative work rights
Broadcasting rights
Distribution rights
Licensing rights

The transfer is perpetual, exclusive, worldwide, irrevocable, and royalty-free.

4.3 Scope of Content Covered

Content includes but is not limited to:

Photographs
Drone footage
Reels
Shorts
Stories
TikTok videos
YouTube videos
Livestream recordings
Audio recordings
Blogs
Reviews
Testimonials
Captions
Travel journals
Written articles
Voiceovers
Graphics
Logos created for campaigns
Edited versions
Raw files
Source files
Metadata
AI-assisted outputs
Behind-the-scenes material

4.4 Exclusive Ownership

HomestayBuddy shall be the sole and exclusive owner of all Content.

Creators acknowledge that they retain no ownership rights in Content produced under the Program.

4.5 Unlimited Commercial Exploitation Rights

HomestayBuddy may use Content for:

Advertising
Marketing
Social media
Print publications
Television
OTT platforms
Streaming services
Mobile applications
Websites
Press releases
Investor materials
Educational programs
Affiliate campaigns
Tourism promotions
Partner promotions
Licensing arrangements

without further notice or compensation.

4.6 Raw Files

Creators must provide original files upon request including:

RAW photographs
Unedited video footage
Project files
Audio recordings
Source documents

Failure to provide files may result in termination and withholding of compensation.

4.7 Creator Portfolio Restrictions

Creators may not:

Sell Program Content.
License Program Content.
Reassign Program Content.
Mint Program Content as NFTs.
Commercially exploit Program Content.
Authorize third-party use.

Any display in a portfolio requires prior written approval.

5. NAME, IMAGE, LIKENESS, AND PUBLICITY RIGHTS

The Creator grants HomestayBuddy perpetual rights to use:

Name
Photograph
Video appearances
Voice
Social handles
Biographical information
Testimonials
User-generated content

for any commercial or promotional purpose.

No additional approvals are required.

6. CONFIDENTIALITY AND NON-DISCLOSURE

Creators shall maintain strict confidentiality regarding:

Business operations
Partner relationships
Campaign budgets
Internal communications
Platform technology
Marketing plans
Pricing information
Trade secrets

Confidentiality obligations survive termination indefinitely.

7. BRAND SAFETY AND MORALITY CLAUSE

HomestayBuddy may terminate participation immediately if a Creator:

Promotes hate speech
Promotes violence
Engages in harassment
Publishes discriminatory content
Engages in criminal activity
Damages the reputation of the Program

The determination of reputational harm shall be made solely by HomestayBuddy.

8. NON-COMPETE AND NON-CIRCUMVENTION

During participation and for 12 months thereafter, Creators shall not directly circumvent HomestayBuddy by soliciting Program partners for substantially similar collaborations that were introduced through the Program without prior written consent.

9. DISCLOSURES AND ADVERTISING COMPLIANCE

Creators must comply with all advertising and endorsement requirements.

Required disclosures may include:

#Ad
#Sponsored

or other disclosures required by law.

10. AI-GENERATED CONTENT POLICY

Creators may not submit AI-generated content as authentic travel experiences.

Any use of AI tools must be disclosed to HomestayBuddy.

HomestayBuddy® reserves the right to reject AI-generated or AI-enhanced submissions.

11. COMPENSATION

Compensation may include:

Cash payments
Travel reimbursements
Hosted stays
Merchandise
Vouchers
Incentives
Recognition awards

Compensation terms will be determined per campaign.

HomestayBuddy® may withhold compensation for non-compliance.

12. TAXES

Creators are solely responsible for:

Income tax obligations
GST obligations
Local tax obligations
Reporting requirements

HomestayBuddy is not responsible for tax liabilities arising from participation.

13. INDEMNIFICATION

Creators shall indemnify and hold harmless HomestayBuddy® against all claims, losses, damages, liabilities, penalties, judgments, settlements, and expenses arising from:

Breach of this Agreement
Copyright infringement
Defamation
Privacy violations
Misrepresentation
Illegal conduct

14. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

To the maximum extent permitted by law, HomestayBuddy shall not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, punitive, exemplary, or consequential damages.

Total liability shall not exceed the amount paid to the Creator for the relevant campaign.

15. TERMINATION

HomestayBuddy may terminate participation immediately and without notice.

Termination does not affect:

Intellectual property transfers
Confidentiality obligations
Indemnification obligations
Dispute resolution provisions

which shall survive indefinitely.

16. DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Any dispute shall first be subject to good-faith negotiations.

If unresolved, disputes shall be settled through binding arbitration under applicable Indian law.

The seat of arbitration shall be Goa, India.

The language of proceedings shall be English.

17. GOVERNING LAW

This Agreement shall be governed exclusively by the laws of India.

Courts located in Goa shall have exclusive jurisdiction over matters not subject to arbitration.

18. ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes all prior communications and understandings.

19. ACCEPTANCE

By applying, registering, participating in campaigns, accepting Program benefits, submitting content, or continuing participation, the Creator confirms that they have read, understood, and agreed to this Agreement in full.

The document is too long to deliver in a single response. I’ll split it into two clearly labelled parts. Here is Part 1 of 2(Parts A through E), followed immediately by Part 2 of 2 (Parts F through J) in the next response.

PART A — PROGRAM OVERVIEW

1. Program Purpose

The HomestayBuddy Creator Connect Program is a creator collaboration initiative designed to connect content creators with homestays, hospitality providers, tourism operators, restaurants, local businesses, travel experiences, cultural organisations, and community initiatives listed on the Platform.

Participation does not create an employment relationship, partnership, joint venture, agency relationship, or franchise arrangement between the Creator and HomestayBuddy.

2. Eligibility

To participate in the Program, Creators must:

Be at least 18 years of age, or have verifiable parental or guardian consent where legally permitted.
Provide complete, accurate, and current registration information and maintain updated profile details throughout participation.
Own or exercise lawful control over all social media accounts used in the Program.
Maintain a public reputation consistent with HomestayBuddy’s brand safety standards.
Not engage in fraudulent audience growth practices, including purchased followers, engagement manipulation, automated bots, click farms, or artificial reach inflation.

HomestayBuddy reserves the right to approve, reject, suspend, or remove any Creator from the Program at its sole discretion, at any time and without obligation to provide reasons.

PART B — CREATOR MEMBERSHIP TIERS AND SUBSCRIPTION

3. Creator Membership Plans

HomestayBuddy offers tiered membership plans for Creators participating in the Program. Membership tiers determine the level of access, priority, privileges, and support available to a Creator on the Platform.

3.1 Tier Structure

Feature	Free	Pro	Elite
Program access	Basic	Full	Full + Priority
Campaign applications per month	Up to 3	Unlimited	Unlimited
Premium Business access	✗	✗	✓
Priority matching algorithm	✗	Standard	Priority
Deal negotiation assistance	✗	Basic guidance	Full facilitation
Dedicated account manager	✗	✗	✓
Analytics and DQ score dashboard	Limited	Full	Full + Insights
Portfolio visibility to brands	Standard	Enhanced	Featured
Early access to new campaigns	✗	✓	✓
Verified Creator badge	✗	✓	✓
Community access	✓	✓	✓
Customer support	Standard	Priority email	Priority + Direct

Specific features, pricing, and availability of each tier are published at creatorconnect.homestaybuddy.com/membership-pricing and may be updated from time to time.

3.2 Free Tier

The Free Tier is available to all registered Creators at no charge, subject to the limitations in Clause 3.1. Free Tier Creators may apply to up to 3 campaigns per month and are matched to participating businesses through the standard discovery algorithm. HomestayBuddy makes no guarantee of campaign assignment or brand matching for Free Tier Creators.

3.3 Pro Subscription

The Pro Subscription is a paid monthly or annual plan providing enhanced visibility, unlimited campaign applications, early campaign access, a Verified Creator badge, and standard priority placement in HomestayBuddy’s matching algorithm.

Pro Subscribers receive:

Unlimited campaign applications across all standard categories on the Platform.
Enhanced portfolio visibility to registered businesses and accommodation providers on the Platform.
Early notification of new campaigns before they open to Free Tier Creators.
A Verified Creator badge on their public profile, subject to HomestayBuddy’s verification criteria being met and maintained.
Priority email support from HomestayBuddy’s creator support team.
Access to rate benchmarks, campaign brief guidance, and standardised deliverable templates published on the Platform.

3.4 Elite Subscription

The Elite Subscription is HomestayBuddy’s premium creator plan for professional creators seeking priority access to the Platform’s highest-value campaigns and registered premium accommodation businesses.

Elite Subscribers receive all Pro benefits, plus:

(a) Premium Business Access
Priority discovery and matching with HomestayBuddy’s registered premium small accommodation businesses and high-value brand partners listed on the Platform.

(b) Priority Algorithm Placement
Elite Creators are ranked above Pro and Free Tier Creators in HomestayBuddy’s campaign matching and discovery engine, where campaign requirements and profile relevance permit. This placement is algorithmic and relative — it does not guarantee selection for any specific campaign.

(c) Dedicated Account Manager
Each Elite Subscriber is assigned a named HomestayBuddy account manager serving as a single point of contact for campaign coordination, profile optimisation, deliverable planning, and Platform support, subject to business hours and reasonable workload capacity.

(d) Deal Negotiation Assistance
HomestayBuddy provides active deal facilitation support to Elite Creators, including:

Review of campaign briefs and identification of key deliverable terms.
Guidance on fair compensation benchmarks based on Platform data for comparable campaigns.
Assistance structuring and articulating the Creator’s deliverable scope, timelines, and rate expectations.
Support communicating Creator requirements to registered businesses through the Platform’s facilitation tools.

This is a platform facilitation service only. It does not constitute legal, financial, or contractual advice. HomestayBuddy acts as a neutral facilitator, not as the Creator’s legal representative or agent. The Creator remains solely responsible for all agreements entered into with businesses and for all negotiation outcomes.

(e) Featured Portfolio Placement
Elite Creators’ profiles are featured prominently in HomestayBuddy’s brand-facing discovery interface, increasing visibility to businesses actively seeking creators on the Platform.

(f) Full Analytics and Insights Dashboard
Access to the complete DQ score dashboard, performance trend analysis, audience insight reports, campaign ROI summaries, and engagement benchmarking tools available on the Platform.

(g) Exclusive Campaign Access
First and exclusive access to select campaigns, hosted experiences, and premium collaboration opportunities reserved solely for Elite Subscribers and not made available to Free or Pro Tier Creators.

3.5 Subscription Fees and Billing

(a) Fees
Subscription fees for Pro and Elite plans are published at creatorconnect.homestaybuddy.com/membership-pricing. All fees are stated in Indian Rupees (INR) unless otherwise specified. Current pricing is displayed before completing any purchase.

(b) Billing Cycle
Subscriptions are available on a monthly or annual basis as selected at the time of purchase. Annual subscriptions may be offered at a discounted rate.

(c) Advance Payment
Subscription fees are billed in advance at the start of each billing period and are due immediately upon billing.

(d) Auto-Renewal
Subscriptions automatically renew at the end of each billing period at the then-current published rate unless cancelled before the renewal date. HomestayBuddy will send a renewal reminder at least 7 days before processing the renewal charge. Failure to receive this reminder does not waive the auto-renewal obligation.

(e) Price Changes
HomestayBuddy will provide at least 30 days’ written notice of any fee increase via email to the Creator’s registered address. New pricing takes effect at the next renewal date following the notice period. Continued subscription after the effective date constitutes acceptance of revised fees.

(f) Payment Methods
Accepted payment methods include credit card, debit card, UPI, net banking, and any other method displayed on the Platform at the time of purchase. Payments are processed by HomestayBuddy’s third-party payment processor, and the Creator agrees to be bound by the applicable processor’s terms.

(g) Failed Payments
If a payment fails, HomestayBuddy will notify the Creator by email and allow a 7-day grace period to update payment details. If payment is not received within 30 days of the original failure, the subscription will be automatically downgraded to the Free Tier and all paid features suspended until payment is resolved.

3.6 Upgrades and Downgrades

(a) Upgrades take effect immediately upon payment. The Creator will be charged the prorated difference for the remainder of the current billing period.

(b) Downgrades take effect at the start of the next billing period. No refund is issued for unused days of the current period.

(c) Cancellation may be initiated at any time through Account settings or by contacting support@homestaybuddy.in. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. The Creator retains access to paid features until that date, after which the account reverts to the Free Tier.

3.7 Subscription Refund Policy

(a) General Rule
All subscription fees are non-refundable except as expressly stated in this Clause 3.7.

(b) Limited Exceptions
A refund may be considered solely in the following circumstances:

Platform unavailability exceeding 72 consecutive hours due to HomestayBuddy’s direct fault — a pro-rata daily refund for the period beyond 72 hours, excluding scheduled maintenance and third-party outages.
An unauthorised charge from an account security breach or processing error, reported within 60 days of the charge.
A technical double-billing error, reported within 30 days.
A first-time subscriber within 14 days of initial subscription whose experience is materially different from HomestayBuddy’s official published plan descriptions.
HomestayBuddy terminates the Creator’s subscription without cause — a pro-rata refund for unused days of the current billing period.

(c) Expressly Non-Refundable
Unused subscription time from voluntary cancellation or downgrade; fees for periods during which the account was suspended for breach; fees for completed billing periods; and subscriptions terminated by HomestayBuddy for cause.

(d) Refund Process
Contact support@homestaybuddy.in with full transaction details and supporting evidence. HomestayBuddy will review requests within 10 business days and process approved refunds within 14 business days to the original payment method.

3.8 Subscription Conduct Requirements

Subscription privileges are personal to the Creator and non-transferable. They may not be shared, resold, or used on behalf of any third party. HomestayBuddy reserves the right to downgrade or terminate a subscription without refund if the Creator provides false information to qualify for a tier, abuses subscription benefits, or violates any provision of this Agreement.

3.9 No Guarantee of Outcomes

Subscription to a paid tier increases a Creator’s visibility, algorithmic priority, and access to facilitation services but does not guarantee:

Assignment to any specific campaign, business, or brand.
A minimum number of campaigns, collaborations, or earnings in any billing period.
Any specific level of compensation, deal terms, or negotiation outcome.
Continued availability of any specific Platform feature, integration, or third-party service.

HomestayBuddy makes no warranties regarding the commercial results a Creator will achieve through any tier of subscription.

PART C — CREATOR OBLIGATIONS

4. Content Delivery and Professional Conduct

4.1 Content Delivery

Creators agree to produce and deliver content in accordance with campaign briefs, timelines, quality standards, and any other specifications communicated by HomestayBuddy or the relevant registered business on the Platform.

4.2 Authentic Representation

Creators must accurately represent all locations, experiences, accommodations, products, and services featured in their content. Content must reflect genuine, first-hand experiences and must not be misleading, fabricated, or exaggerated in any respect.

4.3 Professional Conduct

Creators shall treat hosts, businesses, partners, travellers, local communities, and HomestayBuddy representatives with professionalism and respect at all times — including before, during, and after travel or campaign participation.

4.4 Legal Compliance

Creators must comply with all applicable laws, regulations, advertising disclosure requirements, intellectual property laws, privacy laws, data protection laws, and the platform policies of all social media networks on which they publish content, including but not limited to guidelines issued by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and any applicable FTC Endorsement Guides.

4.5 Non-Deceptive Practices

Creators shall not:

Publish misleading, false, or unsubstantiated claims about any product, service, or experience.
Manipulate reviews or ratings.
Create fake testimonials or fabricated endorsements.
Misrepresent their campaign participation status.
Artificially inflate performance metrics, engagement figures, or audience demographics through any means.

5. Advertising Disclosures

Creators must clearly and conspicuously disclose all material connections, sponsorships, and paid or incentivised relationships as required by applicable law and platform policy. Required disclosures may include:

#Ad · #Sponsored · #HostedStay · #HomestayBuddyPartner

or such other disclosures as required by law or directed by HomestayBuddy. Creators are solely responsible for ensuring disclosures are legally compliant in all jurisdictions where content is published or accessible.

6. AI-Generated Content

Creators may not submit AI-generated content as authentic, first-hand travel experiences. Any use of AI tools in production or enhancement of content must be disclosed to HomestayBuddy prior to submission. HomestayBuddy reserves the right to reject AI-generated or AI-enhanced submissions at its sole discretion.

PART D — INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

7. Ownership and Assignment of Content

7.1 Work Made for Hire

All content created by the Creator in connection with the Program shall, to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law, be considered a work made for hire belonging exclusively to HomestayBuddy from the moment of creation whether created before, during, or after travel; during paid, unpaid, sponsored, volunteer, or hosted engagements; or at any stage from brief through post-production.

7.2 Irrevocable Assignment

To the extent any content does not qualify as a work made for hire, the Creator hereby irrevocably assigns, transfers, and conveys to HomestayBuddy all rights, title, and interest worldwide, including:

Copyrights and neighbouring rights
Database rights and design rights
Trademark rights and publicity rights
Adaptation, translation, and derivative work rights
Broadcasting, distribution, and licensing rights
All renewals, extensions, and reversions of the above

This assignment is perpetual, exclusive, worldwide, irrevocable, and royalty-free.

7.3 Scope of Content Covered

“Content” includes without limitation: photographs · drone footage · reels · shorts · stories · TikTok videos · YouTube videos · livestream recordings · audio recordings · blogs · reviews · testimonials · captions · travel journals · written articles · voiceovers · graphics · logos created for campaigns · edited versions · raw and unedited files · source files · project files · metadata · AI-assisted outputs · and behind-the-scenes material.

7.4 Waiver of Moral Rights

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Creator waives all moral rights, rights of attribution, rights of integrity, and any similar rights in and to the Content, in favour of HomestayBuddy and its licensees, successors, and assigns.

7.5 Exclusive Ownership

HomestayBuddy is the sole and exclusive owner of all Content produced under this Program. The Creator acknowledges that no ownership rights in such Content are retained by them upon creation.

8. Commercial Exploitation

HomestayBuddy may use Content for any commercial or non-commercial purpose in any medium or technology now known or later developed, including: advertising · marketing · social media · print publications · television · OTT and streaming platforms · mobile applications · websites · press releases · investor materials · educational programs · affiliate campaigns · tourism promotions · partner promotions · and licensing arrangements — without further notice, approval, or compensation unless separately agreed in writing.

9. Raw Files

Upon HomestayBuddy’s request, the Creator must promptly provide all original files, including RAW photographs, unedited video footage, project and source files, audio recordings, and source documents. Failure to provide requested files within a reasonable time may result in suspension, termination, and/or withholding of compensation.

10. Creator Portfolio and Content Restrictions

Without prior written authorisation from HomestayBuddy, the Creator may not sell, license, reassign, commercially exploit, mint as NFTs, or authorise any third-party use of Program Content. Creators may share approved, published Content on their personal social media profiles for portfolio and personal promotional purposes only

PART E — COMPENSATION AND TAXES

13. Compensation

Compensation may include cash payments, travel reimbursements, hosted stays, merchandise, vouchers, incentives, or recognition awards. Specific compensation terms will be communicated on a per-campaign basis.

Participation in one campaign does not guarantee participation in or compensation for any future campaign.

HomestayBuddy reserves the right to withhold compensation where deliverables are incomplete, non-compliant, fraudulent, or materially deficient.

13.1 Payment Triggers

Campaign compensation is released upon the occurrence of one or more of the following, as specified in the applicable campaign brief:

Approval of script or content outline by the registered business.
Submission and approval of final content by the registered business.
Publication of content on the Creator’s specified platform(s).
Completion of all campaign deliverables and sign-off by the registered business.
Achievement of agreed performance milestones, where applicable.
Mutual agreement between the registered business and the Creator, facilitated through the Platform.

13.2 Payment Processing

HomestayBuddy facilitates payments between registered businesses and Creators through the Platform’s credit system. HomestayBuddy acts solely as a limited payment facilitator and is not a party to any agreement between the Creator and a registered business. HomestayBuddy does not guarantee payment from any business and assumes no liability for payment disputes. All payment disputes must be resolved directly between the Creator and the registered business concerned.

13.3 Processing Time

Creator payments are processed within 5 to 10 business days after all trigger conditions have been confirmed as met on the Platform.

13.4 Minimum Payout Threshold

Creators may be required to meet a minimum payout balance before initiating a withdrawal. The applicable threshold is displayed in the Creator’s account dashboard on the Platform and may be updated from time to time.

13.5 Payment Methods

Creator payments are made via bank transfer, UPI, or other methods offered on the Platform at the time of payment. The Creator is responsible for maintaining accurate and current payment details in their account.

13.6 Withholding

HomestayBuddy may withhold payments where it suspects fraud, a breach of this Agreement, or illegal activity, pending investigation and resolution.

14. Taxes

Creators are solely responsible for all income tax, GST, and other tax obligations arising from their participation in the Program, including all earnings received through the Platform and subscription fees paid. This includes all applicable reporting and filing requirements in the Creator’s jurisdiction.

HomestayBuddy is not a tax advisor and does not provide tax advice. Creators should consult a qualified tax professional regarding their specific obligations. HomestayBuddy may withhold taxes from Creator payments as required by applicable law and will provide necessary tax documentation where legally required.

PART F — CONFIDENTIALITY

15. Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure

Creators shall maintain strict confidentiality regarding all non-public information relating to HomestayBuddy disclosed during or in connection with their participation in the Program, including but not limited to:

Business operations, strategies, and plans
Partner, client, and host relationships
Campaign budgets and pricing information
Internal communications and correspondence
Platform technology, algorithms, and proprietary tools
Marketing plans, campaign strategies, and trade secrets
Any information shared by HomestayBuddy’s account managers or support team in the course of providing subscription services

15.1 Permitted Disclosures

The confidentiality obligation does not apply to information that:

Is or becomes publicly available through no breach of this Agreement by the Creator.
Was already in the Creator’s lawful possession before disclosure by HomestayBuddy, without any confidentiality obligation attached.
Is independently developed by the Creator without reference to HomestayBuddy’s confidential information.
Is required to be disclosed by law, court order, or regulatory authority — in which case the Creator shall give HomestayBuddy prompt prior written notice where legally permissible and cooperate in seeking a protective order.

15.2 Survival

Confidentiality obligations under this clause survive termination of participation indefinitely, or until such information lawfully enters the public domain through no act or omission of the Creator.

PART G — CONDUCT AND COMPLIANCE

16. Brand Safety and Morality

HomestayBuddy may terminate a Creator’s participation immediately and without notice if the Creator:

Promotes, incites, or engages in hate speech, violence, harassment, bullying, or discrimination of any kind.
Engages in, is charged with, or is convicted of any criminal activity.
Publishes content that, in HomestayBuddy’s sole determination, damages the reputation of the Program, its partners, registered businesses, or HomestayBuddy.
Engages in conduct on or off the Platform that is materially inconsistent with HomestayBuddy’s brand safety standards.

The determination of what constitutes reputational harm or brand safety risk shall be made solely at HomestayBuddy’s discretion.

17. Non-Circumvention

During the Creator’s participation in the Program and for a period of 12 months following the end of participation for any reason, the Creator shall not directly solicit, approach, or engage with any partner, host, or registered business introduced to the Creator through the Platform for substantially similar content, marketing, or collaboration arrangements, without HomestayBuddy’s prior written consent.

This restriction does not apply to:

Pre-existing relationships with a business that the Creator can demonstrate were established before any connection through the Platform.
Relationships formed through channels entirely independent of the Platform, with clear and documented evidence of such independent formation.

Violation of this clause may result in immediate termination of participation, forfeiture of outstanding compensation, and liability for damages suffered by HomestayBuddy.

PART H — LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION

18. Indemnification

The Creator agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless HomestayBuddy, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents, platform partners, and service providers from and against all claims, losses, damages, liabilities, penalties, judgments, settlements, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from or relating to:

Breach of any provision of this Agreement.
Copyright infringement, defamation, or privacy violations arising from the Creator’s content or conduct.
Misrepresentation, false claims, or misleading endorsements.
Failure to comply with advertising disclosure requirements under applicable law.
Fake followers, engagement manipulation, or metric fraud.
Breach of any exclusivity or non-compete arrangement with a registered business.
Content that violates the platform policies of any social media network on which it is published.
Any illegal, fraudulent, or improper conduct by the Creator on or off the Platform.

HomestayBuddy reserves the right to assume exclusive control of the defence of any matter subject to indemnification by the Creator, in which case the Creator agrees to cooperate fully with HomestayBuddy’s defence and not to settle any claim without HomestayBuddy’s prior written consent.

19. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, HomestayBuddy shall not be liable to the Creator for any indirect, incidental, special, punitive, exemplary, or consequential damages arising from participation in the Program or from the use of any subscription tier, including but not limited to loss of income, loss of business opportunity, loss of data, or reputational damage.

HomestayBuddy’s total aggregate liability to a Creator in connection with any campaign, subscription period, or series of related events shall not exceed the greater of:

The total compensation paid or payable to the Creator for the specific campaign giving rise to the claim; or
The total subscription fees paid by the Creator to HomestayBuddy in the 3 months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim.

19.1 Exceptions

The foregoing limitations do not apply to:

Death or personal injury caused by HomestayBuddy’s gross negligence.
Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation by HomestayBuddy.
Any liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable Indian law.

PART I — TERMINATION

20. Termination by HomestayBuddy

HomestayBuddy may suspend or terminate a Creator’s participation in the Program, including any active subscription, immediately and without prior notice in the event of:

Breach of any provision of this Agreement.
Misconduct, fraudulent activity, or misrepresentation.
Illegal activity or criminal conduct.
Conduct that is detrimental to HomestayBuddy, its registered businesses, partners, or any third party.
Repeated violations of platform policies of social media networks.
A regulatory order requiring such action.

HomestayBuddy may also terminate a Creator’s participation without cause by providing 30 days’ written notice to the Creator’s registered email address. In the event of termination without cause, HomestayBuddy will issue a pro-rata refund of any unused subscription fees for the current billing period, calculated as (days remaining ÷ total days in the period) × subscription fee paid.

21. Effect of Termination

Upon termination of participation for any reason:

All access to the Platform, including campaign tools, analytics dashboards, account manager services, and deal facilitation features, is revoked immediately.
Any unused credits or campaign compensation held pending delivery of outstanding deliverables shall be dealt with in accordance with the applicable campaign terms.
Subscriptions and recurring billing are cancelled, and payment methods are removed from the Platform.
The Creator’s public profile is removed from HomestayBuddy’s brand-facing discovery interface.

Termination does not affect any of the following, which survive termination indefinitely:

All intellectual property rights transferred or assigned to HomestayBuddy under this Agreement.
Confidentiality obligations under Part F.
Indemnification obligations under Part H.
Non-circumvention obligations under Clause 17, for the full 12-month period from the date of termination.
Dispute resolution and governing law provisions under Part J.

22. Termination by Creator

A Creator may withdraw from the Program at any time by cancelling their subscription through Account settings and notifying HomestayBuddy at support@homestaybuddy.in. Withdrawal takes effect at the end of the current billing period. The Creator remains bound by all obligations under this Agreement that survive termination, including confidentiality, non-circumvention, and intellectual property assignment, regardless of whether the withdrawal is voluntary or involuntary.

PART J — DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND GOVERNING LAW

23. Dispute Resolution

23.1 Good-Faith Negotiation

The Parties agree to first attempt to resolve any dispute arising out of or in connection with this Agreement through good-faith written negotiations. Either Party may initiate this process by sending written notice to the other describing the nature of the dispute and a proposed resolution. The receiving Party shall respond within 30 days of receipt of such notice.

HomestayBuddy legal contact: legal@homestaybuddy.in

23.2 Mediation

If the dispute is not resolved through negotiation within 30 days of the initial notice, the Parties agree to attempt mediation before proceeding to arbitration. Mediation shall be conducted:

By a mutually agreed mediator or, failing agreement within 15 days, a mediator appointed by the Indian Council of Arbitration.
In Mumbai, India.
With each Party bearing its own costs and sharing the mediator’s fees equally.

23.3 Binding Arbitration

If mediation does not resolve the dispute within 60 days of commencement, the dispute shall be submitted to binding arbitration under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, as amended, on the following terms:

Arbitrator: A single arbitrator mutually appointed by the Parties, or, failing agreement within 15 days, appointed by the Mumbai High Court.
Seat and Venue: Mumbai, India.
Language: English.
Governing Law: Laws of India.
Award: Final and binding on both Parties. Judgment on the award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

23.4 Interim Relief

Nothing in this clause prevents either Party from seeking urgent injunctive or interim relief from a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent irreparable harm, including in respect of intellectual property rights or confidentiality obligations, pending the outcome of arbitration.

23.5 Individual Disputes Only

All disputes shall be resolved on an individual basis only. The Creator expressly waives any right to bring or participate in any class action, class arbitration, or representative proceeding against HomestayBuddy.

24. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India, without regard to conflict of law principles. Courts located in Mumbai, Maharashtra shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any matter not subject to arbitration under this Agreement.

PART K — GENERAL PROVISIONS

25. Modifications to this Agreement

HomestayBuddy reserves the right to modify this Agreement at any time. The Creator will be notified of material changes via email to their registered address or through a notice posted on the Platform. Continued participation in the Program or continued use of a paid subscription after the effective date of any modification constitutes the Creator’s acceptance of the revised terms. If the Creator does not agree to a modification, they must cancel their subscription and cease participation before the modification takes effect.

26. Entire Agreement

This Agreement, together with any campaign briefs, order forms, or supplementary terms issued by HomestayBuddy in connection with specific campaigns, constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the Creator’s participation in the Program and supersedes all prior discussions, representations, and understandings, whether oral or written.

27. Severability

If any provision of this Agreement is found to be unenforceable or invalid under applicable law, that provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable. All remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

28. No Waiver

HomestayBuddy’s failure to enforce any provision of this Agreement at any time shall not constitute a waiver of that provision or of HomestayBuddy’s right to enforce it in the future. Any waiver must be in writing and signed by an authorised representative of HomestayBuddy.

29. Assignment

The Creator may not assign, transfer, or delegate any rights or obligations under this Agreement without HomestayBuddy’s prior written consent. HomestayBuddy may assign this Agreement, in whole or in part, to any affiliate or successor entity without the Creator’s consent.

30. Limitation Period

Any claim or cause of action arising under this Agreement must be initiated within 1 year of the date on which the claim arose, failing which it shall be permanently barred, notwithstanding any other limitation period under applicable law.

31. Contact

Purpose	Contact
Legal and compliance matters	legal@homestaybuddy.in
Creator support and subscription queries	support@homestaybuddy.in
Intellectual property claims	legal@homestaybuddy.in
Community and informal discussions	community.homestaybuddy.in

Official support is provided exclusively through support@homestaybuddy.in. Community discussions and Discord communications are informal and do not constitute official HomestayBuddy representations or commitments.

ACCEPTANCE

By submitting an application, registering on the Platform, subscribing to any membership tier, participating in any campaign, accepting any Program benefit, or submitting or creating any content through the Program, the Creator confirms that they have read, understood, and agreed to this Agreement in its entirety, including all Parts A through K.

HomestayBuddy Creator Connect Program · homestaybuddy.in · creatorconnect.homestaybuddy.com