February , 2024
Rajju Lal Maskey
Rajju Lal Maskey , the General Manager at Royal Mountain Travel , is a seasoned professional in the tourism industry with a strong focus on communitydriven initiatives . With extensive experience , he excels in trip designing , emphasizing responsible tourism practices . Rajju Lal actively contributes to B2B partnerships and in shaping journeys that prioritize the well-being of local communities . The way in which he views the positive impact and transformative potential is responsible tourism nourishes his ability to build bridges between the company and local communities , as well as implement training programs that expand the capacities of the hosts .
Maya Khan
Maya has a Bachelors in English Literature and Creative Writing , and is currently pursuing Masters in Translation . Joining her expertise on the technicalities of language and writing with her passion for Nepal and Himalayan cultures , her work as the editor of Inside Himalayas is a perfect amalgamation of her skills and interests . While she was not well versed in the many nuances of the travel industry and Community-Based Tourism prior to her work for Inside Himalayas , she quickly learned the value of this approach to travel . Having followed the world of the arts for a long time , the similarities between the ethics of CBT and traveling for the sake of research or artistic pursuit piqued her interest . Her contributions to this edition include a comparison between CBT and responsible filmmaking in remote Himalayan regions , along with interviews on the tourism industry .
Aayusha Prasain
Aayusha brings a depth of experience working in international institutions , research firms and nongovernment organizations in Nepal . After obtaining her master ’ s degree in International Development with a specialization in rural and regional development from Nagoya University in Japan , Aayusha made the conscious decision to return to Nepal and contribute to rural development . Now serving as the CEO of Community Homestay Network , she is focused on strengthening the organization ’ s capabilities and streamlining and scaling the impact through tourism across communities . For Aayusha , it is high time to shift the narratives from who benefits from tourism to who bears the costs of tourism , be it socio-economic or environmental , and how community / sustainable tourism should not be confined to a niche market but should be embraced by all components of the tourism sector to ensure a sustainable future for the local residents , the travelers and travel industry .
Poonam Prakash Gupta Shrestha
Poonam works as the Chief Operating Officer in Community Homestay Network , overseeing daily operations , legal compliances and strategic partnerships . Native to the ancient town of Panauti , she first started her work in the tourism sector as a translator for her own mother ’ s venture , Panauti Community Homestay . This is when she discovered the joys of connecting with international visitors and building bridges with hosts . She seized the opportunity to work with Royal Mountain Travel and CHN in the role of Community Coordinator , and since then , she has found immense value in community driven tourism and its power to transform lives . She has had a pivotal role in the company when it comes to developing B2B partnerships , designing capacity-building training programs , and fostering smooth communication between the company and the communities .
6 www . insidehimalayas . com by Royal Mountain Travel