Promoting Local Ownership and Leadership
Local communities are the foundation of a CBT experience . These experiences include residing with locals in homestays and lodges and witnessing cultural performances , but the process of strengthening CBT goes further than just that . To truly strengthen CBT , one must make sure to include and engage minorities , youths , women , and other historically marginalized groups .
Tour operators or destination management companies need to collaborate , create partnerships and take action with local communities . This in turn diversifies experiences and promotes lesser-known areas while also providing job opportunities and leadership skills . Based on the experience of Community Homestay Network ( CHN ), the hosts , especially women , have expressed an increased sense of resilience , the ability to lead various initiatives inside and outside their communities , and financial independence since joining the homestay programme .
Women from the Panauti community homestay and the Mai Pokhari community homestay have expressed a palpable sense of improvement in their lives . Managing and operating community homestays has also helped them gain more respect from their communities as they have become increasingly financially independent .
While the COVID-19 pandemic had many negative impacts on tourism , the economic pause also showed that CBT has helped locals strengthen their entrepreneurial skills , and given them the insight to venture into new businesses . Anjana Shrestha , a Community Homestay host in Panauti , managed to turn her hobby into a business during the first wave of the pandemic .
Shrestha shared that “ the pandemic allowed [ her ] to diversify [ her ] income and start an online business of making masks and scrunchies .”
Another community homestay in Shree Antu , Ilam , was also working to rebuild its infrastructure better during the pandemic pause . Pramila Rai Magar from the Shree Antu Community Homestay shared that “ it is
“ This in turn diversifies experiences and promotes lesser-known areas while also providing job opportunities and leadership skills .”
Local craftsman at work . Photo by RMT .
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