Nepal’s Community Homestay Network Wins Global Startup Competition

Kathmandu. Nepal’s Community Homestay Network has emerged victorious in the SDG-8 Good Work and Economic Growth category under the Global Startup Competition for Tourism Transformation organized by UNWTO.

About 10,000 preliminary proposals participated in the competition, which was supported by the United Nations Innovation Network. From these proposals, 25 winning jury members from 18 countries have been selected to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by highlighting the potential of diverse talents in the global tourism sector.

The jury, comprising expert leaders from the global tourism sector, evaluated the startups’ potential to contribute to the SADG special goal, their ability to scale-up, and the maturity of both the product and its management team.

Of the 25 global winners who have made significant contributions to the progress of the SDGs, the United States has taken the lead in submitting proposals along with nine competing winners. Europe has eight winners, six from Asia and the Pacific, and one each from Africa and the Middle East.

Shiva Prasad Dhakal, founder of Community Homestay Network (CHN), said, “It is a great honor for the entire CHN team and our nation to be honored by a prestigious organization like UNWTA for its campaign to establish Nepal as a leading and exemplary destination for community-based tourism.”

He said that community based tourism has become a reliable medium to highlight the immense tourism dimension of Nepal. He said that it could be a model product to provide original local experience in rural and emerging tourist destinations and to unleash tourism potential across the country.

“We need to adopt sustainable and responsible practices in its operation and management,” he said.