It was CEO Aayusha Prasain's first time attending World Travel Market (WTM) London, held at ExCeL London from 4–6 November 2025 — and it proved to be an eventful, inspiring experience from start to finish, one that made her feel part of a larger community dedicated to rethinking tourism and shaping it in meaningful ways.
Representing both Community Homestay Network and Nepal, Aayusha took part across multiple platforms throughout the week. She joined panel discussions at the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) Global Awards and Summit — including "Creating Shared Value" and WTM's "When Places Speak Back" — and co-organized, alongside the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), a cultural evening titled "Celebrating Nepal" at Gulmi Restaurant & Bar, London. The gathering highlighted authentic community stories, diverse gastronomy, and emerging tourism destinations — from Dhankuta to Bhada and Bardiya — bringing together travel professionals, media, influencers, and tourism enthusiasts to exchange insights on responsible and community-based tourism, with an emphasis on cultural preservation, local empowerment, and inclusive growth. The week also brought a proud milestone: CHN won the ICRT Global Silver Award for Local Sourcing.
Beyond the panels and recognition, what continued to fuel Aayusha even after returning to Kathmandu was the people and organizations she met along the way — whether in formal sessions, informal conversations, or on a walking tour with Unseen Tours. Their shared passion for responsible tourism, and the ways travel intersects with entrepreneurship, community empowerment, and environmental stewardship, was striking. Community and responsible tourism are often dismissed as niche or a "feel-good" option, but the depth of conversation at WTM — from keynote speeches to panel discussions — was a reminder of tourism's real potential to create lasting, positive impact.
Three reflections stood out from the week:
We are navigating new opportunities. As one speaker put it, this is the moment for the industry to actively shape the tourism narrative together, rather than simply follow it.
Collaboration is essential. Climate action, gender equality, inclusivity, and job creation cannot happen in isolation. Tourism is strongest when local communities, governments, implementation partners, tour operators, DMCs, and policymakers — working across local, national, and global networks — come together. This collaboration cannot come from the travel industry alone; it must be cross-sectoral, drawing in multiple industries and stakeholders.
Responsible tourism belongs at the center, not the periphery. It cannot remain a band-aid or a feel-good initiative — cross-sector collaboration must turn it into a foundation and a norm.
For Community Homestay Network, WTM London 2025 was both a celebration of Nepal's community tourism story on a global stage and a renewed source of energy heading into 2026.