The Community Homestay Network has been set up to bring tourism to Nepal responsibly and sustainably, and to help build an entrepreneurial journey for the local communities we work with, significantly benefitting the women, youths, and marginalised communities while safeguarding the local culture and tradition. 

How Does Community Homestay Work with The Local Communities?

The Community Homestay Network (CHN) promotes responsible community tourism in Nepal, collaborating with communities to co-create tourism offerings to build and support their entrepreneurial journey, particularly for women, youth, and marginalised groups, while safeguarding their culture and traditions. CHN dedicates its efforts to strengthening the economic benefits through community homestays and related experiences to the communities in its network. We encourage women to take the lead in managing tourism activities via homestays and gain financial independence, confidence, and new skills.  This initiative fosters social and community development, enhances cultural exchange, and creates mutual benefits for travellers and hosts. By collaborating with the communities and various impact partners, CHN helps women break biases and engage in economic activities, leading to greater social empowerment and cultural awareness. We continually engage with local communities through practical and innovative training programs to build their capacity for tourism and hospitality. Tailored training packages, developed in close coordination with community members, cover key areas such as social media and digital marketing, hospitality, basics of tourism, sustainable practices, gender equality and inclusion, child protection, and animal welfare policies. This comprehensive training helps women effectively interact with guests, exchange ideas and culture, and manage tourism activities, ensuring communities are well-equipped to offer authentic and responsible tourism experiences.

Impact Stories

Meet  Poonam. She grew up in Panauti, a small town in the Kathmandu Valley. In 2012, a woman set up the first homestay. A year later, with the help of Royal Mountain Travel, she was joined by ten more women, including Poonam’s mother. Though the women were shy at the start because they could not speak English well, Poonam helped as a translator with their foreign guests. She studied business and finance at the university in the city in the mornings. In the afternoons, she helped by showing guests around the town and telling them about the local community. 

One day, during a big event that was occurring in Panauti, Celline da Costa, a writer from Forbes magazine, was among the visitors. Impressed by Poonam’s skills, she wrote a story for herself. After Royal Mountain Travel got wind of her potential, they offered her a job at the company, and she became the first employee of the Community Homestay Network. She now holds the title: “COO”.

Gender Policy of Community Homestay Network (CHN)

Commitment to Gender Equality

At Community Homestay Network (CHN), we believe that gender equality is fundamental to building resilient and inclusive communities. As an organization working closely with women entrepreneurs, marginalized groups, and youth, we are dedicated to creating equal opportunities and fostering an environment where everyone can thrive—regardless of gender.

Empowering Women Through Tourism

CHN actively challenges traditional gender norms by empowering women in rural and urban communities through sustainable tourism. We ensure that women are given the platform, skills, and financial independence to become leaders in tourism and hospitality. Our initiatives include:

Economic Empowerment – Providing women opportunities to run homestays, manage tourism activities, and generate sustainable incomes.

Leadership & Training – Offering hospitality, business management, and digital literacy skill-building programs to enhance confidence and self-reliance.

Equal Pay & Opportunities – Ensuring fair wages and equal access to leadership roles across all levels of the organization and community-based tourism enterprises.

Ensuring a Safe and Inclusive Workplace

CHN is committed to upholding a safe, diverse, and inclusive environment where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. We implement policies that ensure:

Zero Tolerance for Discrimination & Harassment – CHN strictly prohibits any form of discrimination, harassment, or gender-based violence in the workplace and community.

Work-Life Balance – Offering paid maternity and paternity leave, flexible working arrangements, and supportive family-friendly policies.

Gender Sensitivity Training – Conduct regular awareness programs to educate staff, homestay hosts, and local stakeholders on gender equity and inclusion.

Advocating for Systemic Change

CHN recognizes that achieving gender equality extends beyond economic opportunities. We are committed to:

Breaking Gender Stereotypes – Encouraging women to take leadership positions in traditionally male-dominated roles within tourism and business.

Collaboration for Change – Partnering with government bodies, NGOs, and local communities to advocate for gender-inclusive policies and practices.

Representation in Decision-Making – Ensuring that women’s voices are included in key local, regional, and national decision-making processes.

A Future of Equality and Inclusion

At CHN, gender equality is not just a policy but a core value guiding our mission. By integrating gender-responsive strategies into our work, we aim to create a more inclusive, equitable, and empowered society where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

Together, we can break barriers, challenge norms, and build a future where gender equality is a reality for all.

Our Impact

Impact Roadmap