Global Community Tourism Network

Meet Romana Tomić from Association Deša Dubrovnik

Deša is a non-governmental organization that has been active since the beginning of the Homeland War in 1991. It was created as a space where women could support one another through the challenges they were facing, and over time, they began developing a small handicraft business together.

What started as a grassroots initiative has grown into a women’s centre where skills, knowledge, and cultural traditions continue to be shared and sustained.

When visiting Deša, travellers are invited to learn about the local history while experiencing weaving, embroidery, traditional delicacies, and patchwork.

But for Romana, these visits go far beyond demonstrations.

Romana has been part of Deša since the very beginning. She often says the women there helped raise and inspire her. When she speaks with visitors, she shares not only the history of the organization but her own journey, from its early days to what it represents today.

When she talks about their wartime and post-war experiences, many travellers are deeply moved. There are moments of silence, of tears, and also of connection.

“We share stories, emotions, and sometimes even hugs,” she says. “Those moments stay with me, and I believe they stay with the visitors too.”

Romana Tomić Association Deša Dubrovnik (Croatia)

Although it can be difficult to revisit these experiences, Romana is grateful that people are willing to listen. For her, these conversations are also a way of processing and healing, a reminder that sharing can create understanding.

Today, she takes particular pride in speaking about what Deša has built over the years, especially the ongoing work to strengthen support networks for women.

Through conversations with visitors, she is often reminded that many challenges and efforts toward dignity and safety are shared across different parts of the world.

And then there’s what she calls her “secret mission”: helping younger generations connect with and appreciate their cultural heritage.

In truth, she enjoys sharing every part of the work Deša continues to do.

Romana is proud of what Deša represents, a space shaped by the women who built it, and one that continues to evolve with them.

Stories like Romana’s show how community tourism can create space for connection, understanding, and shared experiences.

When Wild Horses Became an Opportunity: A Story of Coexistence in Italy

In the Aveto Valley in northern Italy, a small population of wild horses once sparked heated debate. For some residents and authorities, they were seen as a problem. Animals that did not belong in the landscape and posed risks to people and agriculture.

For Evelina Isola, the story looked different.

As a naturalist, she was curious about a simple question: what if the horses were not the problem?

Together with her colleague Paola Marinari, Evelina began exploring whether these animals could live in balance with the ecosystem that surrounded them, a protected natural park governed by the European Habitats Directive. What started as a question soon became a long journey that would reshape how people in the region understood wildlife, conservation, and the role tourism could play in supporting both.

Today, Evelina is the co-founder and scientific manager of ReWild Liguria, an organization dedicated to promoting coexistence between people and wildlife in the region. But the story began years earlier, at a time when the horses’ future was far from certain.

Evelina Isola
Co-founder and scientific manager, ReWild Liguria (Italy) — Evelina Isola Co-founder and scientific manager, ReWild Liguria (Italy)

From “problem” to possibility

The first turning point came in 2011. At the time, Paola was involved in a regional program aimed at removing the horses from the area. Authorities considered them dangerous, and capture operations had already begun. After a poaching incident and a series of problematic capture attempts, the Italian Ministry of Health intervened and halted the program.

Paola Marinari
Co-founder, ReWild Liguria (Italy) — Paola Marinari Co-founder, ReWild Liguria (Italy)

For Paola, the moment sparked a shift in perspective.

She began to question whether adoption programs and removals were really the solution. Instead, she wondered if the presence of the horses, widely seen as a problem, could actually become an opportunity for the territory.

When Evelina joined the conversation, the two decided to approach the situation from a scientific perspective. They began collaborating with universities and researchers to study the horses and their relationship with the surrounding environment.

The results were striking. The animals had fully adapted to the landscape and were living in balance with other wildlife species without causing ecological damage. Rather than threatening the ecosystem, they had become part of it.

That discovery laid the foundation for a different approach to conservation, one rooted not in removal, but in coexistence.

Building a project from the ground up

The idea that the horses could be part of the landscape did not immediately win widespread support.

For years, Evelina and Paola worked almost entirely on their own. The project had no institutional backing and very limited resources. In rural areas, some residents still viewed the horses as a problem, and at times the two women even received threats.

Yet something else was happening at the same time.

Visitors, researchers, and students began arriving in the valley, curious about the horses and the research taking place around them. Universities from across Italy showed growing interest in studying the population.

In 2014, Evelina and Paola formally registered the brand “I Cavalli Selvaggi dell’Aveto – Wild Horsewatching®”, creating a recognizable framework for their work and laying the groundwork for a new kind of nature-based tourism experience.

What began as scientific research gradually evolved into a project that connected conservation, education, and tourism.

When visitors become part of the story

Over time, the initiative started attracting students from a wide range of disciplines.

Researchers studying the horses were not limited to ecology or biology. Some focused on ethology, anthropology, environmental law, and even territorial marketing, exploring the broader relationship between wildlife, communities, and landscapes.

For Evelina, one moment in particular stands out.

During one of the early excursions in the valley, she guided two Natural Sciences students from the University of Genoa. At the time, she had no idea how meaningful the experience would become.

One of those students, Sara, was on the verge of leaving university. She had nearly decided not to finish her degree. But through the project — and her encounters with the horses — she found a renewed sense of purpose.

Sara eventually completed her studies and became one of the most dedicated students working with the project.

For Evelina, experiences like this reveal something deeper about the initiative.

“It’s not only about wildlife conservation,” she says. “It’s also about inspiring people and helping them rediscover their place in nature.”

Learning that coexistence is a social process

Through years of research and dialogue, Evelina has come to understand that coexistence between people and wildlife does not happen automatically.

Scientific studies are important. Communication and awareness matter as well.

But they are not enough on their own.

Coexistence requires listening to communities, creating space for different perspectives, and building dialogue around shared landscapes. It is, at its core, a social process.

This realization has shaped the work of Rewild Liguria and the development of Wild Horsewatching, which allows visitors to observe the horses in a respectful way while learning about the delicate balance between wildlife, ecosystems, and local communities.

Visitors who join these excursions are often surprised by what they discover.

Many arrive expecting to simply observe wild animals. Instead, they leave with a different perspective on their own relationship with nature.

A growing network of people and ideas

Today, Rewild Liguria is still a relatively small organization, but it is no longer just two people.

Students who conducted thesis research with the project have continued supporting the initiative after graduating. Some now work in fields such as natural sciences, biology, anthropology, and equine science, contributing their expertise and helping expand the project’s reach.

These collaborations have created a growing network of people connected to the Aveto Valley and its wild horses.

Looking ahead, Evelina hopes to strengthen partnerships with universities, organizations, and institutions at both the national and international level. Greater collaboration could allow the project to exchange knowledge, build new research initiatives, and access resources needed to expand its impact.

Creating opportunities through nature

While conservation remains central to the project, Evelina also sees potential for something more.

Rural communities across Europe are facing economic and demographic challenges, and many traditional livelihoods are disappearing. Initiatives like Wild Horsewatching could offer a different kind of opportunity, one rooted in respect for nature and local landscapes.

“My hope is that this work can create real opportunities for people who live in this area,” Evelina explains.

Not simply tourism for its own sake, but meaningful work connected to the natural environment.

Today, much of the project still relies on voluntary effort and personal dedication. Evelina hopes that in the coming years it can evolve into a stable professional pathway for people interested in promoting coexistence with wildlife through nature-based experiences.

Beyond economic opportunities, she believes the project can also help shift how people see wildlife.

In many rural areas, the return of wild animals is often perceived as a threat. Projects like this one show that coexistence is possible, and that wildlife can also become a cultural, educational, and economic resource for communities.

A message for visitors

For Evelina, the deeper purpose of the project goes beyond conservation or tourism.

When visitors return home, she hopes they remember one simple idea.

“We do not go into nature as something separate from it,” she says. “We are nature.”

The horses of the Aveto Valley offer a reminder that humans are only one part of a much larger system. Observing wildlife can help people reconnect with that understanding in a very direct way.

The project also carries another message.

Fifteen years ago, the idea of rewilding tourism in the valley was almost unheard of. Two women began asking questions about the horses with no resources and little institutional support.

Yet their curiosity and determination created something that continues to grow.

Meaningful change, Evelina believes, often begins with small steps, and with the courage to imagine a different relationship between people, communities, and the natural world.

Anyone, anywhere, can start that conversation.

How Tunisian Artisans are bringing tradition into the future

For generations, artisans across Tunisia have passed down skills through careful hands, patient work, and deep cultural knowledge. But in today’s world of mass production and global markets, these traditions can struggle to find space.

That challenge is exactly what inspired Noura Bent Taieb Rouis to help create the Rachaek Patrimoine Association.

The association was founded with a clear goal: to preserve artisanal heritage while helping artisans adapt to a changing world.

“Our goal was to modernize artisanal products and keep up with the times,” Noura explains. “At the same time, we wanted to introduce our cultural heritage and encourage investment in the creative skills of artisans.”

Noura Bent Taieb Rouis Rachaek Patrimoine Association (Tunisia)

For many artisans in the region, the challenge was not a lack of talent, but limited opportunities to share their work.

“Artisans had a limited audience and restricted sales,” she says. “This created a desire to expand and reach a broader market.”

The solution was collaboration. Artisans came together to create an association that could strengthen their collective voice and create new opportunities.

Bringing heritage to new audiences

For Noura, joining the association was about more than simply selling products.

“What attracted me was the aspiration to reach a distinguished level and expand the reach of our products,” she says.

Traditionally, artisans relied on small exhibitions or occasional markets. But through the association, they began exploring new ways to connect with audiences and showcase their work.

Visitors now have the opportunity to learn not only about the products themselves but about the stories behind them.

Noura takes particular pride in sharing the origins of the materials and techniques used in the crafts.

“I like explaining the sources of our raw materials and the heritage behind each piece,” she says.

For many visitors, these conversations transform a simple object into something far more meaningful: a connection to a living cultural tradition.

Passing knowledge to the next generation

While visitors are important, some of Noura’s favourite moments come from working with children in the community.

One memory stands out especially.

“Our events with children are always spontaneous and full of energy,” she says. “Their playful spirit inspires us to work even more with the rising generation.”

For artisans, passing knowledge to younger generations is essential to keeping traditions alive.

Workshops and events give children the chance to experience craft not just as something to observe, but something to participate in.

Strengthening craft through collaboration

Partnerships and external support have also played an important role in helping the association grow.

Through trainings and collaborations supported by partners such as Planeterra and Iberostar, the association has been able to strengthen both skills and confidence.

“These relationships helped us improve our knowledge and continue raising the quality of our work,” Noura says.

They also helped artisans rethink the role of their craft.

Instead of focusing only on selling products, the association began emphasizing the artistry, mastery, and cultural value behind each piece.

Quality over quantity

In a world full of mass-produced goods, Noura believes the true value of artisanal work lies in its uniqueness.

“Our focus is always on quality, not quantity,” she says.

While markets are filled with industrial products, the work created by artisans tells a different story.

“We use high-quality raw materials and craft each piece carefully,” she explains. “Every creation is unique.”

For visitors, this dedication often leaves a lasting impression.

Noura hopes they leave with a deeper appreciation for the skill, patience, and creativity behind each piece of craftsmanship.

Looking to the future

For Noura, the future of the association is filled with possibility.

She hopes the organization will continue to grow, expanding opportunities for artisans while strengthening the presence of Tunisian craftsmanship locally and internationally.

“I hope the association will thrive and expand,” she says. “I wish to see branches in many areas, increased sales and income for artisans, and a strong presence both regionally and internationally.”

At its heart, the work remains rooted in a simple but powerful idea:

preserving heritage while creating new opportunities for the future.

About the Rachaek Patrimoine Association

Founded in 2021, the Rachaek Patrimoine Association brings together artisans and young professionals dedicated to preserving Tunisia’s rich craft traditions while creating new opportunities for local makers.

Members produce a wide range of handmade goods, including weaving, embroidery, textiles, and artisanal food products, using locally sourced materials such as camel wool, pure silk, and honey. Each piece reflects generations of knowledge, creativity, and cultural heritage.

Like many artisan groups, the association initially faced challenges. Competing with mass-produced products and operating without a permanent space made it difficult to reach wider audiences. At one point, members even considered closing the association.

Instead, they continued organizing exhibitions, refining their craft, and building connections to help their work reach more people.

Through Planeterra’s partnership with Iberostar, the Rachaek Patrimoine now has a dedicated space within Iberostar Kantaoui Bay where artisans can present and sell their work to visitors. This space has opened up new opportunities for income while allowing artisans to share the stories, materials, and traditions behind each creation.

For the members of the association, it is more than a place to sell products. It is a space where Tunisian craftsmanship can be celebrated, shared, and passed on to future generations.

Reclaiming the Story of Isla Maciel Through Community Tourism

When Carla Fodor was principal of the only secondary school in Isla Maciel, she noticed something that deeply concerned her.

Many students were reluctant to say where they lived.

“Many young people had a very diminished view of the place where they lived,” Carla explains. “There was little knowledge about the history, roots, and heritage of the territory, and in many cases, students even felt ashamed to say where they came from.”

Located just across the river from Buenos Aires, Isla Maciel has long carried a strong external stigma, often associated only with violence or crime. Those narratives shaped how young people saw themselves and their community.

That question became the beginning of a project that would eventually grow far beyond the classroom.

Carla Fodor Museo Comunitario Isla Maciel (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

A project born from education

The initiative first started as a pedagogical experience.

Students began exploring their own neighbourhood: interviewing residents, documenting stories, and learning about the history and culture of the place they called home.

“It was a way to look at the territory again,” Carla says, “to recover local stories, knowledge, and memories, and to create space for young people to recognize themselves as part of a place with value.”

Two years later, neighbours began to join the initiative. What started as a school project soon evolved into a community effort.

Eventually, the initiative became the Isla Maciel Community Museum, a civil association built and sustained by local residents.

Community Tourism as a new chapter

As the project grew, the community began exploring how visitors could learn about Isla Maciel directly from the people who know it best.

Through community tourism initiatives supported by partners like Planeterra and its travel partners such as G Adventures, travellers are now welcomed to experience the neighbourhood through guided visits and cultural exchanges.

But for Carla, the most meaningful impact goes beyond tourism itself.

“One of the things that makes me most proud is witnessing the transformation of the people involved in the project,” she says.

“Seeing their processes of growth, how they gain confidence, and how they move from participating shyly to becoming active and decisive members continues to teach me every day. The project does not only receive visitors; it also transforms those who sustain it.”

Stories that break stereotypes

Visitors often come to Isla Maciel with curiosity, but they leave with something more.

“Travellers often highlight the closeness, the ease of a hug, and the simplicity of our storytelling,” Carla says.

“They value meeting people who can always add a ‘bonus track’ to the narrative, because what is shared is not memorized, it is lived.”

One of her favourite memories comes from a cultural exchange with a group of secondary school students from Denmark.

Nearly eighty young people arrived with many preconceived ideas about the community and about Argentina.

But those perceptions quickly changed.

“They ended up sharing dulce de leche cake, laughing out loud in an improvised football match, even though they played quite badly,” Carla remembers with a smile.

“By the end, they left hugging us. For me, that says more than any explanation ever could.”

View of the main street of the neighborhood

Building something together

Over the years, partnerships, trainings, and collaborations have helped strengthen the organization.

But Carla emphasizes that the project has always been built collectively.

“Our organization was never built alone,” she says.

“When we were just ten people meeting in a cold, dark space, many organizations trusted us when there were no visible results yet. They believed in what we were proposing.”

That trust allowed the community to slowly transform the space, repairing the roof, creating workshops, building an auditorium, and establishing cultural programs.

“Without that network of support, trust, and shared work, we would not be who we are today.”

Looking ahead

For Carla, the future of the initiative is rooted in the same values that guided its creation more than a decade ago.

“I hope this work continues to generate stability and real opportunities, especially for young people,” she says. “I hope families can imagine their future here without feeling that leaving is the only option.”

For her personally, the connection to the community has become deeply meaningful.

“Being called ‘Carla de Maciel’ means more to me than any academic degree,” she says.

“It is a form of belonging that carries enormous meaning.”

And for those who visit Isla Maciel, Carla hopes they leave with one simple realization.

“I would like them to remember that they did not just visit a place, but shared a moment with real people.”

Women with Wheels is driving change one journey at a time in India

In cities across India, mobility has long been a barrier for women, a reflection of deeply rooted gender norms that limit opportunity, independence, and safety. Sakha Consulting set out to change that through many initiatives, one of them being its Women with Wheels program.

What began as a bold idea to put women behind the wheel professionally has grown into a movement transforming lives, families, and public spaces.

Through intensive training, self-defence, leadership development, and driver certification, women from low-income and marginalized backgrounds gain more than a job. They gain autonomy, mobility, and a voice.

Their training partner, the Azad Foundation, supports women not only in driving skills, but also in building confidence, leadership, and community networks. With Sakha Consulting providing employment pathways, from cab services to tourism and logistics, Women with Wheels is rewriting what’s possible for women in India’s transport sector.

More than 5500 women have become professional drivers since the program began, making streets safer, shifting public perceptions, and becoming role models in their communities.

In cities where women once needed permission just to visit the health clinic, they are now navigating highways, leading community change, and inspiring future generations.

Meet Rajni Mala

“Earlier, I was afraid to step outside; today, I confidently drive on the roads of different cities.” – Rajni, Sakha Driver, Indore

For most of her life, Rajni’s world was confined to the walls of her home and the small chocolate factory where she worked. She earned ₹3,000 a month and rarely travelled alone, a reality shared by many women in India who face barriers to mobility and public work.

When her husband passed away, everything changed. With two children to support, Rajni needed not just an income, but dignity, safety, and a future she could steer herself.

Joining the Women with Wheels program became her turning point.

With training, mentorship, and the confidence to navigate public spaces on her own terms, Rajni took the wheel (literally and figuratively!). Today, she drives across multiple Indian cities, including Indore, Bhopal, Pune, Nashik, and Mumbai. She has become the primary earner in her family, ensuring her children receive quality education and new opportunities.

“Driving has given me not just a livelihood but an identity. I am an empowered woman, moving forward strongly both on the road and in life.”

Rajni Mala Sakha Cab Driver from Indore, Madhya Pradesh

Rajni didn’t just learn to drive, she learned to take control of her journey. And she brings her community along with her, proving what mobility can truly mean: freedom, pride, choice, and leadership.

The impact community tourism is helping support

This is the ripple effect of opting to support Women with Wheels during your travels and beyond:

Over 5500+ drivers women, like Rajni, trained as professional drivers.
First-ever women driving public buses in Delhi after policy change
Women become breadwinners, leaders, and decision-makers
Daughters and sons getting better education, creating intergenerational impact.
Women shifting from “I cannot” to “I can, and I will.”

Planeterra collaborated with the Azad Foundation to offer financial support for Women with Wheels, enabling the expansion of their vehicle fleet and funding their training program. Furthermore, G Adventures became the first tour operator to team up with Women with Wheels as their India airport pick-up service, creating a sustainable and growing customer base for this impactful social enterprise.

The impact of our partnership is not only reflected in the increase of women drivers throughout the years, but also, as this model gains success, Sakha will continue to spread the program across India to empower more women and provide safe transfers for families and travellers.

For more information about Women with Wheels, you can visit www.sakhaconsultingwings.com and follow them on social media.

Community Tourism in Guatemala: Chokojol Juyu

In San Antonio Aguas Calientes, Guatemala, the Chok’ojol Juyú Training Center is keeping Kaqchikel Maya traditions alive. Focused on empowering local women and children, the center ensures that ancestral textile techniques are passed down while also providing sustainable income opportunities through community tourism.

Chok’ojol Juyú San Antonio Aguas Calientes, Guatemala

When the center was founded, 90% of local girls wanted to learn to weave but had no teachers. Today, 43 students, 35 girls and 8 boys, graduate from Chok’ojol Juyú able to create complete textile pieces, preserving a craft that was at risk of disappearing. Boys are also learning, challenging traditional gender roles, while the community gains pride and cultural continuity.

Through tourism, the center shares this heritage directly with visitors. Travellers participate in interactive backstrap loom weaving workshops, learning double-brocade techniques unique to Guatemala, enjoy traditional Mayan lunches cooked over wood fires, and even wear locally made clothing.

Visits are carefully managed to support the local economy and fund free weaving classes for children, ensuring that tourism benefits the community rather than simply observing it.

Planeterra supports Chok’ojol Juyú by helping integrate their workshops into travel partner offerings, providing grants to improve facilities, and offering access to training through the Planeterra online learning hub. These resources strengthen the community’s capacity to manage tourism sustainably while maintaining full control over how their culture is shared.

The result is a direct, respectful exchange: visitors connect with the women leading their cultural revival, and the community gains economic support, educational opportunities, and pride in their heritage.

Chok’ojol Juyú is demonstrating how communities can lead cultural heritage celebration and economic empowerment while sharing their heritage with the world.

Barauli and Beyond: How Community Tourism Empowers Women and Transforms Destinations

Written by Aayusha Prasain – CEO, Community Homestay Network

When travel is done with care, keeping people, places, and purpose at its center, it becomes more meaningful. Over the past few years, I have had the chance to see this meaning come alive through my work with the Community Homestay Network (CHN) in Nepal.

This experience has strengthened my belief that when community tourism is practiced as it is truly meant to be, it must be rooted in the leadership and everyday experiences of local people. At CHN, we have seen how community tourism can create real change: opening doors for women to run their own businesses, encouraging learning across generations, and providing new opportunities for young people.

After almost ten years in this space with some tangible impacts on ground, we are looking more closely at how community tourism can shape whole destinations.

Travelers interacting with the hosts at Barauli Community Stay Photo Courtesy: Community Homestay Network

What started as a small homestay initiative under Royal Mountain Travel’s CSR project gradually expanded and, in 2017, was established as a separate entity, the Community Homestay Network. Now our work brings together 50 different communities across Nepal.

Throughout this process, families are being inspired to take part, new demand for immersive experiences is developing, and an ecosystem is forming where culture, economy, and environment are growing together. Of course, tourism is complex, and sustaining it takes strong support systems.

From the early days, Planeterra was one of CHN’s key partners and supporters. They supported our communities with training, initial funding, and connections that gradually brought travelers to diverse parts of Nepal, from the semi-urban town of Panauti to the flat plains of Barauli.

This support not only helped bring travelers to these areas but also laid the foundation for communities to develop their own tourism initiatives and showcase their unique culture. One of the best examples of this impact can be seen in Barauli, a Tharu village located near the popular Chitwan National Park in Nepal. What started as one of our earliest community homestays has now grown into a full community stay.

Over the past ten years, Barauli has shown how community tourism can support the empowerment journey of women, spark new enterprises, and gradually change the tourism landscape of an entire area.

And yet, Barauli is more than just a single success story; it represents a broader journey of how one carefully nurtured initiative can ripple out to shape an entire destination.

Through Barauli’s story, I hope to reflect on a bigger question: how can one simple initiative grow into something that shapes a whole destination? And what lessons does it offer about building inclusive, resilient places through community tourism?

Putting Communities First

Barauli, a Tharu village in Nepal’s Nawalpur district, started small. Families were eager to host travelers, but at first, running a homestay wasn’t easy. Learning the ropes took time, and confidence was low. However, the situation started to gradually change when we (CHN) and local communities discussed and moved forward with the solution of having a local community manager.

Under this newly established leadership, the process felt different, someone from their own village was guiding the way. Families began taking charge, improving their services, welcoming more guests, and slowly realizing that true ownership brought real empowerment. Consistent visits from travelers helped too, giving families the chance to showcase their best and maintain momentum.

Partners like Planeterra supported the journey, turning ideas into tangible change.

Travelers enjoying the hospitality at Barauli Community Stay Photo Courtesy: Community Homestay Network

From the beginning, Barauli focused on responsible tourism through local leadership and sustainable practices. Back in 2015, with a Planeterra grant, the village installed solar panels for water heating and street lighting. The original 12 guest rooms now had hot water and lights, improving life for visitors and villagers.

As tourism grew, they added eight more rooms, prompting the community to upgrade panels, add a shared bathroom, and even provide electricity to nearby homes during power cuts.

By 2023, further support from Planeterra via the Global Community Tourism Fund (GCTF) allowed the community to strengthen its tourism infrastructure and improve services for both travelers and residents.

One of the most significant outcomes was the installation of upgraded solar panels, ushering in a new era for the community, especially in providing hot water.

“With this project, we now supply hot water to a common bathroom accessible to the entire community, making day-to-day life much easier. Previously, the solar capacity was insufficient even to meet the hot water needs of travelers,” says Bhramhadev Chaudhary, Community Manager, Barauli Community Stay.

The enhanced system now provides hot water to 20 traveler rooms and one public bathroom. Daily chores in the community kitchen and centre, such as cooking, washing dishes, and maintaining cleanliness, have become far more convenient.

Additionally, the strengthened backup power ensures that essential appliances, like refrigerators, operate reliably even during load shedding, adding stability to the community’s infrastructure.

Bhramhadev Chaudhary, from Barauli Community Homestay Nepal

Building Together, Growing Together

With support from Planeterra and G Adventures, Barauli began welcoming travelers in a more structured and sustainable way. Since then, over 5,500 travelers have visited Barauli Community Stay, immersing themselves in a way of life that is rich in culture and rooted in nature.

As the hosts themselves describe it, “When travelers stay with our families, they’re not just guests, they become participants in a deeper cultural exchange, whether through cooking together, painting our walls, or joining us on a jungle safari. What matters most is not just the financial benefit, but the genuine connections we create with travelers.”

In 2019, Barauli hosted 1,163 travelers before the pandemic.
Post-pandemic, between April and December 2022, they welcomed 679 travelers.

By mid-2025, that number had already reached over 5500, showing strong recovery and continued growth.

Women at the Heart of Change

The transformative power of community tourism is vividly illustrated in the story of Jeevan Kumari Mahato, Operations In-Charge at the Tharu Community Lodge.

Jeevan’s journey shows how locally led tourism can shape both individual lives and entire communities. Beginning as a member of the Barauli Community Stay, she embraced opportunities often seen as non-traditional for women, including bartending training and working in resorts around Chitwan National Park, all while raising her daughter.

Today, she leads a team of 18 at the eco-friendly, community-owned Tharu Community Lodge, offering travelers an authentic experience rooted in Tharu culture and the natural beauty of the region. Reflecting on the changes she has witnessed, Jeevan shares, “I’ve seen incredible changes among the women in our community, they’ve moved from being confined to household chores to gaining financial independence, safeguarding our cultural heritage, and embracing environmental sustainability.”

During my recent visit to Barauli, I had the privilege of learning about Jeevan’s story and the journeys of many other local entrepreneurs. This was during Paryatan Sambad, an event our organization hosted in collaboration with the local government, tourism stakeholders, and the Nepal Tourism Board. The event aimed to amplify local voices, creating spaces where women could connect, share their experiences, and build networks, opportunities often limited by structural barriers.

CHN team with Barauli’s women entrepreneurs after a group interaction ahead of Paryatan Sambad. Photo Courtesy: Community Homestay Network

Reflecting on these stories, I recognized how Barauli’s experiences mirror other examples of women-led and community-driven tourism across the globe.

A notable parallel exists between Barauli in Nepal and the Ccaccaccollo Women’s Weaving Co-op in Peru’s Andean region. Despite its proximity to Cuzco and Machu Picchu, the Quechua-speaking community of 140 families in Peru had limited access to the economic benefits of tourism.

Similarly, Barauli, located near Chitwan National Park, one of the most visited places in Nepal but inhabited by Indigenous Tharu people, was receiving limited tourism benefits before community-led initiatives took root. In both contexts, carefully guided support helped communities unlock the potential of tourism.

Likewise, with the backing of Planeterra, the community at Jukil Lodge in Bolivia received training in hospitality, organizational management, and business formalization, and was connected to G Adventures tours in 2017, ensuring a steady flow of responsible travelers and new economic opportunities.

In the same vein, Barauli Community Stay received support from 2015 to strengthen its local tourism capacity, develop authentic experiences, and connect with responsible travel networks, creating consistent visitor arrivals and reliable income streams.

The consistent arrival of travelers in both communities did more than generate income; it encouraged residents to see tourism as a viable and sustainable source of livelihood.

Supported by steady demand, locally led initiatives, and targeted capacity-building, both Barauli and Ccaccaccollo were able to design culturally grounded experiences, invest in local development, and plan tourism in ways that are socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable from the very beginning.

Inspiring an Entire Destination and Beyond

Barauli Community Stay’s journey since 2015 has created ripple effects across Barauli as a destination, demonstrating how community-led, culturally grounded tourism can transform a small rural destination.

During the same event in Barauli, I had the opportunity to explore how tourism is being institutionalized in the community. I spoke with various stakeholders from accommodation owners to nature guides to understand the evolving dynamics of local tourism, many of whom started their journey through Barauli Community Stay.

Among them was Buddhisen Chaudhary, one of the pioneers behind Barauli’s community tourism movement. He wears multiple hats: a founding member of Barauli Community Stay, Chief Experience Officer (CEO) at G Adventures, and co-founder of Tharu Community Lodge.

While reflecting on Barauli’s journey, Buddhisen shared his strong belief in tourism that truly benefits local people. Having been involved from the very beginning, he takes great pride in witnessing its transformation.

“Today, we have around 20 new accommodation businesses in Barauli, ranging from eco-lodges to community-run homestays, about 80% of them owned by local residents,” he said. “This includes Tharu Community Lodge, Green Village Hotel, Peacock Lodge, Mitjyu Cottage, and Lamichaur Agro Resort. It’s a positive outcome that shows how one community enterprise can inspire others to invest responsibly and take ownership of their own tourism development.”

At the same time, at least 12 local entrepreneurs have launched nature-based experiences such as jeep safaris, boating, and other activities that allow travelers to connect with the region’s natural beauty.

Over 66 individuals now benefit directly from employment in these community stays and lodges, and since 2020, more than 21,500 travelers have visited Barauli beyond Barauli Community Stay, a remarkable figure for a small rural area.

Women have also played a key role, launching eight tourism activities that engage around 15 local women entrepreneurs, including cooking with locals, cycling and sunset experiences at the Narayani River, exploring vernacular art and architecture, agri-based planting and harvesting, fishing, and traditional Tharu attire and henna tattooing.

When compared with global examples of women-led and community-driven tourism, Barauli demonstrates a replicable model for sustainable destination development, showing how consistent visitor engagement, locally led initiatives, and capacity-building can generate both economic and social value while safeguarding cultural and environmental integrity.

Even the previously neglected community forest is now carefully managed, with entrance fees and growing tourism motivating locals to protect and restore the area. Visitors coming to see rhinos, crocodiles, and a variety of bird species not only enjoy meaningful wildlife experiences but also support the community, reinforcing local incentives to conserve and sustainably manage their natural environment.

Beyond Barauli itself, this transformation has opened new horizons for local youth. Inspired by early pioneers like Buddhisen, now a CEO at G Adventures for a decade, many young people from Barauli have pursued careers in renowned hotels, resorts, and travel companies across Nepal.

What began as a grassroots community initiative has grown into a movement that not only strengthens the local economy but also broadens opportunities and aspirations for future generations, proving how one community’s journey can inspire change far beyond its borders.

Why Local Ownership Matters

Barauli stands as a living example of tourism that works. Rooted in dignity, equity, and collaboration, this once lesser-known village has grown its tourism footfall while consciously increasing local investment in property and enriching community-driven experiences.

This success is no accident; it stems from a steady flow of travelers, repeated capacity-building sessions, and sustained investment in responsible tourism from the outset.

These foundations have created a positive cycle, setting the stage for continued local investment and growth. It offers valuable insights into how local ownership ensures that financial, social, and cultural benefits remain within the community. It prompts us to ask important questions: When does thriving tourism truly benefit local communities? What makes a community resilient and able to prevent economic leakage?

Each home in Barauli Community Stay is owned and named after its women hosts, the house in the background belongs to Sita. Photo Courtesy: Community Homestay Network

At the same time, we must not ignore the reality that tourism is not always beneficial for locals in the long term, if not done right from the beginning. In destinations like Bali, for instance, tourism development often follows a very different pattern.

Many hotels and resorts are foreign-owned, and while some adopt environmentally sustainable practices, local communities frequently see limited economic benefits.

Barauli’s example reminds us that locally led, responsible tourism can chart a different and more equitable path. Studies show that high-end, foreign-owned hotels in Bali experience significant economic leakage, with up to 51–55% of revenues leaving the local economy. In comparison, smaller, locally owned accommodations retain a larger share of income, support local employment, and help preserve cultural authenticity.

In conclusion, Barauli shows that when communities own and lead tourism initiatives, the impact goes far beyond economic gains. It strengthens social cohesion, supports the empowerment journey of women entrepreneurship, safeguards cultural heritage, and fosters sustainable practices that benefit both people and the environment.

The lessons from Barauli remind us that tourism can be a force for inclusive and lasting transformation but only when the community is at the heart of every decision.

Aayusha Prasain, CEO- Community Homestay Network

About the author:

As the CEO of Community Homestay Network (CHN), Aayusha Prasain is working towards strengthening the organization while streamlining and scaling the impact of tourism across communities. Along with her team at CHN, she also works towards bringing local actors into the tourism value chain and promoting responsible and inclusive tourism.

Visit www.communityhomestay.com to learn more about CHN’s work.

The Maine Model: A Case Study in Building Community Tourism in North America

Written by Julia Pitcher, Global Impact Specialist at *Planeterra***

Across North America, countless small towns and main streets possess a wealth of unique assets: rich histories, vibrant cultures, and stunning natural landscapes. Yet, many struggle to tap into the tourism economy in a way that is authentic, sustainable, and directly benefits the local community.

Conventional tourism models often overlook them, and when they do get attention, it’s rarely on their own terms.

That’s what we set out to change through a recent pilot project in Maine. Funded by the Maine Development Foundation through the Maine Office of Tourism and in partnership with Main Street Maine organizations, Planeterra collaborated with five towns—Biddeford, Saco, Westbrook, Gardiner, and Rockland—to build market-ready Community Tourism experiences from scratch.

This project was more than an exercise in tour creation; it was a real-world test of what a Community Tourism development model could look like in a North American context.

The Foundation: A Co-Creation Methodology

The success of any Community Tourism initiative hinges on its foundation. Our model intentionally rejected a top-down approach where an outside expert prescribes a solution. Instead, it is built on a framework of intensive co-creation.

The process began with a series of workshops in each town, bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders—not just business owners, but also local historians, artists, environmental advocates, and community leaders.

The first step was collaborative asset mapping, where community members themselves identified the stories, places, and people that make their town unique. This wasn’t about what an outsider might find interesting, but what the community itself held dear.

From this foundation, we worked with a core group in each town to design a specific tourism experience that leveraged a key asset to meet a specific community goal.

This process was iterative, involving everything from narrative development and route planning to pricing strategy and operational logistics. The goal was to build local capacity at every stage, ensuring the community had the skills and confidence to own and operate the experience long after our direct involvement ended.

The Results: Five Towns, Five Unique Solutions

This flexible, community-driven framework did not produce a one-size-fits-all product. Instead, it yielded five distinct experiences, each tailored to the unique character and goals of the town. Here’s how community tourism came to life across Maine:

Saco: Saco leveraged its identity as a historic mill town to create an experience focused on the river that built both it and neighbouring Biddeford.

The “Below the Falls” walk guides visitors through the estuary’s rich history and ecology, with all revenue funding science camps for local kids—a direct investment in the next generation of environmental stewards.

Biddeford: Known for its industrial past, Biddeford’s decade-long economic and cultural revival presented a new challenge: how to broaden the story of its renewal to fully honour the city’s diverse immigrant history and continuation.

The community answered with the “Homecomings” tour, an experience centred on the journeys of the BIPOC and immigrant entrepreneurs shaping the city today.

The result is a tour that gives visitors a richer, more complete understanding of Biddeford, while directly supporting the vital cultural anchors—like Maria’s Grocery—that are central to its ongoing story.

Gardiner: In Gardiner, community tourism became a tool to showcase a town built on welcome and inclusion. On the “Voices of Gardiner” audio tour, artists with disabilities from the Spindleworks studio are the guides.

They introduce visitors to their town by sharing conversations they’ve had with other creatives and entrepreneurs along Main Street.

The result is a rich tapestry of stories about art and belonging, with every donation supporting the Spindleworks studio and celebrating its artists as central voices in Gardiner’s story.

Westbrook: In Westbrook, a unique collaboration of community groups created an experience to celebrate the rewilding of the Presumpscot River. Honouring the wisdom of Chief Polin who stated “we belong to the river,” the “Dusk to Dark” paddle is more than a tour; it’s a mindful practice of connection.

Expert guides share stories of the river’s cultural history and ecological renewal, inviting quiet reflection as visitors paddle from twilight into night. The experience cultivates environmental stewardship, while ticket revenue funds free paddle and grills that make the river accessible to all, strengthening the entire community’s sense of belonging to this vital waterway.

Rockland: On the town’s working waterfront, The Apprenticeshop uses community tourism to celebrate not just a traditional craft, but a vital philosophy. On the “Journey Through Wooden Boats,” visitors experience this philosophy in action, learning how engaging the head, hands, and heart in the art of boatbuilding fosters the self-reliance needed to create a stronger community.

Nearly half of all ticket revenue goes towards directly funding the hands-on programs that pass these essential skills and values on to future generations.

Real-World Hurdles: Navigating the Challenges

This work is not without its difficulties. A grounded model must acknowledge the challenges. We encountered several that are likely common in similar communities:

✅ Varying Tourism Readiness: Each town began at a different stage, with some having more established tourism infrastructure than others.

✅ Capacity and Resource Limitations: The local Main Street organizations and non-profits are often staffed by small, passionate teams wearing many hats. Dedicating time to a new enterprise is a significant challenge.

✅ Stakeholder Coordination: Bringing together diverse voices is a strength, but it also requires significant effort to align priorities, build consensus, and break down the barriers to engagement of key stakeholders.

Key Learnings for a Replicable Model

Navigating these challenges provided critical lessons that are central to the model’s success:

The Importance of Local Champions: In every town, the project was driven forward by a few dedicated individuals. Identifying and supporting these local champions with the time, resources and tools they need is perhaps the single most important factor.
Flexibility is Non-Negotiable: Rigid timelines and one-size-fits-all deliverables do not work. The model must be flexible enough to adapt to each community’s pace and specific circumstances. Alternatively, the selection of participating communities should first assess their “readiness” to dive into Community Tourism development.
Partnerships are Power: The most innovative experiences, like the one in Rockland, came from new collaborations between different community entities (a non-profit and a for-profit sailing company). Fostering these types of cross-sector partnerships is key for efficient delivery and giving the diverse participants the chance to focus on the skills and value they are best aligned to provide.
Mentorship is a Must: The initial setup is just the beginning. Ongoing mentorship and support are crucial for ensuring the long-term sustainability and success of these new community enterprises, particularly when focusing on the FIT market.

A Framework for the Future

The Maine project demonstrates that it is possible for small North American towns to create authentic, market-ready tourism experiences that reflect their values and meet their goals.

The model, founded on co-creation, powered by local champions, and focused on leveraging unique assets, is not a rigid prescription, but a flexible framework. It offers a pathway for communities to build a more resilient, diversified economy and a deeper sense of local pride, all on their own terms.

Learn more about each of the 5 experiences created here.

In the Media

Discover what the media is saying about this project:

Meet the 2025 Recipients of the Global Community Tourism Fund

Each year, Planeterra’s Global Community Tourism Fund helps community tourism enterprises take their ideas to the next level.

Through small grants of up to $3,500 USD, combined with training and mentorship, the Fund empowers local communities to strengthen their tourism offerings and expand their impact.

This year, we received an inspiring array of applications from members of Planeterra’s Global Community Tourism Network. Every proposal showcased the creativity and dedication of local changemakers using tourism to drive positive change, demonstrating the true potential of community tourism.

After careful review, we’re thrilled to introduce the 2025 Global Community Tourism Fund recipients in this blog. Stay tuned as we share more about their initiatives, stories, and progress in the coming months.

The Global Community Tourism Fund is now in its fourth year. If you’d like to meet our previous fund recipients, check out the following blogs: 2022, 2023, 2024.

Read on to meet this year’s recipients.

Africa

Train & Travel (Bingerville, Côte d’Ivoire)

Train & Travel is an ecotourism non-profit that provides young women aged 18 to 35 with opportunities to participate in community-based and sustainable tourism through training and the development of local tour guides. The organization supports communities in creating environmentally friendly, innovative, and income-generating solutions, with the ultimate goal of promoting ecotourism by economically empowering women.

Learn more about their work by visiting their website, Instagram, and Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“Travel Creative Sewing Lab”

Since 2023, Train & Travel has partnered with Stop au Chat Noir in Bingerville to co-create a Creative Lab supporting women survivors of gender-based violence. The lab, equipped with sewing machines, a computer room, a mini-library, and a small garden, provides a safe space for women to regain confidence, develop creative skills, and work toward economic independence.

Two cohorts of around 15 women have already been trained in sewing and small-scale production, with some selling their creations near Banco National Park. Building on this success, the program is expanding to develop a nature-inspired souvenir collection co-designed with 35 volunteer women guides, reflecting the park’s biodiversity.

The upcoming cohort will train eight survivors in professional sewing focused on sustainable, eco-conscious products, co-create a collection of 12 tourism items, and build life and business skills including small business management, digital promotion, storytelling, and financial literacy. Participants will also have opportunities to lead tours and develop tourism experiences, linking women’s empowerment with nature conservation and sustainable tourism.

Ewaffe Cultural Village (Naggalama Mukono District, Uganda)

Ewaffe Cultural Village offers visitors an authentic taste of Uganda’s unique cultural norms and traditions. Serving as a gateway where food tourism and cultural immersion meet, the village provides experiences ranging from farm tours, cooking lessons, and fishing activities to pottery workshops and captivating storytelling sessions. Each visit is designed to transport guests to the heart of Uganda’s cultural heritage.

In 2024, Ewaffe Cultural Village was honoured with the Best Cultural Tourism Experience of the Year award during the World Tourism Day Celebrations, presented by the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities.

This one-day experience takes place in Naggalama, Mukono District, along Kayunga Road, just an hour’s drive from Kampala, the heart of Uganda.

Learn more about their work by visiting their website, Instagram, X, and Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“Ewaffe Village Souvenir Hub”

Ewaffe Cultural Village in Naggalama, Mukono District, is an eco-tourism centre celebrating the heritage of the Baganda, one of East Africa’s largest tribes. With Planeterra’s support, the village will establish a Souvenir Hub, a dedicated space offering authentic, locally crafted products by Baganda artisans.

The initiative will celebrate cultural traditions, empower artisans through sustainable income opportunities, and enrich the visitor experience with meaningful cultural exchanges. The hub will feature well-designed display areas, storytelling for each craft item, and increased engagement between tourists and artisans, creating a lasting platform for cultural preservation and community development.

Murambo Bee Keeping Association (Murambo Village, Rubanda, Uganda)

Murambo Beekeepers Association, founded in 2014 by Ezra Sigirenda, is a community-based organization in Kabale and Rubanda Districts, Uganda. It empowers local farmers, particularly women and youth, through sustainable beekeeping, honey production, and community tourism.

Visitors can participate in hands-on beekeeping, learn traditional honey harvesting techniques, and prepare enturire, a locally fermented honey-sorghum drink. This nature- and culture-based tourism adds value to honey production while promoting biodiversity, climate awareness, and economic resilience.

Murambo’s mission is to transform communities through beekeeping and foster self-reliance via training, innovation, and partnerships.

Learn more about their work on Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“Sweet Harvest: Enhancing Community Tourism through Beekeeping and Traditional Honey Brewing in Southwestern Uganda”

Murambo Beekeepers Association (MBA) supports rural livelihoods in Kabale and Rubanda Districts, Uganda, through sustainable beekeeping and honey production. This project expands MBA’s work into community-based tourism, offering immersive experiences in beekeeping, sustainable honey harvesting, and the traditional preparation of enturire, a fermented honey-sorghum drink. By integrating cultural heritage with nature-positive tourism, the project creates income opportunities for local youth and women, promotes environmental education, and fosters biodiversity conservation.

The initiative will train 30 youth and women in sustainable tourism, hospitality, and storytelling, develop guided honey-harvesting and enturire-making tours, and improve tourism infrastructure in the highland communities. Visitors gain hands-on, educational experiences rooted in local tradition, while smallholder farmers benefit from increased visibility and added value for their honey products.

Planeterra will support MBA in implementing this project, providing training, infrastructure development, and a platform for combining cultural heritage, agri-tourism, and conservation to transform rural livelihoods and enhance community tourism.

Kigoma Eco-Cultural Tourism (Kigoma, Tanzania)

Kigoma Eco-Cultural Tourism is a female-led, community-driven initiative in the Kigoma region of Tanzania that empowers women and youth through sustainable tourism, craft production, and environmental education.

The organization offers authentic experiences, including chimpanzee trekking in Gombe and Mahale National Parks, game drives in Katavi, African cuisine cooking, palm tree tours, traditional dance performances, quilt embroidery, Swahili beauty sessions, and historical tours of Ujiji and Liemba.

Visitors are also guided to engage with local communities, especially women, to experience culture firsthand and access locally made products. Situated along Lake Tanganyika, Kigoma Eco-Cultural Tourism provides immersive experiences such as swimming, canoeing, boat cruises, local fishing, and snorkelling.

The initiative currently engages 21 women who lead tours in palm tree exploration, cooking, traditional dance, quilt embroidery, and Swahili beauty experiences. Its mission is to provide sustainable, immersive eco-cultural tourism in Kigoma.

Learn more by visiting their website, Instagram, and Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“The Wanawake Project”

The Wanawake Project is an innovative initiative empowering women in Kalalangabo village, Kigoma District, through sustainable tourism development. The project aims to create economic opportunities for women while promoting environmental conservation and cultural preservation. It addresses gender disparities in access to education, employment, and entrepreneurial resources, which limit personal growth and contribute to wider community poverty. By integrating ecotourism with cultural and environmental initiatives, the project fosters inclusive community development and supports women as primary beneficiaries, enabling them to generate sustainable income and strengthen their role in the local economy.

Support for the project focuses on empowering women through sustainable tourism, creating economic opportunities, and promoting cultural and environmental stewardship.

Funtasia for Training (Luxor, Egypt)

Funtasia Enterprise is a B Corporation delivering multidisciplinary educational content and curriculum focused on socio-emotional learning for youth and adults in both physical and online spaces.

The organization creates safe, welcoming environments that foster self-awareness, community engagement, and personal growth. Its hands-on, creative approach emphasizes self-expression, confidence, life skills development, and inclusivity.

Learn more on their website, Instagram, and Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“A Green Impact – Environmental and Community Empowerment for Children, Women and Youth”

A Green Impact in Luxor, Egypt, builds on the success of the Planeterra 2024 Grant to combine environmental education, women’s economic empowerment, and youth vocational training for lasting community impact.

The project engages children, women, and youth through tailored programs: children (ages 7–13) take part in interactive workshops using arts, games, and multimedia to learn about climate change, biodiversity, and conservation; women receive training in eco-friendly handicrafts such as pottery and cloth bag embroidery, creating opportunities for sustainable income; and youth (ages 16–18) improve their English skills to enhance engagement in ecotourism and future professional opportunities.

A Green Impact also strengthens local capacity by upgrading training infrastructure with multimedia tools and providing management and monitoring training for the project team. Implemented across West Bank, Habu Temple, Al-Bayrat village, and Qurna city, the initiative empowers children, women, and youth while promoting environmental conservation and sustainable economic development.

Beneficiaries include 30 children, 12 women, 12 youth, and 6 project team members.

SEED (Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, South Africa)

SEED is a non-profit organization based in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, focused on building resilient communities through environmental education, food security, and youth empowerment. Central to its work are permaculture gardens at the Rocklands Urban Abundance Centre, where community members and young people learn sustainable food-growing practices.

SEED integrates training, school programmes, and community outreach to promote local food systems and ecological awareness. Its farm-to-table tours provide immersive experiences in urban gardening, community resilience, and local culture, connecting visitors to the people and purpose behind every plant.

Through education and practical action, SEED supports communities in cultivating both food and lasting change

Learn more on their website, Instagram, and Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“SEED to Table”

SEED to Table is a community-based tourism and social enterprise project at SEED’s Rocklands Resilience Hub in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town. It transforms existing farm tours into immersive experiences where visitors explore permaculture gardens, food forests, eco-buildings, and appropriate technologies adapted to local conditions. The experience culminates in a seasonal, home-cooked meal from Marley’s Kitchen, an alumni-run enterprise using produce directly from the garden.

The project aims to formalize and grow SEED’s community tourism offering into a sustainable income source that supports environmental education, food production, and local livelihoods. Objectives include increasing garden productivity, expanding the on-site nursery, creating income opportunities for local staff, youth, and micro-enterprises, promoting awareness of urban permaculture and regenerative practices, and generating funds for SEED’s Outdoor Classroom and youth training programs.

By December 2025, the project expects strengthened garden infrastructure, enhanced nursery operations, a part-time garden manager to lead tours, new marketing materials, wider tour engagement, and revenue to sustain core education programs. SEED to Table addresses food insecurity and unemployment in Mitchells Plain while raising awareness about sustainable food systems and supporting youth and community resilience.

Nyamirambo Women’s Center (Kigali, Rwanda)

Nyamirambo Women’s Center (NWC) is a Rwandan NGO founded in 2007 by 18 women from Kigali’s Nyamirambo neighbourhood. It has grown into a vibrant community hub offering income-generating activities, skills training, and creative workshops producing sustainable handcrafted garments and accessories, alongside a hair braiding studio.

NWC also runs tourism experiences that showcase local culture and women’s entrepreneurship, including walking tours, Mount Kigali hikes, women-led electric motorbike city tours, and traditional Rwandan cooking classes.

Its mission is to provide education and vocational training to women with limited access to formal opportunities, enabling financial independence, self-confidence, and stronger, more inclusive communities through skills, storytelling, and sustainable tourism.

Learn more on their Instagram, and Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“Enhancing Safety on Mount Kigali and City Motorbike Tours Through First Aid Kit Provision”

The proposed project is a women-led initiative aimed at improving health and safety standards in Kigali’s community tourism sector. Local women, many previously unemployed, lead eco-friendly motorbike tours and serve as hiking guides on Mount Kigali, promoting sustainable tourism. Currently, they lack essential safety tools such as first aid kits, limiting their ability to respond to emergencies and provide secure experiences for visitors.

This project equips women tour guides and electric motorbike drivers with first aid kits and basic emergency response training, strengthening the safety, professionalism, and resilience of their services.

The initiative also supports greater confidence, credibility, and empowerment among women, while enhancing visitor experiences and increasing customer trust. By improving safety standards, the project is expected to attract more tourists, generate higher bookings, and contribute to sustainable economic growth in the community.

Additionally, promoting the use of electric motorbikes reduces the carbon footprint of Kigali’s tourism sector, aligning with eco-friendly practices. In the short term, all participating women will have access to fully stocked first aid kits, receive emergency training, and deliver safer, more professional tours.

This will result in improved customer satisfaction, increased bookings, and stronger representation of women in Kigali’s sustainable tourism market, fostering long-term community and economic benefits.

Europe

Nexes Interculturals SCCL (Barcelona, Spain)

Nexes Interculturals SCCL, a non-profit cooperative based in Barcelona, has been dedicated to intercultural education and social transformation since 1999. It leads the Migrantour Barcelona project, part of a European network that uses tourism to highlight the cultures and stories of migrants and refugees. Currently, 15 migrant individuals serve as intercultural guides and lead this initiative.

Nexes works locally and internationally, building networks among organizations, youth, and communities to promote social justice, equal opportunities, and sustainable development.

Learn more on their website and Instagram.

The project they’ll be working on

“Migrantour Barcelona: Discover the Invisible Richness of the City”

Migrantour Barcelona invites participants to explore the city beyond traditional tourist narratives, revealing its hidden cultural richness through the stories of its migrant communities. Part of the global Migrantour network, active in over 20 European cities, the project promotes responsible, community-based tourism that fosters intercultural dialogue, combats discrimination, and highlights migration experiences.

Since 2021, Nexes Interculturals SCCL, a nonprofit with 25 years of experience in education, community work, and global justice, coordinates the project. Using participatory and inclusive methodologies, Migrantour Barcelona operates in neighborhoods such as Raval and Poble-sec, transforming stigmatized areas into spaces of memory, encounter, and identity. It addresses themes like human rights, racism, neocolonialism, invisible voices, social economy, and community empowerment.

The project benefits two main groups. Migrant women from Latin America, Africa, and Asia are trained as intercultural guides, gaining skills in storytelling, local history, human rights, and group facilitation, while building professional opportunities and social recognition.

Tour participants, including students, NGOs, civic groups, companies, and tourists, experience a nuanced vision of Barcelona, encouraging intercultural dialogue and breaking down stereotypes.

Through guide training, updated routes, inclusive tour packages, and subsidized tours, Migrantour Barcelona fosters social awareness, inclusion, and sustainable local development, contributing to a more just, cohesive, and culturally vibrant city.

Unseen Tours (London, UK)

Unseen Tours is a social enterprise that empowers people with lived experience of homelessness to develop and lead guided walks in London neighbourhoods. By sharing their personal stories, guides offer unique perspectives on the city, highlighting its hidden treasures while providing paid employment, skill development, confidence, and social inclusion.

Tours explore history, architecture, arts, and multiculturalism across areas including King’s Cross, London Bridge, Brixton, West India Quay, Westminster, and Canning Town.

Learn more on their website, Instagram, and Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“Tastes of Migration – A Journey Through Flavours and Stories”

Tastes of Migration is a pilot food tour in Soho and Covent Garden, London, celebrating the city’s rich food culture while highlighting the contributions of refugee entrepreneurs. The project explores migration and homelessness through lived experience, offering participants authentic, co-designed stories of resilience and community.

The project involves researching route feasibility, developing an initial itinerary and tour script, and recruiting a refugee guide. The selected guide receives hands-on training by shadowing experienced Unseen Tours guides, learning group management, health and safety, research, and storytelling, with a focus on confidence-building and the safe, respectful sharing of personal experiences.

Beneficiaries include the guide, who gains paid work, skills, and social inclusion; refugee and migrant food entrepreneurs featured on the tour; and participants, who engage with the city’s multicultural stories in a meaningful way.

The project aims to establish a sustainable tourism experience that empowers refugees as cultural contributors and entrepreneurs while generating income and visibility for all involved. Through thoughtfully designed routes and immersive storytelling, “Tastes of Migration” promotes inclusive, responsible tourism that blends cultural engagement with economic opportunity.

Americas

Centro Ecoturistico Carey (Isla Arena, Campeche, Mexico)

Centro Ecoturístico Carey was founded in 2005 by young members of the Isla Arena community in Campeche, Mexico, who sought to use ecotourism to protect the natural resources of the Petenes Biosphere Reserve and Celestún Lagoon.

Today, the community museum, AAK Museum, preserves and shares Isla Arena’s Maya history and culture. It offers an educational and cultural space where visitors can explore Maya identity, local biodiversity, and the region’s history.

Learn more on their website, Instagram, and Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“Museo AAK Museum”

The AAK Community Museum in Isla Arena offers a unique cultural ecotourism experience, combining Maya heritage preservation, environmental education on local biodiversity, and community-driven economic opportunities for youth and adults.

As a grassroots initiative, it empowers residents by recovering collective memory, valuing local territory, and protecting endemic species such as flamingos, mangroves, and hummingbirds.

The museum’s first exhibition, currently under construction, will showcase local history, oral traditions, endemic biodiversity, and the Maya worldview through guided tours by trained community youth, multilingual visual materials, and interactive activities for all ages. Support focuses on completing the construction and developing the inaugural exhibit.

Asociación de Turismo Rural Solidario, ASTURS, PERÚ (Capachica Peninsula, Puno, Peru)

Asociación de Turismo Rural Solidario is a non-profit organization that promotes sustainable development and capacity building for its partners. Asturs is made up of families dedicated to community tourism across nine communities around Lake Titicaca.

Learn more on their website, Instagram, and Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“Improvement and innovation of the tourism offerings of Indigenous families from ASTURS in the Capachica Peninsula, Puno, Peru”

In the Capachica Peninsula of Puno, Peru, Indigenous families are transforming experiential tourism on Lake Titicaca by offering visitors a unique journey into the highlands’ ancestral traditions. The project introduces the “Ancestral Plants Tour,” where guests discover native herbs like qantu, muña, chijchipa, ayrampu, and chiri chiri, learning about their sacred, medicinal, and culinary uses. Visitors can touch, smell, and taste the plants, participate in traditional harvesting and drying processes, and hear the stories and knowledge passed down through generations.

The initiative empowers local families by providing training in post-harvest techniques, conservation, packaging, branding, and marketing, creating new income opportunities while preserving cultural heritage. Workshops also highlight ancestral knowledge and promote food sovereignty, with particular emphasis on fostering women’s leadership in the community. To ensure visitor safety at the high-altitude communities, where the effects of elevation can be challenging, oxygen tanks are made available as emergency support.

Through this project, families are strengthening their tourism offerings, sharing the richness of their culture and ecosystem, and creating memorable, authentic experiences that connect visitors to the traditions and biodiversity of the Andes.

Asociación Comunal de Turismo, Cultura y Medio Ambiente de Leymebamba (Leymebamba – Chachapoyas, Amazonas, Peru)

Founded in 2019 and recognized in the Community Tourism Database of MINCETUR-Peru since 2023, the association brings together 34 partners and 18 productive units, 61% of them led by women. Its mission is to preserve and promote the cultural and natural heritage of Leymebamba.

Visitors can explore artisan workshops, dairy processing facilities, the Iglesia de Piedra, ethnobotanical gardens, and historic mansions, as well as hike to archaeological sites and the Laguna de los Cóndores in ACP Los Chilchos, complemented by a visit to the Leymebamba Museum.

The association has received the Safe Travels label (2021), hosts the Mundo Chachapoyas brand, and was recognized among the best tourist towns in the world by the UN World Tourism Organization (2024). Since 2024, it has been an Impact Partner of the Global Community Tourism Network and collaborates with various public and private institutions.

Learn more on their website, Instagram, and Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“Improvement and innovation of the tourism offerings of Indigenous families from ASTURS in the Capachica Peninsula, Puno, Peru”

Cooperativa de Agroturismo Red de Turismo Campesino Limitada (San Carlos, provincia de Salta, Argentina)

Red de Turismo Campesino is a cooperative of 25 rural and Indigenous families dedicated to community-based tourism in Argentina. Founded in 2004, the cooperative offers immersive stays, traditional cuisine, outdoor activities, and guided tours that promote intercultural exchange and respect for local traditions.

Participating families produce artisanal goods, including wool textiles, pottery, preserves, wine, spices, and herbal remedies. Lodging is provided in family homes constructed with sustainable local materials such as adobe and wood, ensuring minimal environmental impact and an authentic cultural experience.

Learn more on their website, Instagram, and Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“Growing is Advancing”

The project aims to strengthen the commercial presence of the cooperative’s handmade products and promote its community-based tourism services in San Carlos, Valle Calchaquí, Salta. Key initiatives include improving product presentation through updated packaging, signage, and labels; providing infrastructure such as a gazebo and display tables for fairs; and updating the cooperative’s website with new photos and videos.

These efforts directly benefit 25 cooperative families, many of them women, by increasing sales, enhancing product visibility, and creating new market opportunities. Indirectly, the project supports the broader community network by boosting local tourism and showcasing traditional artisanal production.

Ecoturismo comunitario Villa Amboró (Villa Amboro, Santa Cruz, Bolivia)

Villa Amboró is a community-run ecotourism initiative in the Bolivian highlands, about 150 km from Santa Cruz de la Sierra. It features interpretive forest trails leading to viewpoints, waterfalls, caves, and diverse wildlife.

Visitors can enjoy local cuisine prepared with fresh, community-grown ingredients and stay in rustic cabins constructed from native materials. Community members serve as guides, offering 1–3 day tours for up to 25 guests.

Transportation is available from Buenavista or Santa Cruz, though access during the rainy season may require 4×4 vehicles. The experience promotes environmental education, cultural exchange, and sustainable income for rural families.

Learn more on Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“Improvement of the infrastructure of the Villa Amboró community lodge”

Villa Amboró, a community-run eco-lodge in the highlands of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, offers visitors an immersive nature experience with rustic cabins, local cuisine, and guided tours of forest trails, waterfalls, caves, and wildlife. To enhance this experience, the community is undertaking essential infrastructure improvements focused on the lodge’s guest rooms, common lounge, and bathrooms.

The lodge is built with local materials, including durable quina wood columns, walls of various softwoods, ceramic floors, and traditional thatched roofs made from jatata. The upgrades will replace worn roofing, reinforce structural elements, and remodel floors and walls, creating a safer, cleaner, and more welcoming environment for guests.

These improvements will strengthen the community’s ability to host eco-tourists, supporting sustainable livelihoods for 14 families directly and 49 families indirectly, while preserving the surrounding environment. Visitors will enjoy a higher-quality stay that combines comfort, cultural authenticity, and a low-impact connection with nature.

Stibrawpa (Yorkin Community, Telire, Talamanca, Costa Rica)

The STIBRAWPA Association of Artisans of Yorkín is a non-profit organization founded by Bribri Indigenous women in 1992. Its mission is to improve the lives of families in the Yorkín community, promote a sustainable economy for their benefit, strengthen Bribri culture, and conserve the forests, rivers, and biodiversity of the Yorkín River basin.

STIBRAWPA brings together 42 families, primarily of Bribri and Naso origin, who collectively manage around 360 hectares of primary and secondary forest.

Learn more on their website, Instagram, and Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“Sá di kianá: Ready, sufficient, clean, and safe water!”

The project aims to complete the final stage of a water supply system for the community-run tourism facilities of the STIBRAWPA Association in Yorkín, Bribri Indigenous territory, Telire, Talamanca, Costa Rica. In late 2023 and early 2024, families observed a decrease in potable water supply, partly due to nearby livestock and possible deforestation, which threatened their main source of income: cultural tourism and eco-friendly cocoa and banana production.

Launched in October 2024 with support from the Planeterra Foundation and Amigos de Costa Rica, the project involves identifying a reliable water source, purchasing materials, and community-led construction. Key activities include building a reinforced slope for the tank, installing the tank, and channeling water to the community’s kitchen and Casa Verde lodge. An elevated structure will allow water to cross the Tscui River safely.

The project also lays the groundwork for future expansion of the water system to additional facilities, ensuring a secure and sustainable water supply for tourism operations and the broader community. Its main goal is to strengthen the community’s tourism services while safeguarding their livelihoods.

Asociación de Prosumidores Agroecológicos- Agrosolidaria Seccional (Charalá, Colombia)

An association of rural producers and consumers who have developed “LA RUTA DEL ROBLE” as a cultural and community ecotourism initiative. This strategy allows them to manage their territory sustainably and in harmony with natural spaces, local customs, and the way of life of its inhabitants.

Through these activities, they promote the common good and create opportunities for a dignified life for the community members.

Learn more on Instagram.

The project they’ll be working on

“Natural construction at Ecofinca Las Villas, a “I Am a Farmer” visit point on La Ruta del Roble”

La Ruta del Roble is Agrosolidaria Charalá’s community tourism initiative, connecting five municipalities through 12 sites that invite visitors to “discover the secrets of the oak forests.” This project takes place at Ecofinca Las Villas in Vereda La Hoya, Coromoro, home to 160 farming families who cultivate coffee, plantains, citrus, and home gardens, contributing to regional food sustainability.

The project involves constructing a two-person cabin with a private bathroom at Ecofinca Las Villas, separate from the owners’ residence, providing visitors with an immersive, sustainable lodging experience.

Zaaz Koolen Ha (Yokdzonot, Yucatán, Mexico)

Zaaz Koolen Ha is a community tourism cooperative in Yokdzonot, a village located along the Mérida–Cancún highway. Its main attraction is a cenote managed primarily by women of Maya origin.

In 2005, a group of visionary women, together with their partners, united around a shared goal: to restore the Yokdzonot cenote, which had sadly been reduced to a village dumpsite. This ecotourism initiative not only transformed a neglected space into a thriving destination but also redefined the role of women within the community.

Learn more on their website and Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“Yokdzonot Handcrafts House”

In Yucatán, the artisan craft market is often controlled by resellers who buy products at low prices and sell them at a significant markup, leaving local producers with little profit. In Yaxcabá, years of collaboration between the Autonomous University of Yucatán and Maya artisans have focused on improving and standardizing product quality.

This project will strengthen market opportunities for at least 10 women artisans from the region by establishing a dedicated sales point at the popular Yokdzonot ecotourism stop. The artisans will also receive training in community tourism marketing strategies, empowering them to sell directly to visitors and increase their earnings.

Ronda Cultural ONG (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Ronda Cultural is a community-based civil association in Buenos Aires that promotes the right to cultural participation through guided walking tours. Their routes blend heritage, history, arts, environment, and public spaces with participatory activities, artistic interventions, visits to cultural institutions, and interpretation in Argentine Sign Language (LSA).

The initiative engages youth, people with disabilities, students, tourists, and grassroots organizations to create inclusive and accessible cultural experiences. Their work strengthens social ties, democratizes knowledge, and fosters sustainable connections between people and their urban environment.

Learn more on their website, Instagram, and Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“Green city, how I love you green”

Ciudad verde, que te quiero verde is a Ronda Cultural initiative that integrates an environmental perspective into guided tours of Buenos Aires. The project emphasizes the crucial role of green spaces in building fair, resilient, and sustainable cities, addressing their scarcity and unequal distribution in the city.

Through accessible tours combining environmental and cultural interpretation, it aims to promote environmental awareness, support equitable access to green spaces, create jobs for youth and guides, strengthen ties with grassroots organizations, and position urban green spaces as inclusive hubs for sustainable tourism.

Comunidad Kichwa Oyacachi (Oyacachi, Napo, Ecuador)

The Kichwa Oyacachi Community, located in the province of Napo, Ecuador, is an Indigenous organization dedicated to celebrating its cultural identity, sustainably managing its natural resources, and strengthening its local economy.

Their territory is part of the Cayambe-Coca National Park, where they promote community tourism initiatives, agricultural production, fish farming, and ancestral handicrafts. The community follows principles of collective governance and active participation, fostering intercultural education and the empowerment of its members.

Through sustainable tourism, they aim to share their living culture with visitors, protect their natural environment, and generate a fair income to improve the quality of life for their inhabitants. Oyacachi has a Community Tourism Center managed by the local government, which has shown strong commitment to developing tourism activities in the community.

Learn more on Instagram.

The project they’ll be working on

Sowing Life: Sustainable reforestation and community empowerment in the Kichwa Oyacachi community through the construction of a community nursery in the Cedro Pamba sector, the grotto of the Virgin of Quinche”

The “Sembrando Vida: Sustainable Reforestation and Community Empowerment” project aims to tackle environmental degradation and economic vulnerability by creating a community nursery to produce native plants, restore local ecosystems, and strengthen community ecotourism.

The project addresses two urgent challenges: the loss of vegetation cover and the need for sustainable income opportunities. The nursery will produce at least 500 native plants annually, enabling the reforestation of 10 hectares of degraded land, while integrating tourists in environmental education and hands-on reforestation activities.

Direct beneficiaries are the 750 residents of Oyacachi, with a focus on women, youth, and older adults, who will participate in all stages of the project, fostering local empowerment and environmental stewardship.

Short-term expected outcomes include a 20% increase in community income from plant sales and ecotourism, participation of at least 1,000 tourists in environmental activities, production of 500 native plants per year, and ecological recovery of 10 hectares of degraded land. This initiative combines sustainable reforestation with community development, ensuring long-term benefits for both the environment and the people of Oyacachi.

Asia

Catalyst for Change Vietnam (Danang, Vietnam)

Catalyst for Change Vietnam (C4C) is a social enterprise making a positive impact on Vietnamese disadvantaged women and children through educational volunteerism, cultural immersion & empowerment.

Learn more on their website, Instagram, and Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“Her Kitchen Wellness Journeys: Empowering Single Mothers Through Healing Cuisine”

Her Kitchen: Wellness Culinary Journeys is an initiative by Catalyst for Change (C4C) in Danang and Hoi An, Vietnam, empowering single mothers through culinary training and entrepreneurship. Since its inception, the project has trained women in nutritious cooking and business skills, enabling them to start micro-businesses, gain part-time employment, and lead cooking experiences for international volunteers.

Building on this success, the project focuses on the emerging market of wellness and health-focused culinary tourism. Participating mothers are trained to create “food as medicine” experiences that highlight traditional health knowledge and local food heritage. The program develops specialized cooking tours, menus, and marketing materials, providing hands-on opportunities for visitors while generating sustainable income for the women.

Short-term outcomes include the launch of wellness cooking tours in Da Nang and Hoi An, increased livelihood opportunities for single mothers, and greater visibility for community-led wellness tourism in Vietnam, meeting growing demand for authentic, health-centred travel experiences.

Kopi Sobean (Pajahan Village, Tabanan Regency, Bali, Indonesia)

The Pajahan Village Robusta Coffee Farmer Group, based in Pupuan District, Tabanan Regency, Bali, Indonesia, consists of 20 members. The group produces high-quality ground and roasted coffee, operates coffee nurseries, and creates organic fertilizer from coffee production waste.

It supports members by providing access to quality seedlings, promoting sustainable farming practices, and distributing organic fertilizer to improve the health of coffee plantations.

The group also engages young people as members, nurturing the next generation of coffee farmers. Its goal is to develop specialty coffee while fostering a healthier coffee farming ecosystem and creating opportunities for sustainable agricultural development.

Learn more on Instagram.

The project they’ll be working on

“Robusta Coffee Farm – Bali”

Pajahan Village in Pupuan District, Tabanan Regency, Bali, Indonesia, is home to 2,252 residents, most of whom are robusta coffee farmers. Current farming practices rely heavily on chemical fertilizers, and many young people are leaving agriculture, threatening the health of the coffee ecosystem and the continuity of local farming.

To address this, the village is developing a coffee-focused ecotourism initiative. Visitors will experience life on a coffee plantation, participate in activities such as coffee nurseries, organic fertilizer production, and coffee harvesting, and learn about sustainable farming practices. The project aims to promote healthier coffee cultivation, provide easier access to seedlings, and engage the younger generation in coffee farming.

By integrating ecotourism with sustainable practices, the initiative seeks to create a resilient coffee ecosystem, generate local employment, and ensure long-term opportunities for sustainable robusta coffee farming in Pajahan Village.

Ak-Orgo – Center of Craft Heritage (Barskoon Village, Issyk-Kul region, Kyrgyzstan)

Ak-Orgo – a center dedicated to preserving and sharing the history and culture of the nomadic Kyrgyz. The center hosts workshops for producing traditional felt and leather goods, crafting national musical instruments, and constructing yurts, along with related products and decorations.

Currently, the center employs 12 people and welcomes over 100 groups of local and international tourists each year.

Learn more on Instagram.

The project they’ll be working on

“Boorsok show is a culinary master class on making traditional bread (boorsok)”

Boorsok Show is an interactive culinary experience at the Ak-Orgo Center in Barskoon village, introducing guests to traditional Kyrgyz bread-making. Boorsok, a must on any festive table, is prepared by visitors themselves, providing hands-on insight into Kyrgyz cuisine and culture.

The project will build a summer kitchen equipped for demonstrations, creating at least two new local jobs and expanding the center’s offerings to include traditional food alongside crafts and yurt-making. The goal is to provide a full cultural immersion for guests, preserve culinary traditions, and generate sustainable income for the community.

Friends of Sea Turtle Education & Research – FOSTER (Pulau Libaran, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia)

On 14 October 2014, Friends of Sea Turtles Education & Research (FOSTER), also known as Persatuan Pencinta dan Pemuliharaan Hidupan Penyu Negeri Sabah, was officially registered in Malaysia. FOSTER supports the Walai Penyu Conservation Park project on Libaran, providing a platform and technical help to make it happen. Its main goal is to carry out the work agreed on in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Sabah Wildlife Department.

Learn more on their website.

The project they’ll be working on

“Poverty eradication by creating a sustainable economic development”

This project aims to reduce poverty in Pulau Libaran by creating a community-based eco-crafts cooperative that trains and employs local women and youth to produce sustainable handicrafts from recycled and natural materials for tourists. It also develops community-led eco-tourism experiences highlighting local culture, traditional knowledge, and conservation efforts, including sea turtle protection. The project targets economically vulnerable households reliant on seasonal fishing, providing skill training, employment, and alternative income streams.

Short-term results (6–12 months) include a functioning cooperative with at least 20 trained members, a 20% increase in household income for participating families, and increased environmental awareness among the community, especially youth.

Planeterra funding supports conservation, eco-tourism, and skill-building activities at Walai Penyu Conservation Park, including turtle nesting protection, eco-handicraft training, and interactive tourism experiences. Local stakeholders provide additional operational support through in-kind contributions and volunteer efforts.

Indian Grameen Services (Hyderabad, India)

Indian Grameen Services (IGS) is a not-for-profit Section 8 Company, established on February 26, 1987, as an action research organization. Its mission is “Incubating Innovations for Pro-Poor Sustainable Livelihoods,” guided by the vision of “Kaayam Rojgar, Khush-haal Pariwar” (Sustainable Livelihoods, Prosperous Households). IGS explores opportunities to promote and sustain livelihoods through initiatives across multiple sectors.

Over the years, IGS has actively worked on community development and livelihood enhancement in various ecosystems, focusing on themes such as natural resource management, improved agricultural practices, livestock management, forest-based livelihoods, non-farm micro-enterprises, community-based tourism, and renewable energy.

IGS works with poor and marginalized communities in rural and forested areas, engaging diverse groups including adolescent girls and young women, small and marginal landholders, the landless, micro-entrepreneurs, and community-based institutions. A core focus is building community institutions to strengthen local self-governance and leadership, ensuring locally led development.

Learn more on their website, Instagram, and Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“Pakshi Teertha: Community-Led Conservation & Ecotourism”

The Pakshi Teertha project in Beladwara village, Odisha, is a community-led initiative by the Kuvi Kandha tribal women focused on forest regeneration and stork conservation. It aims to create sustainable livelihoods through ecotourism, including birdwatching tours, homestays, and cultural experiences. The project addresses youth migration, habitat loss, and weak community institutions, while strengthening governance, building skills, increasing incomes, and protecting biodiversity.

Planeterra support will fund training for 30 women in ecotourism services and help establish the community-based Pakshi Teertha People’s Trust, developing market-ready ecotourism products. This initiative offers a replicable model for conservation-led rural development that reconnects people with nature.

Ban Huay Thum Homestay (Luang Prabang, Lao PDR)

Ban Huay Thum Homestay, situated in the village of Pak Beng along the Mekong River in Laos, hosts G Adventures travellers journeying between Luang Prabang and the Thai border at Huay Xai.

The homestay provides a unique overnight experience that fosters cultural exchange and local connection. Vivu Journeys is seeking funding to enhance essential facilities—including a community hall and kitchen, solar power, toilets, sleeping arrangements, and safer walkways during the rainy season—to improve guest comfort and support the community.

The project also includes training in hygiene, cooking, and hospitality to empower local residents.

This initiative is exclusive to G Adventures customers and forms part of the Planeterra project, generating sustainable jobs and long-term benefits for the Ban Huay Thum community.

Learn more on their website, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

The project they’ll be working on

“Ban Huay Thum Homestay”

Ban Huay Thum Homestay in Pak Beng, Laos, provides travellers with a remote, authentic cultural experience along the Mekong River. The project aims to improve living facilities, expand capacity, and, critically, construct a safe walkway from the boat pier to the homestay by the end of 2025.

Infrastructure upgrades include enhanced sleeping arrangements, kitchen and dining improvements, and safer bamboo stairs and walkways. These improvements will create jobs, generate income for the community, and ensure a safer, more welcoming experience for visitors and residents alike.

Tourism is a powerful tool for communities working to celebrate their heritage, strengthen local economies, and share their stories with the world. The Global Community Tourism Fund helps strengthen these efforts, offering flexible support to bring community-led ideas to life.

Want to be part of it? Your support helps grow this fund and expand opportunities for community tourism initiatives across the globe. Click here to donate to the Global Community Tourism Fund.

Indigenous Communities Leading the Way Through Community Tourism

At Planeterra, we work in partnership with Indigenous communities worldwide who are leveraging tourism to strengthen cultural heritage, generate livelihoods, and care for the land. For many, Community Tourism is one piece of a broader effort to secure futures on their own terms.

Our partners place cultural celebration at the centre of their work while creating jobs, training opportunities, and entrepreneurship opportunities. Many also reinvest tourism income into environmental stewardship, education, and other local priorities, ensuring tourism is not extractive, but community-owned and community-benefiting.

Here are a few examples of Indigenous-led initiatives Planeterra is proud to support:

Barauli Community Homestay (Nepal)

Tharu women and youth taking the lead

In Barauli, opportunities for women and youth to lead were once limited. Today, Tharu women manage the Barauli Community Homestay (part of Community Homestay Network), making key decisions about daily operations and traveller experiences. Youth contribute as guides, coordinators, and in logistics, gaining skills and building confidence for the future.

With each visit, 2% of revenue is reinvested in local priorities such as education, conservation, and health. Youth clubs, community forest conservation, and cultural festivals all benefit from these funds—strengthening Tharu culture and identity while building income for households.

Barauli Community Homestay
Chitwan, Nepal

Shandia Lodge (Ecuador)

Linking conservation and community development

The Kichwa community of Shandia in the Ecuadorian Amazon has revitalized Shandia Lodge into a hub for both visitors and conservation. Guided forest trails, community-run services, and cultural activities bring in income that directly supports local development and ecosystem protection.

Tourism here is not just about welcoming travellers; it’s about creating alternatives to environmentally destructive industries and reinforcing community control over the forest and economy.

D’danau Homestay (Malaysia)

Tourism supporting infrastructure and livelihoods

In Sabah, the Rungus Indigenous community has used D’danau Homestay to generate income and reinvest in community infrastructure. Revenue from hosting visitors is directed toward building and maintaining rural roads—vital for transportation, trade, and access to services.

More households now take part in the initiative, sharing Rungus culture with visitors and building sustainable income. By setting their own priorities, the community is using tourism to strengthen its economy and improve living conditions.

Posadas Mayas (Guatemala)

Maya families preserving hospitality traditions

Posadas Mayas is a network of Maya-run homestays where families welcome travellers into their homes and culture. Tourism income has supported home upgrades, reforestation, and improvements to the association’s infrastructure.

These efforts ensure that families benefit directly while maintaining the traditions of Maya hospitality. The initiative strengthens cultural identity and supports daily needs, long-term wellbeing, and community projects.

IL Ngwesi (Kenya)

Maasai-led conservation and education

IL Ngwesi Lodge is managed by a Maasai community that reinvests 40% of its tourism income into local priorities, including school bursaries, road maintenance, and youth employment. Women play an active role in land management, while young people gain training in both conservation and tourism.

Income from the lodge has already funded millions of Kenyan shillings in bursaries and scholarships, alongside projects like youth-led grass planting and road repair. IL Ngwesi demonstrates how Indigenous communities can harness tourism to sustain conservation and support community needs.

Across Nepal, Ecuador, Malaysia, Kenya, Guatemala, and beyond, Indigenous communities are proving that tourism can be a tool for self-determined futures.

Tourism, when community-led, becomes more than travel: it is a way to celebrate cultural diversity, create opportunity, and sustain land and livelihoods.

Global Community Tourism Network

From “problem” to possibility

Building a project from the ground up

When visitors become part of the story

Learning that coexistence is a social process

A growing network of people and ideas

Creating opportunities through nature

A message for visitors

Bringing heritage to new audiences

Passing knowledge to the next generation

Strengthening craft through collaboration

Quality over quantity

Looking to the future

About the Rachaek Patrimoine Association

A project born from education

Community Tourism as a new chapter

Stories that break stereotypes

Building something together

Looking ahead

Meet Rajni Mala

The impact community tourism is helping support

Written by Aayusha Prasain – CEO, Community Homestay Network

Putting Communities First

Building Together, Growing Together

Women at the Heart of Change

Inspiring an Entire Destination and Beyond

Why Local Ownership Matters

Written by Julia Pitcher, Global Impact Specialist at Planeterra

The Foundation: A Co-Creation Methodology

The Results: Five Towns, Five Unique Solutions

Real-World Hurdles: Navigating the Challenges

Key Learnings for a Replicable Model

A Framework for the Future

In the Media

Africa

Train & Travel (Bingerville, Côte d’Ivoire)

The project they’ll be working on

Ewaffe Cultural Village (Naggalama Mukono District, Uganda)

The project they’ll be working on

Murambo Bee Keeping Association (Murambo Village, Rubanda, Uganda)

The project they’ll be working on

Kigoma Eco-Cultural Tourism (Kigoma, Tanzania)

The project they’ll be working on

Funtasia for Training (Luxor, Egypt)

The project they’ll be working on

SEED (Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, South Africa)

The project they’ll be working on

Nyamirambo Women’s Center (Kigali, Rwanda)

The project they’ll be working on

Europe

Nexes Interculturals SCCL (Barcelona, Spain)

The project they’ll be working on

Unseen Tours (London, UK)

The project they’ll be working on

Americas

Centro Ecoturistico Carey (Isla Arena, Campeche, Mexico)

The project they’ll be working on

Asociación de Turismo Rural Solidario, ASTURS, PERÚ (Capachica Peninsula, Puno, Peru)

The project they’ll be working on

Asociación Comunal de Turismo, Cultura y Medio Ambiente de Leymebamba (Leymebamba – Chachapoyas, Amazonas, Peru)

The project they’ll be working on

Cooperativa de Agroturismo Red de Turismo Campesino Limitada (San Carlos, provincia de Salta, Argentina)

The project they’ll be working on

Ecoturismo comunitario Villa Amboró (Villa Amboro, Santa Cruz, Bolivia)

The project they’ll be working on

Stibrawpa (Yorkin Community, Telire, Talamanca, Costa Rica)

The project they’ll be working on

Asociación de Prosumidores Agroecológicos- Agrosolidaria Seccional (Charalá, Colombia)

The project they’ll be working on

Zaaz Koolen Ha (Yokdzonot, Yucatán, Mexico)

The project they’ll be working on

Ronda Cultural ONG (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

The project they’ll be working on

Comunidad Kichwa Oyacachi (Oyacachi, Napo, Ecuador)

The project they’ll be working on

Asia

Catalyst for Change Vietnam (Danang, Vietnam)

The project they’ll be working on

Kopi Sobean (Pajahan Village, Tabanan Regency, Bali, Indonesia)

The project they’ll be working on

Written by Julia Pitcher, Global Impact Specialist at *Planeterra***