A new initiative aimed at promoting tourism by integrating homestays into a unified circuit has been launched in Bandipur Rural Municipality and Byas Municipality of Tanahun district.
The program, titled the Community Homestay Circuit and Tourism Promotion Program, seeks to develop rural tourism in a more organized, sustainable, and income-generating manner. By bringing together scattered homestays under a single circuit concept, the initiative aims to enhance the overall tourism experience in the region.
According to Bandipur Rural Municipality Chairperson Surendra Thapa, the program includes study and observation visits to several homestays. These include Mohoriya and Ramkot in Ward-2 of Bandipur; Kulung, Keshavtar, and Rumsi in Ward-14 of Byas; Dharampani in Bandipur-6; Kamalabari in Byas-12; Korikha in Bandipur-5; and the Bandipur Community Homestay.
On the first day, observation visits were completed in Mohoriya, Ramkot, Kulung, Keshavtar, and Rumsi. The following day’s itinerary includes visits to Dharampani Homestay, the historic Huslangkot Fort, Kamalabari, Korikha, and the Bandipur Community Homestay.
Chairperson Thapa stated that the Bandipur–Keshavtar Homestay Circuit aims to integrate individual homestays and promote tourism in a holistic manner. “We believe this circuit will offer tourists the opportunity to experience diverse villages, cultures, and lifestyles within a single यात्रा,” he said.
The proposed circuit spans approximately 75 kilometers in a loop, covering more than 20 villages and 14 homestays. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience local cuisine, traditional attire, customs, and lifestyles of communities including Gurung, Magar, Newar, Chhetri, Brahmin, and Dalit groups.
The program will also provide orientation to homestay operators on improving service quality, sanitation, hospitality, promotion of local products, preservation of art and culture, and digital marketing. Additionally, emphasis will be placed on identifying and conserving historical, religious, and natural heritage sites within the circuit.
The initiative is expected to extend tourists’ length of stay, increase consumption of local products, and attract youth toward self-employment. It is also anticipated to contribute to job creation in rural areas and help reduce migration.
The plan aims to establish this as the country’s first well-organized homestay circuit. Preliminary discussions have already been held, with participation from local representatives, tourism and cultural experts, tourism entrepreneurs, and technical teams. They have agreed to conduct field studies and interaction programs across all homestay villages in the circuit during the initial phase.
Tourism expert Hari Singh Gurung noted that if successful, the concept could position Bandipur as a model rural tourism destination in the country. “This is not just about tourism; it is an initiative linked to the overall transformation of communities. It will improve local livelihoods while creating employment opportunities,” he said.
