The power of homestay tourism in fighting social stigmas and inequities

Abstract

Homestay tourism serves as an interactive learning platform for both hosts and guests. As this form of tourism continues to grow, it is crucial to analyze its impact on local communities, particularly in terms of host-guest interactions. This study aims to explore how homestay tourism contributes to mitigating social stigmas and inequities within homestay communities. We used a phenomenological approach to delve into the lived experiences of homestay owners in rural homestay communities in Nepal. We conducted 26 in-depth semi-structured interviews with homestay owners from four community-based homestays. Community-based homestays were purposively selected with a history of various socio-cultural issues (e.g. untouchability, child marriage, impurity, illiteracy, etc.). A social learning theory serves as a theoretical basis for this paper. The findings suggest that learning is critical to homestay tourism, influencing positive behavioral changes among community members. The positive outcomes from homestay tourism further facilitate meaningful host-guest interactions, fostering community empowerment. It is evident that these changes occur gradually over time. In essence, this research emphasized the transformative role of homestay tourism in promoting learning and combating social stigmas and inequities.