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DIGO empowers community-based tourism enterprises

Nepal
Sustainable tourism
05.06.2026
Tourism is one of the key pillars of Nepal’s economy, contributing an estimated 7-8% to the national GDP (World Travel and Tourism Council, 2023). Beyond its macroeconomic significance, tourism offers significant opportunities for rural development, particularly through grassroots models such as community-based tourism and homestays. These approaches have proven effective in generating local income, strengthening community ownership, and promoting environmental stewardship (Acharya & Halpenny, 2013).

Building on this potential, Swisscontact’s Developing Inclusive and Green Opportunities (DIGO) project is implementing the Community Coaching on Sustainability (COCOS) program to strengthen local community and tourism enterprises in Tangting village of Madi Rural Municipality.

What is COCOS?

COCOS is a demand-driven capacity building program designed to bridge the gap between rural tourism offerings and evolving needs of the sustainable tourism market. It serves as catalytic process that translates abstract sustainability principles into actionable, community led practices, ensuring that host communities and community-based tourism (CBT) groups don’t just participate in tourism but develop and manage tourism products and services in accordance with sustainable market needs.

How the program works

The program follows a structured nine module cycle built around participatory learning methods. A unique feature of the program is the “coaching” phase, which extends beyond classroom training. After the training, coaches (industry experts) conduct intensive onsite visits to assist participants in implementing their actions plans developed during the training sessions. Alongside the training and coaching program, DIGO supports the local community to develop sustainable tourism products that are then later helped promote to the market.

Swisscontact previously implemented the COCOS program in Indonesia, where the approach aided in strengthening community-based tourism operations. In 2025, the COCOS program was extensively localised by DIGO to ensure relevance to the Nepali context.

COCOS roll-out in Tangting

Swisscontact has partnered with the Homestay Federation of Nepal (HOFEN) for the roll out of the COCOS program. As the apex body representing over 5,000 homestays across 60+ districts, HOFEN is a key strategic partner for tourism in Nepal and the national custodian for implementation and future scaling of COCOS.COCOS piloting in Tangting began with a kick-off workshop that was organised from March 22-25, 2026. The kick-off program started with HOFEN outlining the importance of authenticity and community-based tourism in homestays. 

The first session, Module 1: Introduction to Sustainable Tourism, focused on climate change impacts and environmental conservation. This was immediately followed by Module 2: Organizational Strengthening, which engaged the participants in the process of formalizing local tourism groups. A significant outcome of these sessions was the collective agreement to establish the Tangting Tourism Council (TTC) as an umbrella organization to manage and promote sustainable tourism in the village. 

"As the umbrella association of homestays in Nepal, we are pleased to partner in initiatives like COCOS. We believe this training will strengthen our efforts to promote homestay-based tourism across the country"
Suraj Bastola, Treasurer, Homestay Federation of Nepal

Tourism is sustainable when it delivers real benefits to local communities. Swisscontact  helps shape destinations that are not only wonderful to visit, but also great to live in. COCOS program is one of such initiatives through which DIGO support tourism communities to develop tourism solutions that go beyond economic success: they preserve natural resources, respect cultural heritage, and empower local communities. 

DIGO project is co-financed by Happel Foundation. It is part of the Swisscontact Development Programme, which is co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA. 

2025 - 2028
Nepal
Sustainable tourism
Developing Inclusive and Green Opportunities (DIGO)
The project aims to support the adoption of sustainable tourism practices and products in two destinations of Nepal by strengthening the capacities of tourism enterprises and upskilling tourism professionals, benefiting both the local population and the environment. 
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