The South Asian Women’s Conference 2025, a tribute to Her Majesty Queen Mother Dorji Wangmo Wangchuckโs 70th Birth Anniversary held over three days (8th to 10th May) at Namgay Heritage Hotel, Thimphu, convened #changemakers from Bhutan, India, and Nepal under the theme, Women’s Economic Empowerment in Rural South Asia: Sustainable Pathways.
Inaugurated by Her Majesty Queen Mother Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, Founding President of the Tarayana Foundation, the conference spotlighted the #transformative role of #women in #ruraltourism through a series of powerful panels and discussions:
Panel 1: The Arc of Rural Tourism โ Explored how rural tourism can strengthen #regionalintegration, #economicparticipation, and #culturalheritage.
Panel 2: Unlocking Capital โ Addressed #financialinclusion and #policystrategies for supporting #womenledtourism ventures.
Panel 3: Success Stories โ Featured #grassroots experiences from Bhutan, India, and Nepal, showcasing #ruraltourism as a driver of #empowerment and #sustainability.
Gelephu Mindfulness City Presentation โ Introduced Bhutan’s visionary plan for a #sustainable, #inclusive city rooted in #GrossNationalHappiness.
Panel 4: Sustainability Issues โ Highlighted the role of certification, #climateresilience, and #genderequitable policy in building lasting rural tourism.
Panel 5: Tecnology-powered Transformation, Blending Rural Tourism with Innovation.
Panel 6: Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges โ Focused on #crossborder tourism led by women and the need for harmonized, #inclusivepolicy frameworks.
A field visit to Punakha, including the iconic Punakha Dzong and a traditional lunch at Aum Toeb Zam’s Homestay, run by a local #womanentrepreneur, offered participants a meaningful connection to Bhutan’s #ruraltourism reality.
The conference concluded by honouring Late Ambica Shrestha, a founding member of South Asian Women’s Network, a pioneering entrepreneur, champion of heritage preservation in South Asia, and philanthropist. She was the Founder and President of Dwarika’s Hotel and Resorts, the President of the Federation of Business and Professional Women of Nepal, and an advisor on numerous boards and committees.
Her Majesty Queen Mother Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck delivered inspiring closing remarks, leaving participants deeply motivated and committed to #collaborative, #womencentered#ruraldevelopment across #SouthAsia. The evening concluded with a gracious dinner.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all speakers, participants, supporters, volunteers, and the entire team at Namgay Heritage Hotel for their warm hospitality and dedication.
Together, we are building pathways to #sustainable, #inclusive, and #empowered futures for #womeninSouthAsia. @followers International Development Institute (IDI)
Aum Toeb Zam, India Bhutan Foundation (IBF), Bhutan Trust Fund for Environment and Conservation (BTFEC), Royal Society for the Protection of Nature (RSPN) , World Bank Bhutan, ICIMOD, International Climate Initiative (IKI) funded by Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action