𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧-𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦

6th-7th May, Tawang

The Bhutan delegation, led by the Tarayana Foundation and comprising representatives from government agencies and community-based tourism sector, was honoured to participate in the Regional Workshop on Developing the South Asian Buddhist Circuit through Women-Led Rural Tourism held in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh.

Organized by the Government of Arunachal Pradesh, District Administration Tawang, and the South Asia Women’s Network (SWAN) – of which Tarayana Foundation is a member – the workshop brought together distinguished delegates, policymakers, tourism experts, women leaders, and stakeholders from Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka to strengthen regional collaboration through sustainable and inclusive tourism initiatives.

The workshop was a follow-up to the deliberations of the SWAN Conference held in Bhutan last year and forms part of the ongoing regional dialogue leading up to the next South Asian Conference on Women’s Economic Empowerment, to be held in Sri Lanka later this year.

Discussions focused on advancing a vibrant South Asian Buddhist Circuit linking Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and major Buddhist centres across India through a women-led rural tourism model to promote sustainable livelihoods, cultural preservation, biodiversity conservation, regional connectivity, and community empowerment. Key areas of deliberation included homestay networks, eco-tourism, creative industries, cultural heritage preservation, branding and marketing strategies, and cross-border tourism cooperation.

The inaugural session was graced by Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Shri Chowna Mein, and attended by Minister for Women and Child Development, Science & Technology and Cultural Affairs Smt. Dasanglu Pul, alongside other distinguished policymakers and tourism experts. The event also saw participation from representatives from Sikkim, Assam, and women leaders from across Arunachal Pradesh.

Technical sessions over the two days included deliberations on identifying significant Buddhist heritage sites across the region, strengthening regional tourism linkages, enhancing connectivity among destinations, and developing common standards and marketing strategies for the Buddhist Circuit. The workshop concluded with a shared commitment to move from vision to implementation through collaborative, women-led tourism initiatives rooted in culture, spirituality, sustainability, and local participation.

The deliberations and recommendations emerging from the workshop are expected to pave the way for stronger regional cooperation in promoting Buddhist heritage tourism across South Asia while creating meaningful economic opportunities for local communities, particularly women entrepreneurs.

We extend our sincere gratitude to the Government of Arunachal Pradesh and the District Administration of Tawang for their warm hospitality and excellent arrangements in hosting this meaningful regional gathering.