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From the Himalayas to the stars: Inspiring stories of social innovation in travel

December 19, 2024
2 min read
Himalayas and a sky full of stars
Audrey Mourguiart
Audrey Mourguiart
Head of Social Innovation, Amadeus
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In the travel industry, new ideas are always needed. Travelers' demands evolve, and we face global challenges like protecting destinations and local communities. Innovation is key to making progress in a sustainable way.

At Amadeus, we believe in working collaboratively. Together, we experiment, grow, and become more resilient to change. That's why we have partnered with the 2024 Social Entrepreneurship Competition in Tourism . This initiative supports innovative entrepreneurs who are dedicated to inclusive and sustainable development in travel and tourism.

Meet the Winners

This year, we are thrilled to highlight the inspiring stories of the competition's winners:

  • Himalayan Women Trail Leaders Initiative: This project, which won the Launch Track, aims to create the first-ever online directory showcasing female trekking guides in Nepal. It will develop training programs to make female guides as competitive as their male counterparts.
  • Astrostays: Winning the Growth Track, this initiative empowers local communities in India by integrating community-operated homestays and communal spaces with guided astronomy and stargazing sessions for travelers. Led by trained local youth and women, Astrostays offers unique and meaningful travel experiences.

These projects are making a positive impact in the industry and are aligned with our social ambition to foster inclusion every step of the way.

The Social Entrepreneurship Competition

The Social Entrepreneurship Competition in Tourism aligns perfectly with our goals at Amadeus. It allows us to collaborate with major industry players and meet impact-driven entrepreneurs. It's open to entrepreneurs whose business is related to tourism and supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The competition provides various forms of support to entrepreneurs, including access to specialized eLearning courses and online training, eight weeks of mentoring, visibility through Travel Massive channels , and a monetary prize.

Supporting innovators

As a global partner and sponsor of the competition, Amadeus will support the finalists through additional programs for startups, such as Amadeus for Startups, which offers one-to-one expert sessions to help them grow and develop their business further. We will also offer slots in other social innovation programs like Travel4Impact , ensuring we accompany these entrepreneurs on their sustainability journey.

Congratulations to the participants and particularly the finalists who are transforming our industry in a more sustainable, accessible, and inclusive way.

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