Experts from India and Nepal debated how the Eastern Himalayas can grow tourism without losing what makes them worth visiting
Darjeeling, 29 September 2026: The Kanchenjunga Tourism Festival (KTF) 2026 put its central argument, that the hills can no longer afford tourism as usual, to the test on its second day, when three panel discussions brought together practitioners, policymakers, community leaders and industry voices from India and Nepal. Held after the GTA Homestay Chautare Meet at Salesian College, Sonada, the sessions turned the festival's theme of "Slow is the new speed" into a working conversation about how the region should grow.
The panels were part of KTF 2026, organised by the Association for Conservation & Tourism (ACT) in collaboration with the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). They followed a morning in which homestay owners and homestay associations from across the Darjeeling hills met experts and policymakers to discuss what community-led tourism needs in order to grow without losing its character. The panel sessions carried that discussion into wider questions of technology, adventure and community.
Three sessions, three questions for the hills
Tourism Beyond Sightseeing: Wellness & AI (Reimagined) examined how wellness travel and emerging technology are changing what visitors come to the hills looking for. Travellers increasingly seek rest, meaning and connection over a checklist of viewpoints, and the session asked how the hills can meet that demand while using new tools responsibly.
Adventure & Sports Tourism (Protect) looked at the responsibilities that come with adventure tourism in a fragile mountain landscape. The discussion centred on how the region can welcome trekkers, cyclists and sports travellers while protecting the environment and the communities that live in it.
Rural, Cultural & Community-Led Tourism (Empower) focused on how communities can take a greater role in shaping tourism, preserving local culture and heritage while creating inclusive livelihoods. The session drew directly on the voices of homestay owners and community practitioners present at the festival.
Voices from across the region
The panellists across the three sessions were Dr. Bina Basnett; Shri Bhaichung Bhutia, Goodwill Ambassador of KTF 2026; Shri Rishav Chaudhary, Director, Darjeeling Himalayan Railway; Ms. Shraddha Sharma, Founder, Skipping Stones; Dr. Anu Lama, Community Tourism Expert, Kathmandu; Ms. Laxmi Limbu Kaushal, Director, Luxmi Township and Holdings; Shri Vivek Chhetri, journalist, The Telegraph; Shri Raj Basu; Shri Partha Saha; Shri Mrinal Mukherjee; Shri Amit Periwal; and Ms. R. H. Lata. Together they brought perspectives from heritage, hospitality, conservation, media, community tourism and cross-border cooperation.
Shri Rishav Chaudhary, Director, Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, said: "Heritage is a living asset. The DHR has carried travellers through these hills for over a century, and the future of tourism here depends on protecting places like this while keeping them open and welcoming."
Ms. Shraddha Sharma, Founder, Skipping Stones, said: "Travellers today want meaning, not just a checklist. If we build tourism around real stories and real people, the hills will keep their character and visitors will keep coming back."
Ms. Laxmi Limbu Kaushal, Director, Luxmi Township and Holdings, said: "Hospitality here has always been about welcome. As tourism grows, our task is to make sure growth comes with quality, responsibility and opportunities for local people."
Dr. Anu Lama, Community Tourism Expert, Kathmandu, said: "Community-led tourism works when the community decides what it wants to share. Our Himalayan neighbours face many of the same questions, and forums like this let us learn from one another."
A festival built on conversation
The panels sat alongside a festival programme that also included the launch of The Queen's Trail heritage walk, visits by content creators and tour operators to Makaibari, Dow Hill and Kurseong, and a full cultural programme at City Centre, Siliguri. KTF 2026 drew delegates from Nepal, Bhutan and Malaysia, tour operators from across India and homestay owners from the length of the Darjeeling hills.
Speaking on the festival's direction, Shri Raj Basu, Convenor, Association for Conservation & Tourism, said: "Slow is the new speed. Tourism here can be carbon-neutral, and it has to be. That is not a slogan for us, it is the only way this region survives what is coming."
About the Kanchenjunga Tourism Festival
Running for over two decades, the Kanchenjunga Tourism Festival is North Bengal's longest-standing tourism platform. An initiative of the Association for Conservation & Tourism (ACT), organised in collaboration with the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), KTF 2026 carried the message "Culture connects people" and was held from 25 to 27 September across Siliguri, Darjeeling, Sonada and Sukna.
