Simarpreet Kaur

Lead, Community Tourism, Global Himalayan Expedition

Simar is the Lead – Community Tourism at GHE also known as Global Himalayan Expedition, a social impact tourism enterprise that empowers remote mountain communities. Simar leads the Sustainable Tourism Vertical for GHE called Mountain Homestays. Over the past few years, Simar has led several skill training initiatives with the goal of leveraging the Himalayan communities for the benefit of livelihood opportunities. These initiatives include setting up carbon-neutral homestays in the border villages of Ladakh and training locals to curate holistic experiences such as stargazing at 11,000 feet. These initiatives have empowered hundreds of lives towards a more collective approach in tourism. With a professional background in an MBA in Travel and Tourism, Simar combines hospitality and tourism expertise with her passion, leading to more sustainable models that are easy and convenient for villagers to adhere to. In recognition of their impactful and sustainable tourism initiatives, GHE received accolades at COP 26, with the UNFCCC presenting them the 2021 Climate Change Award. GHE's contributions have also been acknowledged by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).