Hosting for humanity: innovative tourism idea from Vayq

Lusine Karapetyan’s innovative tourism idea has long been awaited. She was waiting for an opportunity to develop skills and put the idea on a more realistic basis. By profession, historian Lusine has never been seriously interested in technology. Her hobby was media. Five years ago she began to run her own blog, then joined the network of young correspondents of 17.am, first as a correspondent, then as a mentor.

“Tnak” was a series of non-formal education and active citizenship training that was designed not only for teens from Vayq, but also from other provinces and surrounding communities. Its funding was very small, and after a while she  just realized that there should be other ways to keep young people in Vayk, coming to the conclusion that Armenians can proudly show to the world their hospitality.

The main idea was to find something ensuring stable development and income for rural people, who do not have lack of food, but face financial problems instead not being able to pay for books or clothing. Her task was to figure out something which would be financial support for them at the same time not demanding serious  changes or additional investments. That is how the idea of Hosting for humanity was born.

The essence of the project is very simple. Families who are ready to host tourists for one or a few days, not only offer overnight accommodation and food to their guests, but also simply share their lives with them. Thus, the host family has an income, not  making a special effort, and guests have  far more affordable accommodation and food than the hotels and guest houses offer, as well as an experience to live in a few days the farmers’ life, not only to see his everyday life, but also to participate in it, to understand and feel the local culture. This is also an alternative to Armenians. This is not only tourism, but also social entrepreneurship.

The villager-tourist relationship will be maintained by the “Hosting For Humanity” team through a special website. For its services, the site will receive a small percentage of the amount paid by the traveler. The other part will be fully provided to the host family. It turns out that the villager does nothing more than his everyday activities, but is also paid for that.

With this idea Lusine surprised and inspired the jury members of  Humanity-oriented social innovation hackathon Girls in Tech organized by Armenia and received the grand prize of 1 million AMD.

Lusine had applied for the Hackathon alone, presenting the idea and expressing willingness to join one of the teams. But within the framework of the competition, the team was formed on the idea of Lusine. The other two team members are also from the provinces of Vayots Dzor and Gyumri. The youth are planning to test the project in Vayots Dzor region.

The first thing they are going to do with money is traveling from village to village, from province to province, explaining people the essence of their idea and presenting the results that each hospitable family can have. Throughout these visits, the creators of the idea will also be able to personally see the homes and amenities that will be offered to tourists.

Young people also have new ideas in marketing solutions: unlike other similar services in the world, they do not show houses and utilities. They will, first of all, show people, members of host families with whom the tourists will live.

Full text in Armenian