Meet the 10 Finalists of the 2025 Social Entrepreneurs in Tourism (SET) Competition

We are excited to share the 10 finalists of the 2025 Social Entrepreneurs in Tourism Competition in the Growth Track and the Launch Track, selected from 200 applications from 66 countries.

The Social Entrepreneurs in Tourism (SET): Competition is the first worldwide competition focusing on social innovation and entrepreneurship in tourism, supported by leading organisations in the travel industry.

This year’s participants are redefining the role of tourism through inclusive and sustainable solutions that tackle pressing social and environmental challenges. From Nepal to Argentina, these initiatives are led by change-makers committed to making tourism more just, community-driven, and impactful.

Let’s meet the finalists who will be joining us at the final pitch contest in November!

Legends in the Landscape (Nepal)

Bimochan Pathak and Bidhata Pathak — Legends in the Landscape (Launch Track)
Legends in the Landscape offers gamified, open-air cultural experiences in rural Nepal, led by trained local youth who bring heritage sites to life through storytelling, interactive quests, and community-based tourism.

EveryWhere (Vietnam)

Lam Nguyen and Linh Nguyen — EveryWhere (Launch Track)
EveryWhere is an AI-powered travel game that turns locals into cultural adventurers, using gamified missions to help them rediscover hidden gems, heritage sites, and small businesses in their own cities.

Project Revitalise (Nepal)

Sudeep Kandel and Gunjan Gautam — Project Revitalise (Launch Track)
Project Revitalise empowers rural communities in Nepal to combat out-migration and land abandonment by creating community-owned agro-tourism experiences that preserve heritage, revive agriculture, and build sustainable local economies.

Retiro (Argentina)

Antonella Morelli — Retiro (Launch Track)
RETIRO is a social tourism program that supports people transitioning into retirement through reflective travel experiences that foster community, emotional well-being, and a renewed sense of purpose, while strengthening local tourism.

ZeroTrail Climate Action Vehicle (India)

Tariq Wani — ZeroTrail Climate Action Vehicle (Launch Track)
ZeroTrail Climate Action Vehicle is a mobile, AI-powered waste management and sustainability hub that tackles tourism-related waste in ecologically fragile regions like Ladakh, while promoting circular economy practices, local livelihoods, and eco-conscious travel.

Abasuba Eco-Cultural Exploration (Kenya)

Sheila Odhiambo — Abasuba Eco-Cultural Exploration (Growth Track)
Abasuba Eco-Cultural Exploration is a community-driven initiative on Rusinga Island, Kenya, that preserves the heritage of the Abasuba people through immersive cultural tourism, environmental conservation, and youth and women empowerment.

The Portal: Destination Storyliving (Botswana)

Mmoloki Pitse — The Portal: Destination Storyliving (Growth Track)
The Portal is an indigenous-led tourism experience at Botswana’s Tsodilo Hills that blends heritage preservation with immersive drone light shows and storytelling, with plans to scale this community-based model to other cultural sites across the region.

Velout (Germany)

Theodora Chatzipavlidis and Bhupendra Singh — Velout (Growth Track)
Velout is an AI-powered travel app that reduces loneliness and increase safety among solo travelers by offering personalized, research-backed matches based on travel personality—while promoting socially conscious and low-impact tourism.

Indulge Me (Brazil)

Leonardo Braga — Indulge Me (Growth Track)
Indulge Me is a no-code platform for gamified tourism that empowers local guides and educators to create playful, regenerative travel experiences focused on environmental awareness, cultural heritage, and community inclusion.

CarbonTrace.in (India)

Ratan Kumar Ghimire — CarbonTrace.in (Growth Track)
CarbonTrace is a platform that empowers individuals and communities to take climate-positive action by tracking, reducing, and offsetting carbon footprints—supporting grassroots projects across India while rewarding eco-conscious behavior and connecting users to sustainable choices.

What Happens Next?

All finalists will now take part in a one-month mentorship program (15 September–15 October), working closely with international experts to refine their solutions and prepare for the final stage of the competition.

The public will have a chance to support their favourite ideas during the online voting period (10–16 November), followed by the Final Pitch Contest and Award Ceremony on 17 November.

Be sure to register to watch the final pitch contest to join the community live and hear from the finalists!