Scroll down for posts that have been tagged with “community-based tourism”.
Community-based tourism is a responsible form of tourism that seeks to empower local communities by involving them in the development and management of tourism activities. It ensures that the host community of a destination has a stake and/or say in the development of tourism via consultation, decision-making, employment, and/or direct ownership.
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), community-based tourism is defined as “tourism that is owned and managed by the local community, where tourists stay with local families, learn local traditions and participate in local activities”.
Community-based tourism is growing in popularity as more people become aware of the negative impacts of mass tourism on the environment and local cultures. It is a way for travellers to connect with local people, learn about their customs and traditions, and experience their way of life.
The benefits of community-based tourism are numerous; offering a more authentic and immersive experience for tourists, while supporting local jobs and businesses, and (hopefully) preserving the cultural and natural heritage of the destination.
Theoretically, community-based tourism can help to reduce the negative impact of mass tourism. By involving local people in the development and management of tourism activities, community-based tourism is more likely to set and enforce limits to visitor numbers. Furthermore, with stakes in both the industry and the destination, local people are more likely to ensure that the benefits of tourism are maximised and/or distributed equitably while mitigating the potential downsides of tourism.
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Travel & tourism’s host communities need alternative visions for development and the power to choose between them, according to lecturer and writer Jim Butcher. It’s his second “Good Tourism” Insight. Ethical tourism is strongly associated with ‘community empowerment’ and ‘local participation’. But how does this relate to the important debates raging about national democracy: populism, […]
Read More Tourism’s democratic deficit
The clue is in its name. Travel & tourism’s fatal flaw is its total reliance on freedom of movement. Lockdowns and border closures in response to COVID-19 have blindsided tourism-dependent economies and devastated livelihoods. In this “Good Tourism” Insight, sustainable tourism consultant Angelo Sciacca argues that now is a good time for the stakeholders of […]
Read More From linear to circular: How to build resilience in small island tourism destinations
The post-pandemic future of travel & tourism will be more community-based than it has been, according to sustainable tourism expert Eva Mossberg. In this “Good Tourism” Insight, Ms Mossberg points to the village of Baan Talae Nok in southern Thailand for an example of how and why. “Humans are not perfect decision makers. Not only are […]
Read More Host communities are at the core of tomorrow’s sustainable tourism
To “build back better” for real rather than for rhetoric, the travel & tourism industry cannot ignore the built environment and its significant influence on sustainability and well-being. In this “Good Tourism” Insight, Tanner C Knorr of “GT” partners Off Season Adventures and Second Look Worldwide explores why it’s important to get land use policy and infrastructure investments right. […]
Read More Tourism infrastructure, well-being, & how to ‘build back better’ for all
I jot down this irrelevant preamble on December 31, 2020 … Most of the past 364 days have been terribly tough for many, of course, especially travel & tourism folk. Can’t say much more about it than every person and their pet has already said — “Good riddance 2020 … Hope 2021 is better … blah blah […]
Read More The five most visited “Good Tourism” posts of 2020 (& all time)
Much has been written about including host communities in destination management and tourism development decision-making, but how would one go about measuring contentment, well-being, or even happiness, on an ongoing basis? In this “Good Tourism” Insight, Paul Rogers of “GT” Insight Partner Planet Happiness presents a solution. Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 global […]
Read More Why build well-being into destination resilience and tourism recovery?