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.
Tags are informal. The “Good Tourism” Blog tries not to get bogged down with terminology and definitions. You may disagree with tags applied (or not applied) to a post. If so, feel free to comment on any post you think has been incorrectly or insufficiently tagged. “GT” encourages good-faith debate and discussion.
For truly sustainable tourism to have a chance, individual destinations and host communities must use the coronavirus crisis to take back control from global financial interests after decades of failed talks at the highest levels. This is according to Dr Thomas Bauer in a fresh and reflective “GT” Insight; his second. Indeed Dr Bauer reckons […]
Read More By invitation only: Sustainable tourism revisited
During this coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic we are seeing something we have witnessed many times before — the fickleness of travel & tourism demand — exacerbated by enforced travel restrictions. As governments around the world shut down travel, borders, and gatherings of various sizes to “flatten the curve” of coronavirus contagion and buy time to develop treatments and vaccines, your […]
Read More As we sit out COVID-19, let’s think about a fair & fail-safe treatment or vaccine for overtourism
The Hogsback region in the Eastern Cape of South Africa attracts visitors to its indigenous forests, lush mountainous landscape, and breathtaking hikes. Lieve Claessen and partner Elliot Sonjani operate Elundini Backpackers in a rural community at the edge of Hogsback. In this wonder-filled “Good Tourism” Insight, Lieve shares some of the ongoing challenges facing Elundini […]
Read More How a small South African backpackers is making a big community-based difference
Tourism impact and sustainability expert Aadyaa Pandey discusses a few of the challenges overcome by Nepal’s Community Homestay Network (CHN). And she celebrates its positive impacts. Thanks to “Good Tourism” Insight Partner Second Look Worldwide for inviting Aadyaa to contribute this inspiring “GT” Insight about a social enterprise that arose from a modest yet wildly […]
Read More How a community-based tourism & homestay network empowers women in Nepal
The Living Irrawaddy Dolphin Project (LIDP) is a social business supporting the protection of Irrawaddy dolphins in Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady Dolphin Protected Area. LIDP is developing a model for dolphin conservation through community-based ecotourism. Co-founder Paul Eshoo wrote this great “Good Tourism” Insight. UPDATE, June 2021: Given the political situation in Myanmar and COVID-19 “GT” was […]
Read More How tourism & fishing help to save Irrawaddy dolphins in Myanmar
James Nadiope established the Africa Sustainable Tourism Care Foundation to address the problem of human-wildlife conflicts taking place around Kibale National Park in western Uganda. ASTCF’s first project was at Kahangi village, where community consultation led to the emergence of both traditional and modern solutions to old problems. One of those solutions was, of course, […]
Read More How bees, trees, & tourism reduce human-wildlife conflict in Uganda