THC 121

MICROPERSPECTIVE OF TOURISM & HOSPITALITY

COMMUNITY BASED
TOURISM

Aiza Mae Padios

Lindyll Pono
Joven Sarmiento
Jean clyde Valladolid
Erica Lenn S. Villagracia

Submitted to:

Ma’am Ma Anne Cerna

Community based tourism

Tourism is a trillion dollar industry and responsible tourism can often provide a
sustainable income to marginalised communities around the world.
CBT is probably the oldest way of conducting tourism.
Meaning By community we mean a group of people living in the same place and having something
in common, be it culture, economic activity or simply the land and its ecosystems. In most cases
they are farmers, fishermen, indigenous peoples, artisans or quilombolas (Brazilian backcountry
settlement founded by people of African origin) living in remote, beautiful and well-preserved rural
areas. The touristic potential within their land and traditions was so evident that they decided to
create infrastructures to host travellers and to set up community-led projects. Often, their goal is to
improve their standard of living and preserve the environment through tourism.

These projects offer services such as accommodation, excursions (bird-watching, trekking, horse-
riding, whale-watching, etc.) , traditional gastronomy, ecotourism and cultural activities. A fair-trade
logic applies, so tourists are paying a fair price in exchange for high quality and often unique
products and services, within a context of transparency and equality. For travellers it is a
genuine and rich experience. They get to know the local traditions, get involved in cultural activities
and have the opportunity to see unspoilt nature and ecosystems.\

Community-based tourism (CBT) is normally regarded as a platform for local community to generate
economic benefits through offering their products to tourists that range from the local communities,
lifestyles, natural resources, and cultures. CBT is also characterized as a development programme
which enhances the social and cultural benefits of local community through the social and cultural
exchanges with tourists. A homestay programme is a programme that requires a great participation
and support from local community in tourism. It also encourages community members’ participation
in decision making so that benefits can be equally shared, and planning and development can be
easily implemented. This programme cannot be sustained if the supports and participations from
local community are insufficient. This factor can be a challenge since not every individual can accept
and able to perceive positively on the development of the programme. A convergence between two
different cultures will lead to greater social and cultural impacts. The exchange experiences are
changing over times and depend on the interaction between local communities and tourists to form
various perceptions that can be positive or negative. Hence, understanding the perceptions is vital to
maximize benefits and minimize impacts, besides to sustain the homestay programme. A
continuous support on tourism is achieved when the interaction benefits the local community.

What is community-based tourism?

Community-based tourism involves giving visitors to a country the chance to meet local
people and experience authentic cultural exchange. It’s about supporting locally led
projects that have a direct benefit for the local community, as well as travellers.

Community-based tourism can take many forms. Some of the most common types
include homestay programs where you stay with local families, or visiting villages and
communities. At Pro Niti Travel, we incorporate elements of community-based tourism
into many of our tours – for example, by visiting local artisans who create traditional
handicrafts.

One of the most important aspects of community-based tourism is that it is something

which is supported and led by the local community itself.

While the phrase ‘community-based tourism’ may be new, in fact, it has been around for
centuries. In many ways, it is returning to a more traditional way of thinking about
tourism, as opposed to inventing something new. Many years ago small businesses
were more common than large hotel chains, for example – so CBT is certainly a time
tested idea, even if the name is a little different!

Benefits of community-based tourism

There are many benefits to community-based tourism, for both the local community and
visitors.

Environmentally sustainable

Ecotourism and community-based tourism can go hand-in-hand. At its best, community-

based tourism is sustainable, providing environmentally-friendly experiences and
attractions. This is particularly important as nowadays so many places worldwide are
struggling with the negative impacts of mass tourism.

This is why we think supporting environmentally sustainable projects is so important –

and this can certainly apply to CBT. For example, the economic opportunity that comes
with CBT can encourage local people away from other, less environmentally friendly
ways to make money such as logging or poaching.

In addition, the environmental footprint of community-based tourism is usually smaller

than traditional mass-tourism approaches. For example, visiting small artisans who
hand make traditional crafts locally uses far fewer resources than it takes to mass-
produce goods and transport them overseas.

Therefore, community-based tourism is good for the planet. As a result, supporting

environmentally-friendly CBT projects can ensure that the environment, as well as other
attractions, remain for generations to come.
Empowering

Community-based tourism provides opportunities for local people to bring in income

and also to introduce their culture to visitors. Plus, as the local community is actively
involved in running and leading the project, they can have autonomy and make
decisions that are right for their community. This can be very empowering, helping to
generate pride and confidence as well as economic activity.

With CBT, the bulk of the money spent by tourists stays in the local community. Rather
than tourist dollars going to large, often multinational companies, they instead go
directly to the local people. This money can hugely benefit small communities, helping
send kids to school and create financial security for everyday people.

In particular, community-based tourism can provide income and opportunities for all
people, including women and other disadvantaged groups such as people with
disabilities. It gives everybody the opportunity to secure their economic future and
create opportunities for themselves.

CBT can allow local communities to diversify their income, meaning that there is more
economic opportunity and that people are less at risk financially. It can help to promote
a level of financial independence that helps protect people from exploitative situations.

In addition, community-based tourism gives local people a chance to share their culture
with the world, as well as learn more about other peoples’ cultures and experiences.
This can be a source of great pride for people, and also ensure that culture and
language is strengthened. It is particularly helpful for young people to be involved in
expressing their culture, as this can ensure that it is not lost and is instead handed down
to future generations.

Cross-cultural understanding

Today more than ever, we believe that it is important for people of different
backgrounds, faiths and nationalities to come together and learn about one another. We
believe that this kind of learning can heal divides and create a stronger and more united
world.

Community-based tourism undoubtedly helps to promote cross-cultural understanding.

It allows people from very different backgrounds to come together in a respectful
environment, and engage with one another. We think it is incredible to see people who
may never normally have met, spend time together and learn. This helps to broaden
everyone’s horizons and bring greater interfaith and intercultural understanding. These
are certainly lessons that will remain long after visitors have departed from Myanmar or
other countries with CBT projects.

Authentic experiences

For many people, travel is not just about travelling in an air-conditioned bus, ticking off
landmarks from a list before moving on to the next one. Instead, many people want to
really get to know a place and come to deeply understand it. In this way, tourism can
deeply enrich your life and broaden your horizons.

Undoubtedly, community-based tourism allows you to do this. It gives visitors the

opportunity to meet local people and learn from them – something which may not be
possible with a traditional packaged tour. CBT allows you to experience a country with
your heart, not just with your mind.

From visiting traditional artisans to sharing dinner with local people, there are many
incredible opportunities for visitors to have authentic, genuine experiences and come to
learn more about different cultures. There’s also a very good chance that you will come
away with not only new memories and knowledge but also new friends.

WHAT DOES IT DO?

Community based tourism (CBT) is a community development tool that strengthens the ability of
rural communities to manage tourism resources while ensuring the local community’s
participation.

CBT can help local community in :

-Generating
Generating income

-Diversifying
Diversifying local economy

-Preserving
Preserving culture

-Conserving
Conserving environment

-Providing
Providing educational opportunities

Key Characteristics of Community-based Tourism

Community-based tourism is defined by three characteristics: indigenous leadership, sustainability, and
cultural immersion.

Indigenous Leadership

Community-based tourism is managed by indigenous communities. This means the

community assumes collective responsibility for all aspects of your stay, including
accommodations, internal travel, local food, and cultural activities.

Communities reap the benefits from tourism revenue, making community-based tourism
a sustainable alternative to many travel organizations, which often do not work in
solidarity with the communities and environments they use.

Through community-based travel, collective wellbeing is valued over corporate or

individual profit.

Sustainability

Communities will only accommodate as many people as they are able, keeping in mind
long-term sustainability, and avoiding unnecessary strain on their own resources. Meals
generally draw on local agriculture, and communities will not take on more guests than
their housing and energy resources can effectively support.

Aside from physical resources, revenue from community-based travel helps to sustain
indigenous cultures and traditions in a rapidly changing world.
Cultural Immersion

Travelers are able to experience the diversity and customs of another culture, and to
interact with the community. Unique lodging, cuisine, and activities form a foundation for
increased knowledge and awareness of another culture, different set of beliefs, and
social norms.

Economic Viability

Economic viability means economic feasibility i.e. it should be able to secure financing –
whether from public, commercial, or concessional sources – while having a positive impact on
society and the environment. Avoiding the wasteful consumption of material resources

Funding sources and profits earned must be legitimate and transparent.

Projects should cover operating costs over their lifetime and generate an acceptable rate of
return
.
Integration of the project into the wider economic framework of local, regional, and global
monetary flows.

Demonstrate flexibility to adapt to future changes of user needs, ownership, laws, regulations,
and economic fluctuations.

Robust economic models are sought that take unpriced external costs into consideration from
the outset.

Full utilisation of resources ( optimization)

Scope of Community Based Toursim:

Natural and Cultural Resources

Community Organizations
Management
Learning

-Natural and Cultural Resources

Natural resources are well preserved

Local economy and modes of production depends on the sustainable use of natural resources

Customs and culture are unique to the destination

-Community Organizations

The community shares consciousness, norms and ideology

The community has elders who hold local traditional knowledge and wisdom

The community has a sense of ownership and wants to participate in its own developments

-Management

The community has rules and regulations for environmental, cultural, and tourism management
A local organization or mechanism exist to manage tourism with the ability to link tourism and
community development

Benefits are fairly distributed to all

A percentage of profits form tourism is contributed to a community fund for economic and social
development of the community

-Learning
tourism activities and service aim at:

Fostering a shared learning process between hosts and guest

Educating and building understanding of diverse cultures and ways of life

Raising awareness of natural and cultural conservation among tourist and the the local
community