Community-based Tourism / Impact Travel

by Bianca Caruana

Tourism is a trillion-dollar industry and responsible tourism can often provide a means of economic impact for people involved. 

Community-based tourism is a type of tourism that emphasises a type of authentic, cross-cultural experiences that offer the traveller insight into a different culture while providing economic and cultural exchange for the host community. Many communities and individuals open their homes to visitors and provide local experiences that allow the travellers to immerse themselves into local life, creating a cultural exchange and the opportunity to learn different traditions.

With many travellers now looking for off-the-beaten-path experiences, community-based tourism brings opportunities for economic development in regions that could be marginalised and remote.

[Image Source: undp.org]

Read how community-based tourism is helping women in India.

Community-based tourism can cover many experiences including:

More and more communities are participating in these types of programs with platforms such as With Locals & Homestay.com giving them the chance to share their experiences with a wider audience.

Read about how community-based tourism is changing the lives of rural Cambodians

Adventures with Locals is a female owned responsible tourism company with a team of passionate local female guides that create, operate and promote local authentic and unique travel experiences that provide travellers with the opportunity to book, connect with locals and have meaningful travel experiences for a social impact. They also offer Free Walking Tours guided by locals in Kampala City – based on Tips.

Community-based tourism & cultural appropriation

Cultural appropriation by definition is “the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society.” When visiting a foreign land, it is important that we are respectful of diverse customs and traditions.

Some ways to avoid cultural appropriation are:

  • Research and acknowledge the traditional owners of the land you are visiting
  • Take a genuine interest in the cultural traditions of the place you are visiting
  • Respect any sacred traditions or cultural rituals
  • Support locally run businesses and celebrate local traditions, including in the arts sector

Related reading: When Exchange Edges out Appropriation: one NGO’s Perspective

Related reading: A Tourism Narrative For the (Local) People, By the (Local) People

A focus on Environmental Sustainability

Community-based tourism often emphasises environmental conservation and sustainability. Initiatives such as eco-friendly accommodations, wildlife conservation projects, and sustainable agriculture practices aim to minimise the negative impact on the environment while promoting responsible tourism.

Related reading: How to Book Sustainable Accommodation Online

Related reading: Community Homestay Nepal – Embracing Community-based Tourism

Community-based Tourism Podcast Episodes

Articles about Community-based Tourism

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