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Community-based Tourism

by Bianca Caruana October 7, 2018May 3, 2021

Tourism is a trillion-dollar industry and responsible tourism can often provide a sustainable income for marginalised communities around the world.

Community-based tourism is a type of tourism that emphasises the development of local communities. These communities open their homes to visitors and provide local experiences that allow the tourist 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 opportunity for both social and economic growth in regions that are often marginalised and remote.

Read how community-based tourism is helping women in India

Community-based tourism can cover many experiences including:

  • Homestays
  • Cooking classes
  • Tours run by locals
  • Traditional Arts & Dance Performances
  • Handicrafts workshops

More and more communities are participating in these types of programs with platforms such as I Like Local & 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

Lokal Travels is a marketplace for booking local, sustainable adventures around the world. They carefully select each experience on our site to make sure it provides an amazing travel experience and benefits back to the local community.

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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

 

Community-based tourism resources

Download the Nomads Giving Back! Global Giving Back Guide

Articles about Community-based Tourism

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  • Support Nepal through COVID-19 - Feature image of a home in the hills of Nepal How to help Nepal through the COVID-19 pandemic - Nepal has been severely affected by COVID-19, both in the area of health and in the economic fallout related to strict lockdowns, business closures and the large decline in tourism.   Months of… Continue Reading
  • Remote work skillshare with impact in Indonesia Providing Remote Work Opportunities To Local Communities Through Skill-sharing - The opportunity to become a remote worker has its privileges. One requires a good education, experience in a remote-based job role, and access to the tools and resources to excel in remote… Continue Reading
  • rebuild-nepal Helping to Rebuild Nepal | Volunteering with Conscious Impact Part 1 - On the 25th of April 2015, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake devastated Nepal, killing nearly 9,000 people and injuring nearly 22,000. This earthquake was one of the darkest days in Nepal’s history, 800,000 homes… Continue Reading
  • fair-trade-kathmandu-nepal An Ethical Guide to Shopping in Kathmandu Nepal - While in Kathmandu make an ethical choice and support local producers with the help of this list of fair trade shops in Nepal's capital. Continue Reading
  • Banana Paper Production Provides Opportunities for Women in Cambodia - Find out how sustainable paper made out of banana leaves is providing alternative income to impoverished women in Cambodia. Continue Reading
  • From Trash to Treasure – How Organisations in Cambodia are Tackling the Problem with Trash - From trash to treasure, these organisations in Cambodia are tackling the problem with trash with some leading initiatives to rid their country of plastic. Continue Reading
  • fernweh-fair-travel-womens-empowerment-india Empowering Communities in the Himalayas through Sustainable Tourism - At the feet of the Himalayas responsible tourism company Fernweh Fair Travel has introduced income-generating programs into remote village communities in India's northern region of Gopeshwar, Uttarakhand. Through the implementation of programs… Continue Reading
  • salaam-balaak-city-walk The Delhi City Walk That Funds the Care of at-risk Street Children - A unique city walk in Delhi's animated neighbourhood of Paharganj is providing employment opportunities to marginalised youth and former street children. Through sustainable tourism, guests can directly support the work of the… Continue Reading
  • top-10-homestays-india These are the Top 10 Responsible Homestays in India - The longlist for the top responsible homestays in India was recently released by the jury of the India Responsible Tourism Awards. Authentic Himalayan home stay Peaches & Pears, and organic cheesemaking farmstay… Continue Reading
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About Bianca

About Bianca

The Altruistic Traveller

I am an Australian-Maltese freelance journalist, blogger & podcast host specialising in stories that ignite thoughts surrounding compassion, ethics and the happiness of all beings. Through my work, I aim to promote ethical values and give a voice to those who are making the world a better place.

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