Empowering Local Communities Through Tourism
Community-based Tourism
Visit places you won’t find on Google and have a positive impact on local communities.
Community-based tourism (CBT) not only gives you a real insight into local lives, but also ensures your travel experience makes a genuine difference to local people. CBT experiences vary greatly depending on the community you visit and needs of the local people, meaning every experience is unique. But, what these experiences do have in common is that they are entirely community-owned and managed – meaning your stay won’t just benefit one family, but the community as a whole.
At Avella Sights, we actively work with communities and a range of local partners to support the development of new CBT experiences in destinations that otherwise wouldn’t see the benefits of tourism. Then, when we visit the communities on our itineraries, our TrAvellas have the opportunity to connect with the local people and make a positive impact.
What is community-based tourism?
Community-based tourism (CBT) ensures that local communities have full ownership and management of the tourism experience, so that the economic benefits of tourism stay within their community. CBT is designed to give TrAvellas an authentic taste of a local community’s heritage, their cultural practices and natural resources, and in this way offers an immersive and rich travel experience.
Benefits of Community-based Tourism
Economic
Community-based tourism offers various benefits to the society such as job creation, generating revenue, purchasing of local goods and services which prevents funds from leaving the community. It also aids in expanding the economic activities beyond just agricultural farming, thereby reducing the risk of low or no yield during times of climate change.
Shared Value
CBT ensures equitable distribution of benefits to households, enabling them to participate in diversifying income streams. While not all families may host homestays, they can contribute as guides or provide meals, allowing them to generate revenue from tourism. It is worth noting that even families who are not directly involved can reap the benefits of an agreed usage plan of the community fund.
Social
CBT offers valuable skills training and professional development opportunities as well as health and community infrastructure benefits, including education on water and waste management. This approach creates a more equitable and inclusive community structure. Additionally, collaborating with foreign TrAvellas fosters increased confidence and pride among community members.
Environmental
Community-based tourism promotes the conservation of the environment, supports local communities, and offers authentic cultural experiences for TrAvellas. By providing sustainable employment and reducing poverty in these communities, CBT helps to improve their well-being. Additionally, through responsible tourism practices, CBT fosters environmental stewardship and preserves natural habitats and wildlife. CBT initiatives bring locals and TrAvellas together to create a sustainable and equitable future.
Female empowerment
One notable effect is the promotion of female empowerment in the community. Women play a critical role in managing and creating opportunities that, in turn, bring in revenue. By fostering an environment that supports and values women, we can promote economic growth and social progress in the community.
Cultural Preservation
Community-Based Tourism frequently serves as a means of generating employment opportunities within local communities for young individuals. This, in turn, acts as an effective measure in deterring their migration to urban areas in search of work.