Comunity Based Tourism

Principles and Meaning

1. Underlying Ideas

Amidst the social changes brought on by globalization, local communities can't life in isolation. Thai communities and many simillar communities around the world have passed the time of absolute self reliance and are increasingly dependent upon the outside 'urban' world. Interacting with the outside world will not be easy for local communities without sufficient and strong social, cultural and economic resources.

The understanding people in urban society that have connection to rural communities is an essential base on designing and implementing succesfull development strategies. Tourism is one way to bring people of different bacgrounds together. Ideally, tourism seems to offer hosts and visitors to unique opportunity to share their different cultures and point of view. Members of different societies are able to share first hand experiences together and to develop personal relationshps which can grow into powerfull alliance contributing towards the sustainable development of society.

2. Community Based Tourism

Community Based Tourism is a unique type of tourism with charateristic quiet different from mass tourism. Those who intend to put CBT into practice need to fully understand the underlying ideas, principles and component's behind CBT.

CBT is not a simply tourism bussiness that aims maximazing profits for investor. Rather, is more concerned with the impact of tourism on the community and environmental resources. Communities that are appropiate for the development of CBT must be choosen carefully and adequetely prepared before operating CBT. More importantly, the community should have the strength to modify or suspend CBT. Should it grow beyond the management capacity of the community or bring unmanageable negativ impacts.

3. Terms and Definitions for Types of Tourism Similar to CBT

• Ecotourism is 'Responsible Travel'in areas containing natural resources that posses endemic charateristics and cultural or historical resources that are integrated into the area's ecological system.
• Short visits, mass tour prgrams have featured short visits of a few hours to local communities for quiet some time.

4. CBT and Community Development

CBT is intended as a tool for community development and environmental conservation. CBT and Community Development are inherently connected, because the same natural and cultural resource. Culture and social norms determine not only resource use but also structure internal and external relationships. Ideally the value of fostering the relationship between local cultural wisdom and local Environmental resource should be internalized by the communitty members and integrated into all aspect of CBT management.

5. The Procces of Facilitating the Develompent of CBT

In preparing the community for CBT, you should consider the establishment of a contract or commitment among the stakeholders. This can be done through the procces of settling on mutual goals and participating the ten steps below:

1. Chose a destination.
2. Complete a feasibility a feasibility study in cooperation with the community.
3. Set vision and objectives with the community.
4. Develop a plan to prepare the community to manage tourism.
5. Set direction for organizational management.
6. Desaign tour programs.
7. Train interpretive guides.
8. Develop a marketing plan.
9. Launch a pilot tour program.
10. Monitor and evaluate the procces.