COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM

PROF. DR. SYED RASHIDUL HASANDEPT. OF TOURISM & HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENTUNIVERSITY OF DHAKABANGLADESH

A community is a social unit of any size that shares common values.

One broad definition of Community-

"a group or network of persons who are connected (objectively) to each other by relatively durable social relations that extend beyond immediate genealogical ties, and who mutually define that relationship (subjectively) as important to their social identity and social practice."

What is Community-based Tourism?

OwnershipTourism

Products and

Projects

Management

Control

Local commu

nity

Community-based Tourism

More specifically…

are owned by local communities,

occur on their lands,

are based on their cultural and natural/man-made assets and attractions,

are for community development and environment conservation,

retain major portion of the earnings for local communities.

CBT refers to tourism activities or enterprises that

Community-based

Tourism

extreme growth of tourism

negative effects

increased an interest

in

Why Community-based Tourism?

Sustainable Development

Why Community-Based Tourism (CBT)?

Sustainability

Economic/Financial sustainability

Environmental & Ecological

Sustainability

Com

munit

y

Base

d

Touri

sm

Human beings destroy their own Tourism assets :

Threat to man-made

assets

Human beings destroy their own Tourism assets :

Thr

eat t

o N

atur

e-ba

sed

Ass

ets

Economic Sustainability : Finding Alternative Tool for Poverty Alleviation

WHY Community People at Grass root level cannot get benefits of tourism ???

Have to Change our Out look….

Tourism business is dominated by rich and the

elites. Rich people own luxurious hotels, theme

parks, eating places, cottages, motels, casinos and others. Big tourism investments are done in urban areas mainly. The underprivileged does not have entry to ownership.

For the underprivileged

poor community

Public Private Partnership (PPP)Benefit goes back to Top

Planning, policy, finance, implementation done at the top

Community remains dried

Traditional TOP-DOWN APPPROACH (Investment Benefit flow)

BOTTOM-UP APPROACH (Investment Benefit Flow)

Planning, policy, finance, implementation done at the bottom involving local community on PPCP

Both Top and community at the bottom are benefitted Public Private Community Partnership (PPCP)

CBT : Success or Not ???

Almost since last four decades, CBT has been thought as a tool by which the local community can alleviate their economic condition. Many of the countries namely Cambodia, Thailand, Nepal, India, Indonesia, Peru, Uruguay, Bolivia, Chilie, Kenya, Namibia, etc. claim to have successful CBT stories.

Success Failure

On the other side . . . . . . . .

Mitchell and Muckosy reported from a research by the Rainforest Alliance and Conservation International which reviewed 200 CBT projects across the Americas that many CBT accommodation providers had only 5% occupancy.

Harold Goodwin, along with Rosa Santilli (2009) mentioned in their study, out of 116 CBT initiatives nominated from all over the world, only 4 were economically sustainable

Why not successful ???

Confused ??? For many of the CBT projects there have been no efforts to assess if these are successful or not. Many of the CBT projects funded by government/donor agencies in developing countries, have not been monitored to assess their success.

More Confusion ???Many apparently recognized CBT initiatives capitalizing man-made resources were not considered as CBT by many expert researchers. These so-called CBT initiatives have demonstrated very considerable employment, local economic development and collective community benefits, for example Manda Wilderness (Mozambique), Aga Khan Development Network in Pakistan (Baltit and Shigar Forts) and Chumbe Island (Tanzania).

Need a Compromise ???In some other studies, understanding of a successful CBT has emphasized on community’s Unique Selling Tourism Offers (USTO), and available tourism assets around. In this approach, more emphasis has been given on the inherited unique potential skill coupled with the community services offered to explore natural/man-made tourism resources.

Observation

Mere creation of eco-lodges without offering some unique services to the tourists will not allure tourists to visit the area. • CBT initiative in La Yunga in Bolivia is an example to support this

observation. Community-based tourism initiatives in Bolivia are based on the development of community-owned and managed lodges or home-stays. At La Yunga the lodge attracted only 60 visitors per year with a bed occupancy of 2.7% only.

• The community subsequently developed a walking trail which in 2005 attracted 1000 people paying $1.80 trail fee, grossing $1800 plus guide fees and other purchases from the community. The example demonstrates that the common focus on accommodation only is inappropriate – the community benefited far more when it provided an activity, their initiative required a much smaller investment than the investment in the lodge.

Exam

ple

Models for Assessing a Suitable Community for CBT Different communities inherit unique artistic expertise from their ancestors in various types of craftsmanship like hand weaving, pottery, goldsmith, embroidery, snake charming, dancing etc. which could be called as Unique Selling Tourism Offers (USTO). All communities may not have the USTOs and may not be suitable for CBT.

To ensure which community is suitable, an assessment of community tourism potential should be carried on. These models have been based on the tripartite relationship among tourists, communities and touristic attractions.

SUNLUST

WANDERLUST

OTHERS

MODEL 1 : Transit travelers destined for natural/man-made attractions via community settlements

Community & Community activities

Tourists

Natural/man-made

attractionsCommunity

Main attraction is natural/man-made tourism assets; so less benefit to the community

MODEL 2 : Only Community USTOs (no other added attractions)

Tourists

Community

MODEL 3 : Community USTOs blended with natural/man-made tourists attractions (community is the host)

Tourists

Natural/man-made

assetsCommunity

COMMUNITY VILLAGE

Tourism : Bangladesh Perspective• World Travel & Tourism Council (2014) claims :

• that the total contribution of Travel & Tourism to GDP of Bangladesh was BDT460.3bn (4.4% of GDP) in 2013,

• to rise by 7.9% in 2014, and • to rise by 6.5% pa to BDT935.5bn (4.7% of GDP) in 2024.

• In 2013, the total contribution of Travel & Tourism to employment, including jobs indirectly supported by the industry, was 3.8% of total employment (2,846,500 jobs).

• This is expected to rise by 4.2% in 2014 to 2,965,000 jobs and • rise by 3.0% pa to 3,974,000 jobs in 2024 (4.2% of total). • All the indicators show a slow but steady growth in tourism and hospitality sector of

the country.

Why is Community Based Tourism Important in Bangladesh?

Over Populated Country1

Conservation of tourism assets by involving the local community2

Economic vulnerability due to the instability of agriculture and the export of goods and services

3

Existence of several unique Communities having separate tradition, culture and craftsmanship

4

Concentration of tourist money in city based tourism establishments; thereby uneven distribution of tourism earnings.

5

Locations of Various Tribal Ethnic Groups in Bangladesh.

Case: Bandarban – potential jackpot

of CBT

Let us watch a video on

Bandarban- the hidden paradise

Ethnic Village:1. Bawm Para2. Marma Para

1

2

34

5

6

Ethnic Village:1. Bawm Para

Ethnic Village:1. Bawm Para

Ethnic Village:1. Bawm Para

Ethnic Village:1. Bawm Para

Accommodation

Food & Beverage

Facilities to Develop:

Chingri Jhiri

Keokradong

Zingsiam

Double Falls

Jadipai

Baklai Fall

Ethnic Village:1. Murong Para2. Bawm Para

Night 1: Boga Lake

Night 2: Rumana Para

Night 3: Keokradong

Night 4: Jadipai Para

Night 5: Thaikkiang

Night 6: Baklai Para

Areas of CBT where Local Community can be Involved

Community-based tourism beneficiaries

Home-stay/ community-

owned lodge/ campsite

Home-made food/ Local restaurants

Local transports:

boats, rickshaws etc.

Handicraft/ souvenir

shops/factory

Agriculture: vegetable,

poultry

Tourism Services like

Trekking, Culture, Sight seeing

Direct Tourism Proactive Sector

Indirect Tourism Proactive Sector

1. TourismPotentialAssessment

5. MarketCommunity

4. DevelopProducts

2. SecureAssistance

3. Develop anIntegratedApproach

6. On-goingSupport

1. Determine the USTOs and the potential natural/man-made attractions nearby through surveys

1. Hire local NGO or tourism consulting firm, or other competent agencies

1. Hold community meetings2. Formation of a local community tourism committee 3. Identify entrepreneurs and opportunities for community cooperatives

1. Develop training programs2. Promote training programs3. Implement programs

1. Develop marketing material for the community, tourist attractions. 2. Promote community in the Internet and travel books

1. Assess situation2. Provide ongoing support as needed

1. A list of potential tourism products

1. Community approval on future developments2. Local tourism committee is responsible for future tourism initiatives3. Selection of most viable and suitable products to develop4. Development of a community brand

1. Assistance with the various stages of tourism development (mainly creating service offering structures)

1. Trained residents2. Development of viable products

1. Arrival of first tourists

1. A successful and sustainable tourism industry2. A functioning tourism committee

STEPS ACTIVITIES RESULTS

General Framework for CBT Development in an Area (Jessica Brown 2008)

CBT IS LIKE CHICK IN THE HAND

Thank You