implementing a successful, participatory, responsible travel program joe staiano responsible travel...
TRANSCRIPT
Implementing a successful,
participatory, responsible
travel program
Joe StaianoResponsible Travel Consulting
www.JoeStaiano.com
Tourism can…
Non-ResponsibleNon-Participatory
• Be a destructive force causing exploitation and degeneration of traditional ways of life.
Responsible / Participatory
• Showcase natural and cultural heritage
• Environmental and cultural conservation
• Income generation
“Participatory” Defined
Local people / communities are initiators, included, involved, active subjects of tourism development efforts, rather than passive participants.
Benefits
• Mobilize Resources• Builds Capacity• Diverse Skills
• Empowerment (individual & community)
• Equitable flow of information• Greater role of marginalized groups
INGREDIENTS
COLLABORATION
EMPOWERMENT
CONSENT
SUSTAINABILITY
COMMUNICATION
COLLABORATION
CommunityTour Operator
BusinessGovernment
NGOSupply chain
Tourists
COMMUNICATION • Communicate expectations to both the travelers and to local community
• Pay attention to differences of cross-cultural communication
• Talk, discuss, incorporate ideas; Work toward common goals.
• Stay in regular contact to ensure community remains supportive of project and that it continues to meet their needs.
SUSTAINABILITY
Commitment+ Patience= TRUST
Case Examples• Andaman Discoveries, Thailand
• Soft Power Education, Uganda
Soft Power Education, Uganda
• Links tourists to local community
• School Refurbishment
a NEED identified
Involve
TOURISTSwho want to do good
INVOLVE the community
COMMUNICATION identifies further needs…
COLLABORATION brings additional resources
SUSTAINABLE
Thousands of tourists
50+ schools refurbished
Education centers
Adult learning
Community development programs
Income generation
Partnerships w conservation NGOs
Children on overnight safaris
12 7 15+DonationsVolunteers
TrainingEquipment
12
Andaman Discoveries, Thailand
• Their story…
Participatory tourism is about
Empowerment…
creating a sense of place, listening to the locals, identifying what villagers see as important, and using this information to develop tourist activities.
ConsentWith the consent and assistance of the villagers, Andaman Discoveries conducted feasibility studies to assess whether tourism meets the wider needs of the community.
• Workshops to agree on community goals and motivation
• Exploration of positive and negative impacts of tourism
• Organizing pilot tours to assess suitability and realistic sustainability
• Tourism and service skills training
• "Sense of Place" book written by 30 villagers from 6 communities to allow villagers to explore, acknowledge, and value their cultural identities and environment
• Helping villagers to design activities, tours and trails to highlight points of interest and value
Educationunderstanding of responsibilities, creating a common goal, and skill development in all areas, not only those related to tourism.
ACE (Adventure, Community, Ecotourism) Training Program to support the villagers' community-based tourism development included:• Tourism as a tool for community development• Proposal writing• Cultural, environmental and adventure-based guiding methods• First Aid and safety training • English language and computer skills• Small business management and entrepreneurial training
Partnerships w/: NGO: North Andaman Tsunami Relief GOV: TEATA – Thai Ecotourism & Adventure Travel Association
CBT-I – Community Based Tourism Institute
Tourism Authority of ThailandCommunities
Businesses
Participatory offerings
Family home stays
Mangrove reforestation
Palm-weaving techniques
Learning fishing techniques
Batik printing
Beach clean-up
Summary..
• LISTEN carefully to the needs of the community
• Maintain strong RELATIONSHIPS
• DELIVER on your promise
• Have a SHARED VISION for future
