Answer:
Step 1: Connect with local communities
First, you need to determine if the community you would like to work with wants change.
Step 2: Train them in tourism
Once you have the community committed to hosting your tourists it is essential that they are prepared and educated. Dealing with tourists from a completely different culture is difficult and it’s important that the community knows what to expect, how to offer their services right and also how to properly communicate to your clients.
Step 3: Create cooperative ownership
In order for community-based tourism to be successful it is entirely dependent on cooperative ownership and leadership. You as a tour operator can be the project initiator, but the success rate of the community-based product depends on the communities’ sense of ownership. Let them take responsibility and take care of their own tourism product.
Step 4: Create community products
One of the most important aspects of community-based tourism is obviously the product itself. You will need a local excursion or activity that gives insight in the daily lives of the local community and that educates tourists on their culture. Always use local guides from the village itself, as they are the perfect guides as they will know all the ins and outs of this community.
Step 5: Create partnerships
For your project to create maximum positive impact for the local community, make sure to join forces with other local businesses. Those who are also interested in community-based tourism and businesses who don’t have the means or time to develop a project themselves.
Step 6: Think about marketing your new product
Now that you have established a relationship with the local community, prepared and trained them in tourism, created cooperative ownership, developed your unique product and created partnerships for more impact, you now have to think about the marketing. Think about how to promote your new product to your clients, your target market.
