International Sustainable Tourism Management 2 Essay

International Sustainable Tourism Management 2 - Essay Example Current paper focuses on a particular form of tourism, the community based tourism as developed in countries internationally. Agencies and the local communities have extensively supported the particular type of tourism; however, its effectiveness is often doubted. The level of effectiveness of community-based tourism worldwide is the main subject of this paper; reference is also made to issues related to the above subject – as the types and the scope of community based tourism but also the challenges that this form of tourism faces in countries globally. 2. Community based tourism – main aspects In order to identify and evaluate the effectiveness of community based tourism it would be necessary to understand primarily the context of this form of tourism – a form that is standardized internationally. In accordance with a relevant report, the community-based tourism can be characterized as ‘the form of tourism in which local residents (often rural, poor and e conomically marginalised) invite tourists to visit their communities with the provision of overnight accommodation’ (Responsible Travel, 2011). ... rily separately for each visitor, a community-based telephone would be adequate) but also an accommodation that has certain standards (meaning the conditions of living that do not put the health of the visitors in risk), c) travelers need to be aware of the challenges of the particular form of tourism; in the context of community-based tourism visitors are expected to support people in the local community; it is meant that visitors will be possibly asked to be involved in tasks related to ‘the protection of the environment or of the cultural heritage’ (Sustainable Tourism, 2001). The relationship between the community-based tourism and specific social obligations, mostly the protection of the environment is emphasized in the study of Byrd (2007) who noted that ‘sustainability has become an important topic and concept in relation to tourism planning and development’ (Byrd 2007, 6); however, the participation of the stakeholders in the relevant projects is set by Byrd as a prerequisite for their success (Byrd 2007). The concept of the community-based tourism is explained in the literature using various approaches; in accordance with Beeton (2006) the community-based tourism focuses on ‘the creation of a more sustainable tourism industry, focusing on the host community in terms of planning and maintaining tourism development’ (Beeton 3006, 50). On the other hand, Spenceley (2008) refers to the community – based tourism as a tool for promoting sustainability but also ‘for achieving various socio-economic benefits’ (Spenceley 2008, 310) – it is assumed that reference is made to the economic developing of the local communities that support the relevant activities. From another point of view, Moscardo (2008) note that the development of the community-based