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

Thank You

Joe Staianowww.joestaiano.com

Joe.staiano@gmail.com