A Case for Travel: The Power of Community Tourism

What if we took a holistic approach to see how our decision to travel or not to travel affects others in communities less fortunate than our own? Have you stopped to think if communities are stagnating or regressing because of the current lack of tourism to their region? Travel restrictions are having a massive effect on the global economy and it is time we take a look at these issues. The next time you think all travel is selfish, read about these global projects supported by the Planeterra Foundation and the power of community tourism to impact people.

*Note: Some of these links are affiliate links, meaning that if you book through my link, I will make a small commission (at no extra cost to you).

Planeterra Projects Around the World and the Power of Community Tourism

Africa

13 Projects Ongoing

Power of Community Tourism on Women

Feature Project: Nyamirambo Women’s Center, Kigali, Rwanda

53 women employed, 228 community members benefitting.

Gender-based violence, inequality, and discrimination are realities for Rwandan women. The Nyamirambo Women’s Center (NWC) opened in 2007 to provide education and training to disadvantaged women to improve employment opportunities. NWC offers different activities such as free classes in literacy, English, general computer skills, handicrafts, and sewing.

The NWC began taking advantage of the tourism industry in Kigali to support their community by offering community tours, cooking classes, and craft workshops to the delight of the conscious traveller.

Planeterra connected G Adventures’ group tours with NWC to their newly developed tourism program. The partnership offering includes a Nyamirambo community walking tour of the businesses around Kigali showing travellers what it is like to live in this vivacious community. There is an opportunity to purchase handicrafts from the women and a cooking class with lunch is also available. The walking tour employs six local guides.

How has Nyamirambo Women’s Center Been Affected by the Reduction in Tourism?

As tourism has come to a halt, the staff have earned no income and have found it difficult to meet basic needs. Planeterra has issued a grant to purchase food parcels containing basic food and household needs for 18 members of the women’s center and their families.

North Africa and the Middle East

4 Projects Ongoing

Power of Community Tourism on Employment Opportunities

Feature Project: Beit Khayrat Souf, Souf, Jordan

25 women employed, 60 community members benefitting.

Jordan ranks 16^th in the world for women’s unemployment. Beit Khayrat Souf is a women-owned and managed café employing women in daily management, service, and cooking. This café was the brainchild of a Jordanian woman named Sumia. She took out a personal loan with the hope of inspiring women for the future.

Women involved in the project also work from home to make preserves to sell to Beit Khayrat Souf for consumption and sales to travellers. As the business grows, more women can gain employment opportunities to break the rampant cycle of unemployment for women in the region.

Planeterra, along with G Adventures, has connected Beit Khayrat Souf to a larger customer base through tours including a traditional Jordanian food cooking class.

How has Beit Khayrat Souf Been Affected by the Reduction in Tourism?

The restaurant has struggled to make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic. The women had previously diversified their income by selling homemade jams and sauces to travellers; however, the items are not as popular for the local market because many community members make their own. Planeterra was able to send a grant to support the women of Beit Khayrat Souf so they could access food through this grim time.

Central and East Asia

3 Projects Ongoing

Power of Community Tourism on Preserving Tradition

Feature Project: Ak Orgo, Barskoon, Kyrgyzstan

10 people earning an income, 1,000 community members benefitting.

Kyrgyzstan is the second poorest economy in Central Asia. However, there is growing tourism interest in the area, bringing benefit to the economy. Ak Orgo is a social enterprise that has recently commenced working in tourism. Planeterra has teamed up with Ak Orgo to provide the opportunity for much-needed livelihoods in the craft and tourism sector through a craft workshop. Young artists are now trained in handicrafts to sell to the tourism sector while preserving traditional Kyrgyz craft techniques.

Through the partnership with Planeterra, Ak Orgo can supply regular wages to employees that previously worked for passion. Now, these artists can support their families. Planeterra provided a grant to build a kitchen and a washroom to improve the traveller’s experience. Training was also conducted with a local organization in marketing and business skills to further Ak Orgo’s reach in the tourism sector.

How has Ak Orgo Been Affected by the Reduction in Tourism?

Before COVID-19, Barskoon was experiencing 80% unemployment. The pandemic has severely impacted the area, causing many employees of Ak Orgo to work from home resulting in little income. Planeterra provided a grant to ensure the 12 staff members of Ak Orgo can access necessities, including medicine.

South Asia

10 Projects Ongoing

Power of Community Tourism on the Economy

Feature Project: Barauli Community Homestay, Chitwan, Nepal

24 people earning an income, 1,000 community members benefitting.

Barauli is home to the Tharu people, a small Indigenous community near the Chitwan National Park in Nepal. The park is a popular tourist attraction well known for its wildlife but less known for the cultural value it offers travellers.

The distance from the typical tourism hotspots in the Chitwan National Park has been a barrier to the Tharu residents. Limited work opportunities have resulted in illegal activities like poaching and deforestation in the park.

The community homestay program was developed by Royal Mountain Travel, Planeterra’s ground partner. The purpose is to connect travellers with the deep culture of the Tharu people. The village started with 14 individual cottages as part of the homestay program. The community also has a dining hall.

The homestay project is completely run by Tharu women. Different activities and livelihoods such as waitresses, cooks, cooking class hosts, and local guides have emerged because of the homestay program. A portion of all tourism profits are saved and reinvested into community development. Environmental projects, scholarships for students, and improving the tourism experience are all positive impacts of the reinvestment.

How has Barauli Community Homestay Been Affected by the Reduction in Tourism?

The pandemic left 33 host families in Barauli and Panauti without tourism income. Planeterra supports the community by delivering health and sanitation items so the families will be ready to welcome travellers back to their homestays.

Southeast Asia

13 Projects Ongoing

Power of Community Tourism on Culture

Feature Project: Senang Hati, Ubud, Indonesia

30 students enrolled every year, 90 community members benefitting.

In Bali, differently-abled people are often branded as having bad karma. So strong is this cultural barrier that sometimes differently-abled children are hidden from society. The result is no access to education and medical care and further marginalization in society. Senang Hati’s goal is to change these negative mindsets and create an inclusive community for all.

The Senang Hati Foundation provides programs to develop self-confidence, physical, and economic independence. The program also creates awareness for the rights of differently-abled people. The training enables members to become self-supporting through jobs related to hospitality, painting, sewing, and woodworking. Every year, 30 students benefit from the program, who move on to start businesses and families.

Planeterra supported Senang Hati in renovating their dream kitchen making it fully accessible for those using mobility devices. Planeterra also linked Senang Hati with over 2,000 travellers annually through their travel industry partners. Travellers can enjoy a traditional Balinese lunch that is prepped, cooked, and served by the members at Senang Hati.

How has Senang Hati Been Affected by the Reduction in Tourism?

A small grant provided by Planeterra helps to support eight people who stay at the centre for whom they maintain food and shelter on an ongoing basis.

Europe

11 Projects Ongoing

Power of Community Tourism on Employment

Feature Project: çöp(m)adam, Ayvalik, Turkey

30 women employed, 120 community members benefitting.

çöp(m)adam started as an experiment in Western Turkey addressing the issues of women’s unemployment and the importance of recycling/re-using. A group of Turkish women have created one-of-a-kind accessories using waste materials to glamourize recycled goods.

“çöp” means “garbage” in Turkish.

“madam”, the same as the French word for “female”.

“çöp(m)adam” (Literally “garbage ladies”).

çöp(m)adam offers regular work to 30 women in Ayvalik. All workers are in a healthy and hygienic environment in the shop or at home, plus they are earning a fair wage. Regular employment empowers members of this social enterprise by making significant contributions to provide sustainability for their families and communities.

Planeterra helped ensure revenue streams by having G Adventures purchase a tote bag for every traveller that visits. When travellers visit the workshop during a trip to Turkey, they can also buy products directly supporting the women who made them.

How has çöp(m)adam Been Affected by the Reduction in Tourism?

Income relied on by tourism to support the project has been lost. Planeterra donations helped the women provide for their families and access necessities.

North America

3 Projects Ongoing

Power of Community Tourism and Sustainable Development

Feature Project: Native Grill, Navajo Nation, Cameron, Arizona

50 community members benefitting.

Navajo Nation faces an alarming 45% unemployment rate under normal circumstances. Many non-profit organizations, tribal programs, and government entities have been working diligently to change the dire unemployment statistic. There is a real need for the development of small business networks. The power of the tourism industry is a catalyst in the development of small businesses.

The need for investment in the tourism industry of the Navajo Nation caused Planeterra to reach out to DinéHózhó, a community-based low-profit limited liability company working with Indigenous-owned businesses to assist in their development and connect them to the tourism industry.

Planeterra partnered with DinéHózhó to promote travellers visiting their first Diné/Navajo experience on popular routes through the western US region. Diné, the name the Navajo use to refer to themselves in their language, means “the people”. A grant enabled upgrades to the Native Grill Food Truck resulting in extra solar panels, hospitality training, and seating and shade for additional travellers.

Planeterra has partnered with the Native Grill, a DinéHózhó-supported food truck owned and run by the Littleboy family, just outside of Cameron, Arizona. Planeterra has successfully integrated meals at Native Grill for tourism brands like G Adventures, Travelsphere, and Just You. The Littleboy family and the surrounding community benefit from travellers stopping for a meal and purchasing handicrafts from local artisans.

How has Native Grill Been Affected by the Reduction in Tourism?

Native Grill has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The closest grocery stores are often 30 km away. Many people have no electricity for refrigeration. Access to food and stocking up on groceries has been problematic. Donations to Planeterra provided food and locally sourced hand sanitizer to those who need it most.

Central America and the Caribbean

10 Projects Ongoing

Power of Community Tourism on Society

Feature Project: San Antonio Women’s Co-op, San Ignacio, Belize

25 women directly impacted, 2,000 community members benefitting.

The village of San Antonio in western Belize is a community of 3,500 people with deep Mayan roots. The average household has seven children. Resources are scarce and education is not a priority for women. Girls often go without attending school beyond primary levels. Government support is not easily accessible. Mothers rely on other forms of income to support their children’s education and send their daughters to high school. The uneducated girls and boys find themselves unemployed at an early age, continuing the cycle of poverty.

The San Antonio Women’s Co-op (SAWC) was created by a local San Antonio Women’s Group made up of nine Mayan women. Their mission: “empower women and inspire the children.” The women founded the cooperative to find a way to earn an income, learn new skills, and share their traditional knowledge with visitors and their younger generation.

The successful tourism business has resulted in the employment of nine more women and supporting 11 local artisans.  The cooperative also created a community fund to sponsor girl’s education resulting in the education of two girls who have recently graduated from high school.

Planeterra provided a grant to the SAWC to build an indoor workshop. The new space has increased the centre’s capacity to host more travellers and provide added space to store their products. This additional space also resulted in the cooperative being able to add a training program for unemployed youth in the community, providing them with the tools to learn how to benefit from tourism.

Travellers visiting SAWC can try their hand at ancient pottery-making techniques with a group of Mayan artisans, enjoy a delicious home-made lunch, and have a chance to purchase pottery and other crafts made by the women in the community.

How has San Antonio Women’s Co-op Been Affected by the Reduction in Tourism?

When travel halted due to COVID-19, SAWC had to close their shop. Income was lost for the members and individuals in the community that relied on the cooperative for support. Donations to Planeterra provided an emergency grant for SAWC so the people could receive life-saving medication they would otherwise have gone without.

South America

12 Projects Ongoing

Power of Community Tourism to Fight Poverty

Feature Project: Favela Experience, Vidigal, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

161 community members benefitting, 5 micro-enterprises benefitting.

In Rio de Janeiro, close to 3 million people live in favelas (shanty-towns). Imagine nearly 30% of the population living in poverty. There are over 1,000 favelas ranging from newer, highly functioning, vibrant neighbourhoods to more challenged communities with slum-like conditions. 95% of favela homes are brick and concrete construction. 30% of the homes do not have a formal sanitation system.

The past several decades have presented challenges to the favelas due to severe government corruption, inter-gang warfare, drug-trafficking, and militias. Residents of favelas face discrimination for living in these communities and often experience inequality and exploitation. The result is difficulty finding jobs and increased criminal activities for the youth.

In recent years, favela culture has gained popularity in the tourism industry. To some, touring the favelas may seem odd. However, responsible tours result in a positive experience for both the locals and the travellers. Tourism is offering a major source of socioeconomic opportunities for local people. In some cases, nearly 60-80% of the budget of the local micro-enterprises are composed of tourism earnings. Professional reception of visitors generates additional jobs and positive visibility for the communities.

Do note that not all favela tours are created equal. Many large organizations, hotel chains, and agencies use guides from outside the communities. When local services are used from these organizations, they are paid poorly to guarantee large profit margins, resulting in further exploitation of the poor. Local favela guides, businesses, and social projects struggle to compete with large non-favela organizations and lack the knowledge and budgets to create effective marketing strategies.

With support from Planeterra, Favela Experience has developed a new social enterprise tour in Vidigal. Five micro-enterprise and community organizations benefit from the partnership. Planeterra funded the construction and development of facilities and purchased equipment for the micro-enterprises.

One of Planeterra’s tourism industry partners, G Adventures, brings travellers to experience the community by meeting local people and participating in different activities such as capoeira (Brazilian martial art) sessions, visiting an old dump turned innovative community agro-forest, tasting the local Vidigal artisanal beer, and purchasing unique handicrafts. This experience is created by and led by the local people of Vidigal. The guides earn an income from the tours empowering them to become positive role models for their community.

How has the Favella Experience Been Affected by the Reduction in Tourism?

The pandemic has resulted in the loss of income for these micro-enterprises. Since March 2020, Planeterra’s partners have laboured to support over 4,000 families with food and hygiene kits. An expensive home farming project is under way to grow organic vegetables for over 100 families.

Become a Travel Champion for Community Tourism

Together, let us harness tourism to change lives and connect us all. We must focus on solutions rather than the problem. Ask yourself what you can do rather than focusing on what you cannot do. Travel is not just about going on a vacation. Travel and tourism have a global impact. We need to get back to travel as soon as it is safely possible and support the communities that rely on responsible tourism for survival.

“I have always said tourism can be the biggest form of wealth distribution the world has ever seen…”

Bruce Poon Tip, Founder, G Adventures

Follow Planeterra on social media:

Facebook: Planeterra Foundation

Instagram: @PlaneterraCares

Twitter: @PlaneterraCares

References

Planeterra. (2020). Planeterra Home. Retrieved from Planeterra.org: https://planeterra.org/

Planeterra Foundation. (2019). 2019 Impact Report. Planeterra Foundation.

Tip, B. P. (2013). Looptail. Toronto: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.