Community Based Tourism

Right now, it's the 21st Century, and the development for tourism is far beyond what our

ancestors had hope. Many people gets profit from establishing tourism business. And by many,

it ranges from some business tycoon to even local people. But being profitable, doesn't

necessarily bring benefit and prosperity to a local community. Many tourism, in trending

right now, being “bringing tourist to a local community” doesn't really benefit the community

itself. Yes, it did bring profit (money) but it also bring more negative impact to the local

community. Some, being : the exploitation of local people and culture, deteriorating

nature, etc. The tourism activity, in itself, actually bring upon disaster to that local community,

where eventually, in time, being destroyed because the exploitation from the tourism activity.

Because, many people, just for the sake of (profiting from) tourism, dare to do many changes and

sacrificing the local prosperity.

In response to this phenomenon, right now, there's a development of what is called

Community Based Tourism (CBT). This kind of tourism, rather than focusing on benefit,

or even profit from tourism, focuses on how, tourism activity in some community,

can actually improve and develop the community itself. So it's not going to be a

mass tourism, because in doing CBT, one must carefully making choices between

the tourist, local people,  and the management of the CBT itself.

It's not that easy, and we have to choose extra carefully of what kind of

community that is compatible to do CBT. Because, we want it, where the

end results of CBT is the development of the community there.

That is, before getting further about CBT, there are several principle one

must know about CBT. Some of that, being : To Recognize the Community

and the owner of the tourism, To Respect Cultural differences, To

Promote the community, To Improve the quality of live, To Ensure

sustainable environment, To distribute Fairly, and To Contribute to the development,

and many more. Basically, the principle is, to do everything and anything

for the sake of community and while doing so also didn’t make any

damage to the environment.

To take a note, there are many Tourism that emphasize and

involved community and environment, some being : adventure tourism,

agrotourism, ecotourism, homestay, etc. though, there not yet an exact

consencus that distinct one tourism from another. But to take note is

that CBT, not only involves, but also develop community and

the environment in a wholesome.

“CBT is tourism that takes enviromental, social, and cultural sustainability

into account. It is managed  and owned by the community,

for the community, with the purpose of enabling visitors to increase

their awareness and learn about the community and local ways to live.”

 (REST 1997)  to put it short, CBT is the democracy for its community.

There are some main keys to put into account in CBT.

One Must Pay attention to Natural & Cultural resources.

Being careful as not to exploit and overusing the resources. And keeping

in mind to make the resource sustainable and long-living.

Next, Community organization. In CBT, everything involves the community.

Everything should be in the acknowledgement of the community.

And make sure that the community is part of the tourism activity.

This also involve the Management. And the last is learning. To be noted by everyone,

CBT involves interaction between tourist and local people,

hence resulting in receiving and learning new information from one another.

As said before, there are many different types of tourism

that resembles CBT. One must know, that CBT focuses on

community development. And the aspect of the development

of the community, are : politics, economy, social, cultural,

and environmental. We ought to understand these five aspect

so we can make a good and sustainable tourism.

Sukma Suci Safitri

16/401225/SV/11729