This document provides an overview of a training module on building local strengths and engaging communities in tourism. The module aims to educate participants on the economic and cultural benefits of tourism for host communities. It discusses strategies for developing community-based and rural tourism, including highlighting local heritage, culture, and activities. The roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders like communities, businesses, and government agencies are also outlined.

1. TRAINING PROGRAM COURSE 2:
TOURISM ORIENTED POLICY
MODULE 5: HOW TO BUILD ON
LOCAL STRENGTHS TO VALORIZE
A LOCALITY AND HOW TO
ENGAGE LOCAL COMMUNITIES
IN THIS PROCESS

2. The Aim of the training “How to build on local strengths to valorize a locality and how to
engagelocal communities in this process” is to:
1) give the participants the idea about the key and beneficial role of tourism for host
countries and communities,
2) To encourage the participants to contribute to preservation, development
and rational use of cultural heritage and tourism recourses
In the result of the training the participants will:
1) Realize the beneficial role of tourism for host countries and communities,
2) Realize the role of tourism as user of cultural recourses and a contributor
to their enhancement,
3) Realize the importance of community involvement in tourism
4) Know the responsibilities of stakeholders,
5) Are prepared for public private dialogue and partnership

3. Tourism plays an extremely important role in the
economic and social development of most
countries in the word.
The major benefit of tourism for a region or
country is economic as it provides an
opportunity for job creation and generation of
revenue at international, national, regional and
local levels.
Tourism, as beneficial activity for host countries and
communities

4. Tourism, as user of cultural recourses
and a contributor to their enhancement
One of the most impactful ways that tourism can protect cultural heritage is
through community empowerment.
Tourists are educated about the history and traditions of the local community,
and in turn that community feels a stronger cohesion and sense of pride in that
cultural history.
The feeling of community allyship is strengthened when tourists visit a place
specifically to experience the culture.

5. Tourism in rural areas – PoP concept
Pride of Place (PoP) is the positive emotion that people can have for the place they identify or associate
themselves with. Promoting PoP among young people is especially relevant for rural areas.
The culture of a region carries the traces of the past.
Highlighting the historical and cultural heritage of people living in rural areas and introducing it to visitors will
positively affect the local people’s love for the region and country.

6. Rural Tourism
Rural tourism is a type of tourism that happens when people visit rural areas to stay
and observe and/or take part in activities that are unique to the region in order to
learn about different cultures and relax in natural environments. It includes:
• walking,
• horseback riding,
• hunting,
• fishing,
• sports,
• health,
• adventure,
• art, cultural and historical activities, which are alternative tourism activities.

7. The Concept of Community –Based Tourism
CBT is a form of tourism in which a significant number of local people has substantial
control over, and involvement in its development and management. The major
proportion of the benefits remains within the local economy.
Some further general characteristics of CBT are as follows:
• it includes education and interpretation as part of the tourism service;
• it increases local and visitor awareness of conservation;
• it is generally, but not exclusively, organized for small groups by small,
specialized and
locally owned businesses;
• it minimizes negative impacts on the natural and socio-cultural environment;
• it supports the protection of natural areas by generating economic benefits
for the
management of these areas.

8. Furthermore, the following service activities can be offered by local
communities:
• Guiding
• Provision of transport
• Catering
• Accommodation, homestays
• Handicrafts
• Cultural performances (dance, songs, storytelling, etc.)
• Cultural demonstrations and instruction (weaving, agricultural practices,
music, craft making, cooking, etc.)

9. Models of CBT
Model 1: The whole community is
involved in the project
Model 2: Parts of the community or
families are involved in the project
Model 3: Joint Venture between the
community or some of its members and
business partner(s)

10. Different forms of Community involvement in tourism
Type of enter-
prise/institution
Mature of local involvement Examples
Private business run by out-
siders
■ Employment
■ Supply of goods and services
■ Kitchen staff in a lodge
■ Sale of food, building materials, etc.
Enterprise or informal sector
operation run by local indi-
viduals
■ Enterprise ownership
■ Self-employment
■ Supply of goods and services
■ Craft sales, food kiosk, campsite, home stays
■ Guiding services
■ Hawking, sale of fuel wood, food
Community
enterprise
■ Collective ownership
■ Collective or individual management
■ Supply of goods and services
■ Employment or contributed labor
■ Community campsite
■ Craft center
■ Cultural center
■ Guesthouse
Joint venture between com-
munity and private operator
■ Contractual commitments or shared
ownership
■ Share in revenue
■ Lease/investment of resources
■ Participation in decision-making
■ Revenue-sharing from lodge and/or tour operation to local
community on agreed terms
■ Community leases land/resources/concession to lodge/tour op-
eration
■ Community holds equity in lodge/tour operation
Tourism planning
body
■ Consultation
* Representation
■ Participation
■ Local consultation in regional tourism planning
■ Community representatives on tourism board and in planning
fora

11. Collaboration Between Communities and Tourism Authorities
Government tourism authorities can be a helpful source of information for
CBT managers and can provide support for community managers in
branding and positioning the CBT operation within the wider tourism
marketplace.
The community can expect this kind of support from both national and
regional governments, informing them about the intent to develop CBT
and seeking their input and advice on how the CBT initiative fits within the
wider regional tourism marketplace and strategy.

12. Responsibilities of stakeholders
There are different actors involved in tourism development, including
private sector, government, civil societies and local people themselves.
1) Local communities:
• A way to achieve sustainable tourism
• local food, local culture and festivals are add-on products to tourism
provides authentic experiences to the tourists.
• In the context of rural tourism - an active involvement of local
communities can solve problems and bring control over rural tourism
development initiatives, decisions and resources which affect their
quality of lives or the lives of others.

13. Responsibilities of stakeholders
2) Private sector:
• organizations can bring a lot of investments into a destination and can
contribute significantly to the development of the tourism industry and
of the country overall;
• can provide a forum for discussing and resolving common problems
associated with tourism enterprises
• Can invest time and money into aspects such as marketing and training
• can act as local spokesman to the local community

14. Policy development on both national and local levels
1) National levels – Focused at:
• tourism policy;
• infrastructure facilities
• physical structure plan which includes important tourist attractions,
selected tourism development regions, international entry points,
facilities, and services
• the amount, kinds, and quality of accommodation and other required
tourist facilities and services
• tourism organizational entitles, laws and investment policies;
• tourism marketing strategies and promotion;
• education and training programs and environmental, economic, and
socio-cultural analysis.

15. Strengthening governance structures and processes
Governance can be defined as “the complex system of regulation involving
the interactions of a wide variety of actors, institutions, the environment
and all types of socio-institutional arrangements at different territorial
levels”.
Governance arrangements that accommodate inclusion and participation
are desirable so that effective rules, institutions and incentives can be
developed to influence the management of tourism–landscape
interactions.

16. Preparing or improving strategies and plans at different levels,
both geographic and thematic
Thematic strategy - thematic tourism is used to develop new tourist
products, focusing on various segments of consumers, in order to expand
visitor experience.
It is necessary to define strategies that will enable valorization of specific
forms of tourism, and this involves the following stages:
• Critical analysis of the current state of thematic tourism in the
country/ region
• Identification of potential thematic tourist products/services
• Definition of development strategy for thematic forms of tourism in
the country/ region
• Implementation of the strategies defined in this way

17. Implementation of policies, strategies and plans
Governments have an important role to play to provide direction
and support, but it is also increasingly recognized that this must
be delivered in an integrated way, based sound policies, effective
management and structures that involve the private sector and
the many agencies and bodies, at all levels.
Digital solution’s strategies should also be adopted by
governments to develop statistical databases and indicators to
build the evidence base and support policy and business
decisions. Digital systems are an opportunity to reduce cost,
offer more effective services, or develop ways to more
accurately identify and manage the impacts of tourism.

18. Developing linkages and networks between stakeholders
The application of a network approach in tourism research can be divided
into three overarching streams based on the lens of researchers towards
networks:
1) network as a perspective - as a viewpoint, approach or lens of analysis
aimed at understanding phenomena, whether or not they are perceived
as networks;
2) networks as one type of stakeholder interaction – research objects are
perceived as existing in networks and can therefore be explained by
network theory or stakeholder theory;
3) Tourism’s capes - heterogeneous networks that recognize modes of
ordering that can create different versions of tourism and tourism
destinations according to the type of actor involved;

19. Community capacity building
Community capacity building is a necessary
ingredient for success of community
development.
Community capacity building programs help
underdeveloped communities to improve their
ability to participate in the tourism decision-
making processes.

20. Public Private Dialogue and Partnership
• Public sector - A key role of the public sector is to
provide basic infrastructure, essential services,
destination management and marketing, innovation,
training and education;
• Private sector - plays an essential role in the
development and management of tourism and must be
equally involved with national, regional and
government, in the management and sustainable
development of tourism;
• Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) - purpose of
designing, planning, financing, constructing, providing
and/or operating infrastructure, facilities or related
service.

21. Importance of PPPs
1) For the public sector - PPP allows the public sector to get better value for
money in the delivery of the public services. Through closer partnership with
the private sector, efficiency and effectiveness gains can be reaped,
particularly from the following sources:
• Private sector innovation.
• Optimal whole lifecycle costing by outsourcing design, build, maintain
and operate to the same private company (or consortium).
• Better asset utilization by sharing Government assets/facilities with third-
party users.
• Optimal sharing of responsibilities between the public and private sector.

22. Importance of PPPs
2) For the private sector - PPPs offer more business opportunities to the
private sector. The private sector will be engaged to deliver a full suite of
services (e.g. design, construction, operations and maintenance) which were
traditionally performed inhouse by public agencies or performed by multiple
private companies.
3) For members of the public - PPP brings together the expertise of the
Government and the private sector to meet the needs of the public
effectively and efficiently. When structured appropriately, PPP will deliver
public services that can better meet the needs of the public without
compromising public policy goals and needs.

23. Importance of PPPs
Areas where partnering can create opportunities are summarized below:
Technology Operations Product
development
HR
Research
Marketing Financing

24. Community – private sector partnership
Most important are the partnerships between local community, and the
tourism industry, which provides opportunities for community involvement
and participation in tourism.
From the very beginning the private sector and the community should build
up structures that enable the community to benefit and have decision-
making power over the level and nature of tourism in its area.

26. 1
TRAINING PROGRAM COURSE 2: TOURISM ORIENTED POLICY
MODULE 5: HOW TO BUILD ON LOCAL STRENGTHS TO VALORIZE A LOCALITY
AND HOW TO ENGAGE LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN THIS PROCESS
Contents
Tourism, as beneficial activity for host countries and communities ............................................................2
Tourism, as user of cultural recourses and a contributor to their enhancement.........................................2
Tourism in rural areas – PoP concept ...............................................................................................3
Rural Tourism as a sustainable tourism ........................................................................................4
The Concept of Community –Based Tourism................................................................................................5
Different Forms of Community Involvement in Tourism..................................................................6
Collaboration Between Communities and Tourism Authorities.......................................................6
Responsibilities of Stakeholders ...................................................................................................................7
- Local communities.........................................................................................................................7
- Private sector ................................................................................................................................7
- Government ..................................................................................................................................7
Policy development on both national and local levels......................................................................7
- national levels ...............................................................................................................................8
- local government level..................................................................................................................8
Strengthening governance structures and processes.......................................................................8
Preparing or improving strategies and plans at different levels, both geographic and thematic ....8
Implementation of policies, strategies and plans.............................................................................9
Developing linkages and networks between stakeholders.............................................................10
Community capacity building..........................................................................................................10
Public Private Dialogue and Partnership.....................................................................................................11
Public sector....................................................................................................................................11
Private sector ..................................................................................................................................11
Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)..................................................................................................11
Importance of PPPs.........................................................................................................................12

27. 2
- For the public sector: ..................................................................................................................12
- For the Private Sector..................................................................................................................12
Community – private sector partnership........................................................................................13
Tourism, as beneficial activity for host countries and communities
Tourism and its management are closely connected to all major functions, processes and procedures
that are practiced in various areas related to tourism as a system. It involves functions of planning,
organizing, coordinating, training and monitoring evaluating at all levels (international, national,
regional, local). Therefore, tourism is integrated into the functional unit of the economy. It is an
economic sector able to offer a significant contribution to the economic growth of a region and to the
labor market, and creates occupation opportunities directly and indirectly through the supply of goods
and the necessary services for tourist activities. Moreover, tourism produces social benefits to the
region (i.e. small and medium-sized enterprises’ development, creation of new jobs, improvement of
infrastructure etc.). Culturally, tourism is considered as an element of community enrichment; this is
attributed to the meeting of different cultures. Also, tourism can positively contribute to the
maintenance of natural environment by protecting, creating or maintaining national parks or other
protected areas. Tourism plays an extremely important role in the economic and social development of
most countries in the word. It is the largest generator of employment and its services range from travel,
accommodation, catering and maintenance of culture and traditions especially the handicraft industry
and to preservation of eco-system. The major benefit of tourism for a region or country is economic as it
provides an opportunity for job creation and generation of revenue at international, national, regional
and local levels.
Tourism, as user of cultural recourses and a contributor to their
enhancement
Tourism resources are fundamental elements of the civilization and culture of peoples. Tourism policies
and activities should be conducted with respect for the artistic, archaeological and cultural heritage,
which they should protect and pass on to future generations. However, one of the most impactful ways
that tourism can protect cultural heritage is through community empowerment. This occurs when
tourists are educated about the history and traditions of the local community, and in turn that
community feels a stronger cohesion and sense of pride in that cultural history. Additionally, tourism
based around cultural assets encourages locals to continue to pass on traditions and practices that are
embedded in their history. The process of teaching other community members about these traditional
methods creates a sense of unity through history. The feeling of community allyship is strengthened
when tourists visit a place specifically to experience the culture. Having people from all over the world
know about the importance of a community’s history and cultural heritage is something to be proud of,
and community members will embrace their heritage more and more as that pride grows and spreads.
When looking at tourism as a tool to protect and inform cultural heritage, it can also be seen as a
teaching tool. Tourism can be viewed as a process: money is exchanged, parts of a community are
engaged through a tourist’s stay, and the tourist walks away with memories and feelings for the
location. However, when the tourist is engaged with an itinerary that focuses on heritage tourism, the
takeaways or “post-visit behaviors” are likely to be more significant.

28. 3
• Tourism in rural areas – PoP concept
In case that the region does not posses cultural heritage, interesting for the tourists, the concept Pride
of Place can be applied. Pride of Place (PoP) is the positive emotion that people can have for the place
they identify or associate themselves with. It is linked to one’s own place attachment and one’s own
place identity, both referring to one’s own place or local area. Promoting PoP among young people is
especially relevant for rural areas in the upcoming decades. Sustainable, inclusive and vibrant rural
societies are on many important political agendas at national, European and global level. Place can be
defined as any environmental locus in and through which individuals’ or group actions, experiences,
intentions and meanings are drawn together spatially.
Rural areas usually present a significant amount of cultural heritage (monuments, natural landscapes,
traditions) and are usually associated to a positive (bucolic) reputation. However, besides new work
activities and work arrangements (e.g., smart-working), they are currently undergoing processes of loss
of population and of economic and cultural resources, because of their inconvenience compared to the
more dense, diverse, and complex urban areas.
Tourism is often considered as a valuable solution to this issue, using cultural heritage elements as a
vector of development and dynamism. Tourists feel belongingness to historical monuments found in
their own countries,
considering them as something they have inherited from their ancestors. Historical
monuments or buildings can equally fascinate visitors from other countries, as they
represent a different architecture, a different style and a different life. In this sense, tourists could be
messengers of the tourist destination PoP.
Locals may also feel a sense belongingness and continuity through keeping local (cultural and historical)
work, craft and trade alive, using skills and talent inherited from their ancestors. People from places
with a rich cultural and historical heritage are fond of where they live: this heritage is not only part of
their identity, it also gives them a sense of direction and meaning.
The culture of a region carries the traces of the past. Highlighting the historical and cultural heritage of
people living in rural areas and introducing it to visitors will positively affect the local people’s love for
the region and country.
Beyond the social and environmental impact tourism has in rural areas, there is also an economic effect,
with new job opportunities, increased exchange and investments, improved economy and infrastructure
and mobility at both local and national levels. Tourism contributes to the balance of income distribution
in rural areas, especially as one of the largest sources of income. Rural communities living from
agriculture have the opportunity with tourism to develop other sources of income. Human resources are
used in marketing, feasibility studies and packaging of endemic crops, bee-keeping or other products
peculiar to rural areas to serve tourism. Having local people as guides provides a rich and interactive for
visitors and tourists to learn about local history and culture. Although the positive (infrastructure,
transportation, etc.) and negative (regional destruction, etc.) effects of tourism are primarily felt in
physical areas, it also causes social effects over time. One of the biggest impacts of cultural heritage
tourism on local
populations is the positive change in their quality of life: quality of life improves as a result of the
interaction related to cultural heritage with tourism.

29. 4
One of the positive effects of cultural heritage tourism has on rural populations is that of raising
awareness of their cultural heritage. With the introduction and marketing of abstract and concrete
cultural heritage items transferred from old generations to new generations to tourists, values that have
been forgotten come to light again.
• Rural Tourism as a sustainable tourism
A major transformation is taking place in the understanding and implementation of
tourism as concept, in line with the changing demands of tourists since the 1950s. As a result of this
change in tourism demand, different tourism activities have emerged, such as rural tourism. Rural
tourism, which is included in the socio-economic development of rural areas, is defined as a set of
activities that contribute to the development of the local people and the evaluation of the historical,
natural and cultural richness in rural areas outside the city centers. In other words, rural tourism is a
type of tourism that happens when people visit rural areas to stay and observe and/or take part in
activities that are unique to the region in order to learn about different cultures and relax in natural
environments. Rural tourism includes walking, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, sports, health,
adventure, art, cultural and historical activities, which are alternative tourism activities. Relevant
literature defines rural areas as areas found outside the “sea, sun and sand” tourism centers, away from
the city centers, where the local traditional lifestyle is preserved and where various activities linked to
rural life take place. The definition of rural development is the whole set of plans, policies and activities
aimed at raising the quality of life of people living in these regions, in line with their social, economic
and cultural conditions, the protection of the environment and the principle of sustainability. The main
philosophy of rural development is to use the resources of rural areas effectively and to minimize the
socio-cultural and economic development gap between the city and the countryside, to prevent rural
desertification by increasing employment opportunities and raise the living standards of people living in
rural areas. Rural areas provide tourists activities and attractions that result from their ethnic and
geographical character, history, different culture and rural nature. In the process of planning and
branding these attractions, the contribution of local people is paramount. In this regard, rural tourism
should be considered as an approach to support the economic development of the local population
rather than merely seeing it as a profit-generating activity. Rural tourism is, primarily, an opportunity for
employment and income opportunities for rural areas and can be an effective alternative to addressing
these problems in countries with higher regional disparities and poverty. In order to achieve the
balanced development of a country, cities and rural regions need to be developed equally making the
importance of tourism even more evident: in order to improve the quality of life of people living in rural
areas, employment opportunities other than agriculture are needed.
In underdeveloped regions, rural tourism activities have a positive impact, increasing the level of
economic and social development as a result of the efficient use of all the resources of the region,
fostering economic growth and improving the quality of life of the local population. As described in
Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: that once people fulfilled their physical needs, they addressed
their social ones.
Rural tourism provides opportunities for local inhabitants to connect economically to the place they live
in. Emotional and economically high adherence to where people live is an important factor for PoP, as is
the tourists’ interest and admiration about the characteristics and specificities of the rural area they are
visiting. Another source of PoP comes from the opportunity for locals to share their knowledge about
their region, both real life stories and the history of the area, as well as local culture, traditions and
produce.

30. 5
The Concept of Community –Based Tourism
Tourism has become a key word in rural development projects, in programs to alleviate poverty and
in the conservation of cultural diversity of local communities. For many rural area’s tourism is seen
as the main option to diversify the rural economy in order to create a new perspective for the rural
population, to reduce poverty or land abandonment. One of the best-practice types of rural tourism
is Community-Based Tourism (CBT). The generation of funds through tourism to support rural
development and conservation is a major component of CBT.
CBT is a form of tourism in which a significant number of local people has substantial control over,
and involvement in its development and management. The major proportion of the benefits
remains within the local economy.
Members of the community, even those who are not directly involved in tourism enterprises, gain
some form of benefit as well (e.g. community fund, multiplier effect). CBT should never replace
traditional economic activities by becoming the main or only source of income for a community. But
it can certainly be a helpful additional side-income.
Some further general characteristics of CBT are as follows:
• it includes education and interpretation as part of the tourism service;
• it increases local and visitor awareness of conservation;
• it is generally, but not exclusively, organized for small groups by small, specialized and locally
owned businesses;
• it minimizes negative impacts on the natural and socio-cultural environment; and
• it supports the protection of natural areas by generating economic benefits for the
management of these areas.
Furthermore, the following service activities can be offered by local communities:
• Guiding
• Provision of transport
• Catering
• Accommodation, homestays
• Handicrafts
• Cultural performances (dance, songs, storytelling, etc.)
• Cultural demonstrations and instruction (weaving, agricultural practices, music, craft making,
cooking, etc.)
Models of CBT
There are different models of CBT.
Model 1: The whole community is involved in the project
Model 2: Parts of the community or families are involved in the project

31. 6
Model 3: Joint Venture between the community or some of its members and business partner(s)
• Different Forms of Community Involvement in Tourism
Type of enter-
prise/institution
Mature of local involvement Examples
Private business run by out-
siders
■ Employment
■ Supply of goods and ser-
vices
■ Kitchen staff in a lodge
■ Sale of food, building
materials, etc.
Enterprise or informal sector
operation run by local indi-
viduals
■ Enterprise ownership
■ Self-employment
■ Supply of goods and ser-
vices
■ Craft sales, food kiosk,
campsite, home stays
■ Guiding services
■ Hawking, sale of fuel
wood, food
Community enterprise ■ Collective ownership
■ Collective or individual
management
■ Supply of goods and ser-
vices
■ Employment or contrib-
uted labor
■ Community campsite
■ Craft center
■ Cultural center
■ Guesthouse
Joint venture between com-
munity and private operator
■ Contractual commitments
or shared ownership
■ Share in revenue
■ Lease/investment of re-
sources
■ Participation in decision-
making
■ Revenue-sharing from
lodge and/or tour opera-
tion to local community
on agreed terms
■ Community leases
land/resources/conces-
sion to lodge/tour op-
eration
■ Community holds equity
in lodge/tour operation
Tourism planning body ■ Consultation
* Representation
■ Participation
■ Local consultation in re-
gional tourism planning
■ Community representatives on
tourism board and in planning
fora
• Collaboration Between Communities and Tourism Authorities
Government tourism authorities can be a helpful source of information for CBT managers and can
provide support for community managers in branding and positioning the CBT operation within the
wider tourism marketplace.
The community can expect this kind of support from both national and regional governments, informing
them about the intent to develop CBT and seeking their input and advice on how the CBT initiative fits
within the wider regional tourism marketplace and strategy. The tourism authority should be able to
provide information about other nearby tourist ventures, potential partners including commercial
operators, tips and tricks related to developing the tourism product and advice related to marketing.

32. 7
Responsibilities of Stakeholders
Within cultural tourism, cultural resources represent quite vulnerable resource, with incorrigible
damages easily inflicted. Tourists are mostly directed by satisfaction of their own needs, which means
responsibility lies with the tourism supply stakeholders.
In destinations rich with cultural sights, the unfavorable tourism impacts on cultural heritage must be, as
the means of sustainable development implementation, constrained through the control of tourists.
Participation in tourism means the active involvement of a person or group of people (consciously) to
contribute voluntarily in tourism programs from decision-making, planning, implementation, monitoring
to evaluation and problem-solving, with full awareness that the program or Tourism activities that are
beneficial to those who involved. There are different actors involved in tourism development, including
private sector, government, civil societies and local people themselves. Local communities are regarded
as important asset in tourism development as it within their premises that these activities take place.
- Local communities- community participation allows for sustainable tourism development in a
community within the tourist area. Local people and local community should be involved in
tourism activities, in order to achieve sustainable tourism. Local community participation is very
essential - local food, local culture and festivals are add-on products to tourism and it also
provides authentic experiences to the tourists. The role of community participation in planning
and development is defined as a partnership built on collaboration among various stakeholders
through which the opinion of local people is considered and appreciated deliberately. In the
context of rural tourism, community participation is seen as an active involvement of local
communities to solve problems and to control over rural tourism development initiatives,
decisions and resources which affect their quality of lives or the lives of others. Therefore,
community participation is also crucial determinant in tourism planning and development.
- Private sector- the role of the private sector in tourism planning and development is very
important. Private organizations can bring a lot of money into a destination and can contribute
significantly to the development of the tourism industry and of the country overall. Private
tourism businesses can provide a forum for discussing and resolving common problems
associated with tourism enterprises, as well as they can provide representation on tourism
boards and committees. Another important role of the private sector in tourism planning and
development is its ability to invest time and money into aspects such as marketing and training.
This can help to promote the destination overall and can also help to up-skill staff in the local
area. Moreover, private tourism businesses can act as local spokesman to the local community.
This can give the local people a voice that might be heard more than it otherwise would. This
can also help to provide links between business and society.
- Government-the role of central government in developing cohesive, effective tourism policy is
vital. Policies should be focused at:
i) a clear definition of the roles and functions of the various levels of government in
tourism;
ii) the engagement of the tourism industry and civil society in the policy decision-making
process;
iii) the adopting effective engagement mechanisms to bring together the various actors
(e.g. tourism strategies, contracts, joint committees), and ensure they have the
appropriate tools and resources for implementation and monitoring.
• Policy development on both national and local levels
Tourism policy and planning take place on different levels. This can take a top-down approach, for
example by international or national bodies, or a bottom-up approach, from a local level.

33. 8
- national levels - The national level of tourism planning is concerned with: tourism policy;
infrastructure facilities and a physical structure plan which includes important tourist
attractions, selected tourism development regions, international entry points, facilities, and
services. It is also concerned with: the amount, kinds, and quality of accommodation and other
required tourist facilities and services; the important tour routes in the country and their
regional connections; tourism organizational entitles, laws and investment policies; tourism
marketing strategies and promotion; education and training programs and environmental,
economic, and socio-cultural analysis.
- local government level - local authorities should
▪ act as primary developer of a range of public tourism infrastructure, including outdoor
tourism infrastructure and urban and rural heritage;
▪ Act as a link between the State tourism agencies and communities by supporting community
effort with regard to major national tourism initiatives;
▪ Support community effort in destination development, including assisting communities to
align their efforts with the tourism agencies brand architecture and consumer segmentation
model;
▪ Provide a competitive environment for tourism enterprises through continued focus on high
quality maintenance of public infrastructure frequently used by visitors;
▪ Contribute to capacity building in tourism nationally by coordinating exchange of knowledge
between established and developing tourism destinations; and provide a range of advice
and support through the Local Enterprise Offices
• Strengthening governance structures and processes
“Governance” is a broader concept than “the government”. Governance can be defined as “the complex
system of regulation involving the interactions of a wide variety of actors, institutions, the environment
and all types of socio-institutional arrangements at different territorial levels. It also includes non-state
actors, including business, community and civil society. Governance arrangements that
accommodate inclusion and participation are desirable so that effective rules, institutions and incentives
can be developed to influence the management of tourism–landscape interactions in a complex and
uncertain world.
In tourism, the concept of “benefit-sharing” refers to the idea that the benefits arising from tourism
should be distributed across a wide range of stakeholders. The development of synergetic interactions
between stakeholders involved in governance processes is a prerequisite for effective benefit-sharing
from tourism in protected areas.
• Preparing or improving strategies and plans at different levels, both geographic
and thematic
Thematic strategy - Numerous destinations use thematic tourism to develop new tourist products,
focusing on various segments of consumers, in order to expand visitor experience. Some of them belong
to the already well-developed tourist destinations, while for others this development of thematic
itineraries represents a predominant, sometimes even the only way to develop tourism. This applies
usually to the developing destinations that have diverse tourist resources, as well as numerous
limitations, such as underdeveloped transportation infrastructure and utilities, lack of accommodation
facilities, limited marketing knowledge and skilled workers. To that end, it is necessary to define
strategies that will enable valorization of specific forms of tourism, and this involves the following
stages:
o Critical analysis of the current state of thematic tourism in the country/ region

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o Identification of potential thematic tourist products/services
o Definition of development strategy for thematic forms of tourism in the country/ region
o Implementation of the strategies defined in this way
• Implementation of policies, strategies and plans
The sustainable development of tourism and the digital transformation of the sector are key issues
facing policy makers. On these and other issues, policy makers recognize the need for coordinated
responses across government, and to work closely with the private sector. The practical challenge that
remains is to ensure that developments in local tourism destinations align with the policies set in place
at national level.
Sustainable tourism and digitalization are critical for the successful development of tourism, and are
priority areas for policy action. Governments also collectively view a variety of other subjects as having
particular importance. These include regional development and dispersal, and allied to this way to
extend the season; developing the product and encouraging employment and skills.
As tourism continues to grow, measures to encourage regional development and disperse visitors to less
developed areas are growing in importance, to relieve the pressures in highly visited destinations and
spread the economic benefits of tourism more widely. Stimulating product development is an important
function for government, to attract new kinds of visitors and even completely new markets more evenly
throughout the year. Encouraging new and skilled workers into the tourism sector is a further area of
policy action. Perceptions of work in the sector remain challenging and many tourism businesses
struggle to fill vacancies with well qualified, motivated people. Higher education institutions often find it
difficult to attract potential students towards tourism related courses and skills will continue to be a
central issue in the years to come, to address labor needs and prepare the tourism workforce for the
digital economy.
Governments have an important role to play to provide direction and support, but it is also increasingly
recognized that this must be delivered in an integrated way, based sound policies, effective
management and structures that involve the private sector and the many agencies and bodies, at all
levels, whose activities can influence tourism performance and impacts.
There is an enduring policy commitment in many countries to utilize tourism as an engine for regional
development. Tourism can be a powerful agent for positive change in communities where the
opportunities for the development of other economic sectors may be limited. Such policy approaches
can help spread the benefits of tourism away from capital cities, historic destinations and coastal areas
to lesser developed, often rural areas.
Tourism can play an important role in improving the attractiveness and well-being of places, not only as
destinations to visit, but also to live, work and invest. More specifically, tourism can provide benefits for
urban and regional economies including diverse employment opportunities, support for the promotion
of cultural authenticity and assets, opportunities for innovative small-scale business operations, and
support for infrastructure-related development and maintenance.
Digital solution’s strategies should also be adopted by governments to develop statistical databases and
indicators to build the evidence base and support policy and business decisions. Digital systems are an
opportunity to reduce cost, offer more effective services, or develop ways to more accurately identify
and manage the impacts of tourism.

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• Developing linkages and networks between stakeholders
In terms of sustainable tourism development, various local, national
and global stakeholders are involved, including governments, nongovernment organizations, tourism
industry sectors, host communities, tourists, academia and the media seek to understand stakeholder
support for sustainable tourism development, and stakeholder participation in tourism and political
activities.
Tourism stakeholders are connected because tourism comprises “complementary products of activities,
accommodation, transport and food co-exist alongside support activities and infrastructure to form a
complex system of connections and interrelationships”.
The application of a network approach in tourism research can be divided into three overarching
streams based on the lens of researchers towards networks. The first considers a network as a
perspective – as a viewpoint, approach or lens of analysis aimed at understanding phenomena, whether
or not they are perceived as networks. The second views networks as one type of stakeholder
interaction, whereby research objects are perceived as existing in networks and can therefore be
explained by network theory or stakeholder theory. These first two streams of research often overlap
and are implied within studies that seek to explain and visualize the structure of tourism networks, for
example a policy network, a business network, network governance, a collaborative academic network,
a tourist attraction network, a coopting network, a marketing network, a tourist expenditure network,
and a leadership network. Network analysis is well-suited for the nature of a phenomenon that involves
linkages or connections between nodes. Social networks have been found to be significant for improving
communication between stakeholders, and for explaining the processes of, and motivations underlying,
knowledge transfer.
Another important concept about networks is ‘tourisms capes. Tourism’s capes are defined as “actor–
networks transgressing different societies and regions and connecting systems of transport,
accommodation and facilities, tourism resources, environments, technologies, people, and
organizations”. Within tourisms capes, a range of human and non-human elements are recognized,
including tourists, tourism suppliers, tourism materiality, and machines and technologies. These
elements are viewed as the basis for locating human and non-human actors in tourism destination
development. Tourism’s capes are heterogeneous networks that recognize modes of ordering that can
create different versions of tourism and tourism destinations according to the type of actor involved.
Modes of ordering are coherent sets of strategic notions carried out in the materiality of heterogeneous
processes to make up tourism and constituent organizations.
• Community capacity building
Community capacity building is widely acknowledged as an important tourism development strategy.
Building capacity of communities to effectively address our problematic issues and planning of
community development is often required to analyze current status of community development with
respect to tourism development. Community capacity building is a necessary ingredient for success of
community development. Tourism development and building the capacity for local communities need to
progress hand in hand. Community capacity building programs help underdeveloped communities to
improve their ability to participate in the tourism decision-making processes. They encourage
community involvement, and provide the tools that enable them to do so.
Community capacity will greatly affect the sustainability of tourism development. The strategy of
community capacity building that is deemed most effective in partnership tourism can be carried out in
stages. Capacity building in tourism development can be carried out by the local community to tourism

36. 11
actors (community) and by collaborating with other parties to assist in the activities which are carried
out continuously. This is important for the community and the partner to get the same vision and
mission. In the capacity building based on local initiatives, other parties are then involved, which will
produce more quality resources in the tourism management process. On the other hand, capacity
building that is enforced with programs from tourism development partners not based on the
characteristics of the local community is more likely to produce less innovative tourism.
Public Private Dialogue and Partnership
• Public sector
The term ‘public sector’ covers the whole range of public organizations, from
national government ministries and departments to government business enterprises and
government tourism departments. Just as tourism has been identified as important to many
governments economically and politically – public sector (government) involvement is very
important to the sustainable growth and development of the tourism industry (Elliott 1997). The
public sector makes up a core component of the tourism industry. Many tourism products are
based on public assets such as the natural and cultural environments. A key role of the public sector
is to provide basic infrastructure, essential services, destination management and marketing,
innovation, training and education (Elliott 1997). These are important components in providing a
sustainable and profitable travel and tourism industry. Governments provide a policy and planning
framework for environmental protection and heritage management and set strategies to encourage
the private sector to take the issue of sustainability seriously (Swarbrooke 1998).
• Private sector
Private enterprises provide the basic tourism products, facilities and essential
services, such as: accommodation, transport, restaurants, retail, various attractions and even
experiences. This sector ranges from large vertically and horizontally integrated global corporations
such as tour companies, airlines and hotel chains, to tiny, remote local family businesses, such as
craft shops and lodges.
The private sector therefore, plays an essential role in the development and
management of tourism and must be equally involved with national, regional and
government, in the management and sustainable development of tourism.
• Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)
Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are essentially partnerships between public sector organizations and
private sector investors and business for the purpose of designing, planning, financing, constructing,
providing and/or operating infrastructure, facilities or related service successful PPPs build on the
experience of each partner to meet clearly defined needs and provide a net benefit (or value for money)
to the general public through the appropriate allocation of resources, risks and rewards. It will involve
unbundling the costs and the risks inherent in delivering the project and allocating them to the partner
best able to absorb and mitigate them. With PPP, the public sector will focus on acquiring services at the

37. 12
most cost-effective basis, rather than directly owning and operating assets. Under PPP, the private
sector can look forward to providing a wider range of service sand over a longer contract period.
Partnerships in fact form for a variety of reasons. Partnerships can be formed to create new products or
services, to achieve higher levels of efficiency or economies of scale, to open markets that were
previously inaccessible or to simply pool resources - financial and/or human. The key to any successful
partnership, however, is the recognition that the partnership is a business relationship wherein the
partners share the risks, rewards and responsibility for the success or failure of the initiative.
• Importance of PPPs
- For the public sector: PPP allows the public sector to get better value for money in the
delivery of the public services. Through closer partnership with the private sector, efficiency and
effectiveness gains can be reaped, particularly from the following sources:
A. Private sector innovation.
B. Optimal whole lifecycle costing by outsourcing design, build, maintain and operate to the
same private company (or consortium).
C. Better asset utilization by sharing Government assets/facilities with third-party users.
D. Optimal sharing of responsibilities between the public and private sector.
- For the Private Sector: PPP offers more business opportunities to the private sector. The
private sector will be engaged to deliver a full suite of services (e.g. design, construction,
operations and maintenance) which were traditionally performed inhouse by public agencies or
performed by multiple private companies.
For members of the public: PPP brings together the expertise of the Government and the private sector
to meet the needs of the public effectively and efficiently. When structured appropriately, PPP will
deliver public services that can better meet the needs of the public without compromising public policy
goals and needs.
Whatever the tourism objective is, from economic development, poverty reduction,
protected area management, conservation, cultural development or social justice, the travel and
tourism industry realize the power of collaboration and partnerships.
The tourism sector presents any number of opportunities to partner. It is characterized by a
burgeoning set of small and medium sized businesses that have the
entrepreneurship and flexibility to take advantage of new opportunities. On a global scale, the
public sector is looking for new ways to partner with the private sector to strategically develop and
market tourism and to leverage available assets for growth.
Areas where partnering can create opportunities are summarized below:
1. Technology
2. Operations
3. Advocacy
4. Product development

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5. Human resources
6. Research
7. Marketing
8. Financing
• Community – private sector partnership
Most important are the partnerships between local community, and the tourism industry, which
provides opportunities for community involvement and participation in tourism.
Marketing is expensive and most communities are neither able to afford press tours, attend trade fairs
or publish a catalogue, nor do they have the skills to run a costly marketing campaign on their own.
Therefore, communities are strongly encouraged to work with local tourism companies who can provide
not only investment but also skills, such as foreign languages and specialised knowledge. They can
establish linkages between communities and the national and international tourism market.
From the very beginning the private sector and the community should build up structures that
enable the community to benefit and have decision-making power over the level and nature of
tourism in its area. It should be possible for both sides to make adjustments at any point of the
business partnership.
The understanding of commercial realities by the community and transparency from both sides are
important preconditions for a trustful partnership. Expectations should also be realistic. For example, in
some joint venture negotiations, the lack of understanding of revenue, costs and profit has caused some
communities and NGOs to expect 50 per cent of the money that is being earned. But even for an
established enterprise, operating costs are likely to consume around 70% of the revenue (or more), and
profit may be around 30%. Thus, in this case, a 50% share of profit would be around 15% of the revenue.
To avoid this problem, it should be clear for each partner what the respective costs are and what
amount of profit actually remains to be shared.
In order to avoid conflicts it is recommended to establish a committee involving local people, private
operators, government agencies, and NGOs to ensure understanding and smooth operation of
agreements, and to aid in local communication.
There are various ways in which the community can relate to private enterprise. The degree of
community involvement and benefit can develop over time.
In many cases, tourism authorities and industry bodies will be able to directly assist with marketing, by
including the Community based tourism initiative within tourist information brochures and other
promotional material. Working with tourism authorities and/or commercial operators can assist with
marketing. Maintaining regular contact with partners and promoters is important so that information
about packages and prices is up to date.