Communication for Community Involvement in Sustainable Tourism Development

This 32-page proceedings document from an e-conference on tourism development, organised by the World Bank Development Communication Division, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Development Communication and Sustainable Tourism Unit, and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), states that tourism, as the world's largest economic sector, can be a powerful tool for economic growth, poverty reduction, and for the conservation of natural and cultural resources. It discusses the role of communication for development in sustainable tourism. The cross-sectorial range of issues involving multiple local and national stakeholders includes trade and investment policy, employment and labour laws, enterprise development, public-private partnerships, community and urban planning, infrastructure development, conservation of cultural heritage and biodiversity, management of natural resources, safety and security, and education and workforce development.

The positive aspects of effective communication in sustainable tourism include facilitating management, exchange of stakeholder opinions for consensual solutions, links to markets, and visitor safety. Further, as stated here: "A comprehensive communication strategy, which should identify how information, awareness creation, advocacy, network building, conflict mitigation, and communication platforms will be supported, is essential for any successful sustainable tourism development activity."

Session 2, pp. 7-10 of this conference focuses on communication for community involvement in sustainable tourism and spotlights the relationship between tourists and those living in tourism districts. As stated here, they impact each others lives in ways that are sometimes reciprocal, sometimes mutual. The emphasis of sustainability is on residents of tourist destinations playing a key role in conservation, while deriving benefits, and includes the challenges of resident involvement. The challenges cited here include: frequent changes in local government and lack of government support, conflicting interests between groups, lack of funds, late attempts to involve communities, lack of commercial skills at the local level, too many actors in uncoordinated efforts, failure to consider a whole tourism system including demand for products, and communication gaps between communities and the private sector.


The following are some communication-related examples and applications of tools:

• Communication tools mentioned as effective ways to involve
  local communities in tourism development included
  training; participatory workshops; community, group and individual meetings; local radio; school newsletters; and local events.
• As stated here, community leaders are an important communication channel.
• The need to professionalise the local community as business people may be approached through: a business feasibility study, business administration, hospitality, marketing strategy, development of IT marketing tools, market analysis, etc.
• As suggested in the article, a consulting organisation can identify the kind of consultancy and support the community wants to receive and sign a contract with the community as a way to enhance the sense of ownership within a community. Consultants must insure that all segments of the population express opinions and that the community builds its own strategy.
• Workshops may be used to identify concerns, determine options, and also introduce communities to new topics, such as marketing techniques.
• The internet is a tool to put local tourism micro-enterprises into direct contact with the global market of travelers.
• Trust, cultural knowledge, capacity-building, and ownership without development organisation dependency were included as considerations in communication with communities.
• Dynamics of the private sector being unprepared to communicate with communities and communities needing to consider themselves private-sector partners and learn business view points were discussed. A possible resolution is awareness-raising activities and dialogue between businessmen and communities.
• Investment and marketing options include commercial publications connecting tourists to remote and sustainable tourism locations, and public-private partnership agreements attracting private investment. They must be analysed realistically by communities.
• Publications can be used to communicate cultural norms to visitors that will minimise inappropriate tourist behaviours.