A Case for Community-Based Tourism and Pro-Poor Tourism

Kangding Town Project Prepared for: CAUPD Prepared by: Winnie Fong (USC) Date: June 2013

Table of Contents
I. Kangding Project Objective
Tourism opportunity and popular attractions

II. Types of Tourism that Help Communities

Pro-Poor and Community-Based Tourism

III. Case Studies

Lessons learned from other tourist destinations

IV. Next Steps

How CAUPD can help plan for Kangdings Future

V. Recommendation Strategies
For responsible and sustainable tourism in Kangding

I. Kangding Project Objective

Objective

Improve the quality of life in the community Stimulate the local economy

Solution

Kangding has a potential market for tourism to help obtain its objectives

Gain benefits from tourism for the local residents and community in a sustainable manner

Kangding Tourism Opportunity

Natural Landscape Countryside and scenic destination near the Tibetan border

Attractions Temples Buddhist Monasteries Mountains

Transportation Access Kangding Airport

Ngachu Monastery

Kangding Airport

Kangding Popular Attractions

Temples Anjue Temple, Jinggang Temple, and Namo Temple Paoma Mountain Mosque Roman Catholic Church Old Town Spring Town Square Yak Bridge Tibetan Buddhist Monastery

II. Types of Tourism that Help Communities

1.) Pro-Poor Tourism and 2.) Community-Based Tourism

1.) Pro-Poor Tourism (PPT)

Pro-Poor Tourism is an approach that plans

and manages tourism to provide and increase economic and social benefits to the poor.

Reduces poverty and negative impacts on the poor. Brings sustainable livelihoods, employment or additional income. http://www.propoortourism.info/

Linking Tourism and Poverty Reduction

Courtesy of

http://www.propoortourism.info/

2.) Community-Based Tourism (CBT)

This is a type of sustainable tourism that

promotes pro-poor strategies in a community setting and involves the local communities.

The local people participates in the planning and managing of the tours and provide visitors with cultural learning. The fair share of profits go back to the local community for projects, such as schools, infrastructure, etc. http://www.tourismconcern.org.uk/communitytourism.html

Pro-Poor and Community-Based Tourism Benefits

Employment in Tourism Business

Hotels, tours, homestays, restaurants

Alleviate Poverty

Locals earn extra income by selling handicrafts and provide services

Environmental Awareness

Opportunity for raising awareness in environmental conservation and sustainability

Women making handicraft in Sapa, Vietnam

Pro-Poor and Community-Based Tourism Benefits

Cultural Heritage and Pride

Cultural performance

Dance, songs, storytelling Weaving, music, craft-making, cooking

Cultural Demonstration

Improve infrastructure

Transport, roadways, telecommunication, water supply, electricity

Improved roadways

Quality of life

Add or improve education, public security, health services, environmental conservation

Public services, such as education

III. Case Studies

Lessons Learned from other Tourist Destinations

Case Study Countries

Asia
1. Sapa, Vietnam 2. Khajuraho, India 3. Ban Prasat, Thailand

Africa
4. Lalibela, Ethiopia

South America
5. Chiloe, Chile 6. Kuelap, Peru

1.) Sapa, Vietnam

Tourist Attractions

Cultural experience, natural landscape and interaction with diversity of ethnic cultures.

Activities

3 Trekking routes, 71 homestays in 5 villages, local markets.

Rice fields and the mountain terrain in Sapa

Planning Strategy

Developed community-based tourism in a sustainable manner for people to interact with the local ethnic people.

1.) Sapa, Vietnam

Quality of Life

Women sell handicraft souvenirs to escape poverty. Improved electricity, communication, postal service, water supply, and garbage collection.

Unintended Consequences

Local residents pester tourists aggressively to buy from them and children skip school to earn a living on the street. As a solution, the community established permanent trading site for locals to sell their products.

Winnie with the Red Dzao Ethnic Minority women

2.) Khajuraho, India

Tourist Attraction Cultural experience and temples. Planning Strategy Developed an airport to increase access and improved roads. As a result, created more tourism infrastructure, two schools, a hospital, and hotels.

Temple in Khajuraho

2.) Khajuraho, India

Quality of Life Improved roads, water system, and electricity. Education, healthcare, and income increased. Local Economy Over 3,000 people employed in tourism industry.

Temple in Khajuraho

3.) Ban Prasat, Thailand

Tourist Attraction Archeological excavations and cultural experience. Planning Strategy Community-based tourism that involves planning and involvement with the residents. Thailand promoted this village as a major stop on the tourism in the Northeast.

Archeological site in Ban Prasat

3.) Ban Prasat, Thailand

Local Economy Rice farming community. Homestay programs include observing way of life, study archeological site and participate in activities, such as local handicrafts, weaving, and cooking.

Quality of Life Locals gained more jobs and earned extra income from selling handmade products.

Thai women creating handicrafts for sale

4.) Lalibela, Ethiopia

Tourist Attraction Rock-Hewn Churches from the 12th Century. Also referred to as the 8th Wonder of the World. Economic Problem Tourists visit the cultural site, but the site attracts low local spending.

St. George Church

4.) Lalibela, Ethiopia

Tourism Issue

Reasons for low spending is limited sales and variety of handicrafts, which are low quality/value. Tourists cannot use credit cards or change money. Few facilities such as toilets, shops, and banks. Locals lack skills for tourism.
Inside the church, sits a priest that accepts donations and protects priceless artifacts

Recommendation

World Bank recommends to improve Ethiopias image and upgrade facilities and link tourism with local suppliers. Provide more cultural events and services in town.

5.) Chiloe, Chile

Tourist Attraction

Archipelago island, coastline and culture. Ecological reserve 18th century churches listed as UNESCO World Heritage site.

Planning Strategy

The Inter-American Development Bank loaned $10.5 million to help restore 16 historic wooden churches in 2003.

Historical wooden churches

5.) Chiloe, Chile

Public Facilities

Chile opened a one- terminal airport on the island to bring in more tourism

Quality of Life

The loan program will help to improve:

Infrastructure, sanitation and environmental protection. Increase the average stay and tourist spending. Raise income of the residents.

Chiloes archipelago

6.) Kuelap, Peru

Tourist Attraction

Fortress, historical, and ancient ruins Central attraction in Northern Peru

Planning Strategy

Competing heavily with the popular Machu Picchu. Using Pro-Poor approach in both the Kuelap development master plan and the national tourism strategy. Emphasizes on community involvement in planning and operations.

Ancient Ruins in Kuelap

6.) Kuelap, Peru

Tourism Problem

The success of Machu Picchu has neglected unwanted forms of development and conflict in the area. The local community in Kuelap is interested in tourism activity, but lack the capital to achieve it.

Tourism Research Study

Conducted sustainable livelihood analysis, compatibility of activities in the community, market research analysis.

Ancient Ruins in Kuelap

IV. Next Steps

How CAUPD can help plan for Kangdings Future

Research Tools to Determine What Kangding Needs

1. Quality of Life Assessment

2. Economic and Market Analysis

3. Infrastructure and Public Facilities

Assessment 4. Community Outreach

1.) Quality of Life Assessment

Identify the cause of poverty and other socio-

economic issues in the community

What are ways to alleviate poverty and improve quality of life (e.g., education, healthcare, food security, income, etc.)? Conduct a Sustainable Livelihood Analysis to fully understand the current forms of lifestyle and livelihood to find the most compatible form of development.

2.) Economic and Market Analysis

Determine economic activities that locals can earn

extra income.

Is there a market for tourism activity? Conduct a market analysis to determine financial feasibility. What can the local Kangding people provide in terms of services and cultural souvenirs, such as handicrafts? (Informal Economy) Can they establish or have the skills to run tourism enterprises or community based enterprises at a micro or medium-sized enterprise? (Formal Economy)

3.) Infrastructure and Public Facilities Assessment

Assess the public facilities and infrastructure

needed to support tourism

Besides the new Kangding airport, do the roadways provide easy access to the tourist sites? Is there proper sanitation and public toilets to accommodate foreign visitors? What kind of infrastructure and public facilities is needed to support the tourism and what will it cost?

4.) Community Outreach

Assess the communitys input Ask the local residents what they would like to see in their community.

What are their ideas on how to help improve their quality of life.

Are the residents receptive to opening their community for tourism? Such as homestays and training to help interact with visitors.

Do they welcome foreigners?

How can the community become involved in the planning process and operations?

V. Recommendation Strategies
For Responsible and Sustainable Tourism in Kangding

Recommended Strategies
1. Benefits for the Local Community through 2. 3.

4.
5.

Pro-Poor Tourism Finance for Community-Based Tourism Public and Private Partnerships Proper Management for Sustainability Responsible Tourism

Benefits for the Local Community through Pro-Poor Tourism

Is this type of tourism feasible in Kangding? Will

it work? Develop policies to ensure equitable distribution of tourism benefits to the poor. In Africa, travel firms share 70% of the profits to the locals, even if the locals do nothing to contribute to the tourism. Expand local enterprise opportunities, including those that provide services to tourism operations, such as food suppliers and materials.

Finance for Community-Based Tourism

Help the locals establish a tourism enterprise,

small loans and training is needed.

The loans will help locals start their businesses in providing accommodations (hotels or homestays), catering, transport, retail, entertainment, and tour guiding services. Send locals to obtain training and skills from college universities about their culture and national heritage. Train locals on basic language skills.

Public and Private Partnerships

Identify and create positive partnerships with

the public and private sectors.

Public Sector

Covers a range of public organization such as national government ministries and departments government business enterprises, and local government tourism departments.

Private Sector

Private enterprises provide basic tourism products, facilities, and essential services, such as hotels, transport, retail, restaurants, etc.

Monitor the Program

Monitor the success and performance of the

program to determine whether it reaches its goals by setting a budget and benchmarks.

Courtesy of http://www.snvworld.org/

Proper Management for Sustainability

Inappropriate tourism developments and poorly

managed programs can have negative impacts on the natural and cultural environment, such as:

Degrade heritage sites Commodify the sacred Reduce biological diversity Destroy habitat for wildfire Pollute lakes, rivers, and coasts Overuse valuable fresh water resources Contribute to global warming Lead to loss of scenic beauty

Responsible Tourism

Control the number of visitors so that it does not disrupt the community and the natural environment Document and study how tourism affects the overall community and environment. Develop environmental impact mitigations, if necessary.

Additional Resources
Pro-Poor Tourism

http://www.propoortourism.info/
http://www.snvworld.org/ http://www.responsiblevacation.com/

SNV Netherlands Development Organisation

Responsible Vacations

Sustainable Tourism Online

http://www.sustainabletourismonline.com/