Affiliates

What does Fair Tourism do?

Promoting Sustainable & Community-Based Tourism

At Fair Tourism: Harnessing the Power of Sustainable Tourism for Social Change. We take a holistic approach that interlocks social, cultural, ecological and economic domains, recognizing the evolution and interaction of the environment and its people. We encourage explorers to visit areas of ecological beauty and pause to reflect on cultures and connection and the communities that glean both.

Fair Tourism has been a trailblazer of sustainable tourism in the Netherlands since 1989, emphasizing community-based tourism. The Fair Tourism Foundation has been raising awareness and improving the tourism industry for over 30 years. We create sustainable tourism courses at the university level, vocational training centers and primary/secondary schools to help educate future generations about responsible tourism.

The number one priority on our list is supporting the hill tribe village of Huay Pu Keng, Northern Thailand, and other community-based projects. For the last eight years, we have worked to develop this community into a model for community-based tourism. We want to provide education and information to travelers through this website with case studies on different types of sustainable tourism (and that includes Ecotourism). Find out how ethical travel theory works, discover the practical applications of ethical travel, and dive into inspiring travel stories.

What is Community-Based Tourism (CBT)?

Community-Based Tourism: Empowering Communities and Enriching Travel Experiences

Community-Based Tourism (CBT) provides travelers with a unique opportunity to be introduced to local people, their daily lives, livelihoods, arts, cultures, and engaging relationships with the natural world. This allows tourists to truly understand local customs and natural surroundings as they engage in community-based tourism (CBT).

CBT is managed and run by people of the community, forming a group or a club. In some, those efforts are propped up by partnerships with tour operators or NGOs. This ensures that tourism revenues remain local, which helps empower the community and improve the quality of life there.

These successful CBT initiatives maintain local cultures and way of life while fostering cross-cultural understanding and respect. These programs inspire tourism, provide new skills, create local jobs and income, and fund grassroots environmental/ social projects.

When implemented successfully, CBT:

• Celebrates and preserves local traditions and cultural heritage.

• Fosters cross-cultural understanding and mutual respect.

• Creates jobs, skills training, and income opportunities for residents.

• Reinvests in community-led environmental and social projects.

The travelers who pick CBT are directly helping sustainable development and creating meaningful and unforgettable experiences. Ready to experience the transformative power of Community-Based Tourism? Learn more about our initiatives or start planning your sustainable journey today!

environmental and social initiatives.