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Kayan
Discover the story behind the Kayan rings

Read about how Fair Tourism assists the Kayan to create sustainable community tourism that allows them to prosper rather than be exploited. Click to learn about our efforts to help them below.

Travel Story
Learn to travel sustainably around the globe

From the Sugarloaf mountains in Rio, Brazil, to the idyllic Java Wetlands in Singapore, read our gripping travel stories to explore the world.

Volunteers Unfinished
We would love to have you on our team!

Are you an ambitious person motivated to fight for a good cause? Do you consider yourself perseverant and enjoy working in an intercultural environment? Are you passionate about sustainable tourism and eager to learn more about community-based tourism?

Education
Get educated on community-based tourism

Fair Tourism has over 20 years experience creating material and educating on the topic of sustainable tourists. If you are a company or education institution interested in learning more or arranging a workshop click below

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Mission:

Fair Tourism | Pioneering Sustainable & Community-Based Tourism

To assist local communities with the development of small-scale tourism activities that contribute towards poverty alleviation and nature conservation, as well as creating awareness amongst travellers about visiting natural & cultural wonders, while engaging with the locals at the same time”

Vision:

At Fair Tourism, we strive for a world without exploitation of indigenous people by tourism, so they can be empowered to become community-based tourism leaders”

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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.

Fair Tourism’s Values

People

In order to create a sustainable industry, local people need to set the guidelines. Respect for socio-cultural heritage and the traditional values of host communities is crucial within the industry. Fair Tourism assists communities in further promoting their interests and, above all, developing an individualised approach that suits their needs.

Independence

To assure sustainability, independence is a key factor. We develop strategies for communities that lead to a self-sufficient industry. This is the only way to guarantee sustainability in the long term. Only if a region is not dependent solely on tourism, and is accountable to itself, can this strategy be called successful.

Environment

Aspects of the local environment also play a vital role in tourism. In order to maintain ecosystems and biodiversity, the focus is on education, conservation and restoration. With the knowledge of local people about their region, several approaches can be integrated into tourism, which then help to preserve it. Nature is a major factor in successful tourism, so it should be given special attention.

Cooperation

Cooperation is a way to create sustainability in tourism, and, as a result, long lasting achievements. Networking of all kinds helps to provide economic and social security for communities. Ecological chains can be further protected in this way. If the relevant experts work together, sustainable tourism can be ensured on an economic, ecological and social basis.

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