How community-based tourism can reshape travel for the better

Henry Haselock is a qualified expedition leader, adventurer and fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. He has led many expeditions across the world and completed a world-first crossing on foot of the Chalbi desert in Kenya

Since the world reopened after Covid, an increasing number of travellers have sought out authentic, community-led experiences. This has created an exciting new age of tourism – but also an increasing disconnect between the commercial opportunity for host countries and the actual benefits for local communities in these areas.

Over the years I have been on many different trips where I have witnessed the positive impact of community-based tourism in its purest form. The best examples provide local people with a substantial share of the profits and give them the power to decide how the money is distributed to benefit the community.

They range from trekking in the mountains of northern Ethiopia with guides from the local mountain valleys, to drinking yak’s milk with nomadic Mongolian herdsmen, to hopping between some of Africa’s most luxurious safari camps. What’s amazing is that these are holidays like no other: you can see the difference your money makes, not just to one family but to a whole community.

For me, these journeys have been personal and deeply satisfying. They build new relationships, create understanding between people from different cultures and together they point towards a model of travel that respects the land, the people who live on it and all of their futures.

(Image credit: Henry Haselock)

I hope the tips below can help inspire you to set out on your own community-based adventure.

Choose the right travel company

When looking for a sustainable community-based travel company, there are a few things to look out for. One rule of thumb is that small is best. Tour groups of no more than eight people allow for more interaction on a personal level and a better chance of fostering true understanding.

You should also look for any certifications that a company has, which are a useful way to verify if that company is acting sustainably. B Corp certification, for example, provides reassurance that the company has a responsible approach to its social and environmental impact. Don’t be afraid to quiz a travel company on its partners and suppliers, and ask if it employs local guides and/or buys provisions from the host community.

Get off the beaten track

The best way to immerse yourself in a different community or culture is to avoid the tourist traps. Don’t be fooled by a well-edited Instagram post – a lot of the time these hotspots don’t live up to their expectations. Getting off the beaten track will increase your chances of finding an authentic experience, and spread the benefits of tourism to local communities. It will also reduce the problems that over-tourism can bring to established destinations.

Take a longer trip

Holiday time is precious, so rather than trying to tick off all the bucket-list sights while rushing from place to place, why not slow down and take fewer, longer trips. This will allow you to spend time in the community you are visiting, learning more about them. As well as delivering a more meaningful and memorable travel experience, it will provide greater benefits to the local population.

Respect the local community

Whenever you’re travelling to a new country or visiting a new community, it’s important to understand established traditions, beliefs and customs. Make sure you do your research beforehand by reading up on local history, language (learning to say hello and thank you will go a long way) and even the politics, especially if there has been unrest in recent years. Respectful curiosity goes a long way, particularly in smaller communities.

Spend locally

Try to make sure that as much of your money as possible ends up in the pockets of people who live in the community you’re visiting. This can be done by going to local village markets, buying food from farmers for the next leg of your hike, and eating what has been reared and grown locally. All this contributes to the local economy and cultural empowerment.