What is People-First Tourism?
A number of us, faculty and students in tourism, community development, and environmental conservation, have been interested in examining ways to use tourism as a force to help marginalized communities gain improved well-being and self-determination while also improving their often eroded relationships with the natural environment. We are constantly faced with limitations in dominant tourism paradigms (e.g., eco-tourism, sustainable tourism, pro-poor tourism), so we decided to think of a new way to approach tourism.
Whence "People-First Tourism!"
People-First because we think the focus of our efforts must be on the development of human beings - perhaps through the creation of improved eco-dependent livelihoods that will then elicit pro-conservation attitudes and behaviors. This directive is influenced by Amartya Sen's assertion that development is more than improved access to income and should instead be seen as individuals' freedom to pursue fulfilling lives.
People-First because communities must first decide what aspects of their cultural and natural capital should be commoditized. Then, we can help them identify potential markets and links with suitable tourism industry partners, and we can assist them in defining a deliberate marketing plan to shape their destination image. This directive reflects the work of Gayatri Spivak about the importance of giving the subaltern a voice, rather than studying them and deciding what's interesting about them or better for them.
People-First because we should leverage and empower indigenous knowledge and social capital so that individuals can create self-supporting movements to gain control over tourism development, and can remain engaged to address subsequent challenges to their continued development as a sustainable and self-determined community. We can, then try to help communities adapt their social structures and knowledge to partner with regional or industry organizations, so as to secure their support. This directive is influenced by Elinor Ostrom's work on how community organizations can self-govern and thrive while using Common Pool Resources in sustainable ways.
While we've given this topic much thought, we still do not have a firm grasp on what People-First Tourism is/should be. We are constantly sharing our thoughts in various kinds of academic and technical fora, and we now have this blog, as another way to engage a broad community of interested individuals. So, here's our invitation for anyone to please voice your opinion about this topic. We're waiting for your input.
Cheers, DM
Whence "People-First Tourism!"
People-First because we think the focus of our efforts must be on the development of human beings - perhaps through the creation of improved eco-dependent livelihoods that will then elicit pro-conservation attitudes and behaviors. This directive is influenced by Amartya Sen's assertion that development is more than improved access to income and should instead be seen as individuals' freedom to pursue fulfilling lives.
People-First because communities must first decide what aspects of their cultural and natural capital should be commoditized. Then, we can help them identify potential markets and links with suitable tourism industry partners, and we can assist them in defining a deliberate marketing plan to shape their destination image. This directive reflects the work of Gayatri Spivak about the importance of giving the subaltern a voice, rather than studying them and deciding what's interesting about them or better for them.
People-First because we should leverage and empower indigenous knowledge and social capital so that individuals can create self-supporting movements to gain control over tourism development, and can remain engaged to address subsequent challenges to their continued development as a sustainable and self-determined community. We can, then try to help communities adapt their social structures and knowledge to partner with regional or industry organizations, so as to secure their support. This directive is influenced by Elinor Ostrom's work on how community organizations can self-govern and thrive while using Common Pool Resources in sustainable ways.
While we've given this topic much thought, we still do not have a firm grasp on what People-First Tourism is/should be. We are constantly sharing our thoughts in various kinds of academic and technical fora, and we now have this blog, as another way to engage a broad community of interested individuals. So, here's our invitation for anyone to please voice your opinion about this topic. We're waiting for your input.
Cheers, DM
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