Working with Local Communities

One of the core elements of sustainable tourism is that the tourism industry takes into account the views and aspirations of the host community. Their support for tourism development and promotion is essential and genuine community involvement can enrich the visitor experience. When a community is involved in the direction of tourism development it is more likely to become an active partner and take a particular stake in the development of the destination.

While the economic benefits of tourism are increasingly appreciated by local communities, some of the less identifiable benefits as not so well understood. There are many benefits for a tourism business in becoming a respected and valued partner of the local community and economy:

• Contributions to community development can help to improve relations with local communities and minimize the risk of future conflicts.
• Supporting community development can generate positive publicity and improve reputation.
• Contributions to community development can enhance approval from guests and others who are concerned about local community welfare.
• Providing benefits to local people can support conservation goals by offering alternative, relatively non-destructive sources of livelihood.
• Improving economic linkages with local communities and businesses supports the sustainability of tourism destinations.

What can I do ?

Here are some simple but effective ideas for working with local communities to achieve mutual benefits, improving social sustainability.

• Buy locally produced goods and services.
• Employ local people.
• Develop training programs covering both basic skills and those necessary for promotion, so that local people can be phased into management positions over time.
• Encourage employees to volunteer in local communities and to follow environmental practices at home.
• Provide information to guests on the area’s cultural and natural characteristics and offer tips on how they can ensure that their own behaviour respects these characteristics. Encourage guests to purchase locally produced products and support local service providers.
• Work with local partners to support projects that increase community well-being.
• Provide support for local schools.
• Incorporate regional food and/or wine as part of your product experience.
• Purchase materials needed for construction and maintenance from local sources, assuming that they are available and of equivalent environmental performance standards to sources typically available elsewhere.
• Provide tangible support or participation to a not-for-profit organisation or event that contributes to the welfare of the local community.
• Offer discounted access to your tourism product to a local school, local resident group or local special interest group.
• Offer work experience for one or more students residing in your local area and/or provide advice on job applications or interviews.
• Sponsor local events, sporting teams, etc
• Liaise with appropriate access groups when designing new facilities or improving existing ones, to ensure that it can be fully enjoyed by people with disabilities
• Always liaise with the appropriate custodians of the local Indigenous culture when wishing to access Aboriginal land, key cultural sites or wishing to interpret Aboriginal culture. Click here to learn about consultation protocols with Aboriginal people (489kb)

Tourism Queensland has prepared a publication, Working With Communities: A Guide for Tourism Operators, which provides tourism operators with simple but effective ideas for working with local communities to achieve mutual benefits and to improve social sustainability.