Community Based Tourism Partnerships: Handbook for Tour Operators

This handbook shares step by step recommendations for working with local communities, to deliver fun, inspiring, responsible experiences for your guests. The first section, ‘Recommendations for Tour Operators,’ presents simple, concrete actions which tour operators can take. The second section introduces the ‘Thai CBT Standard,’ developed by Thailand Community Based Tourism Institute (CBT-I) between 2005 and 2014, with input from several hundred Thai tourism stakeholders, including 40 tour operators, 60 local Thai communities, tourism associations, government, NGO’s and academics. The third section presents four case studies of successful CBT-tour operator partnerships, by Intrepid Travel and Peak Adventure Travel Group, Exotissimo Travel and Thailand Autrement. Each case highlights specific lessons learned. The final section, ‘Working with the Thailand CBT Network Coordination Center (CBT-N CC)’ defines the commonly agreed roles and responsibilities of members (communities) and partners (tour operators) of the Thailand CBT Network. Roles and responsibilities of the CBT Network Coordination Center are also defined.