The type and level of community participation in CBT should be decided and defined by the Community

Integral to the success, effectiveness, and sustainability of CBT operations is the active support and involvement of all members of the hosting community at a level that they feel comfortable with. If CBT is imposed upon a community in a ‘top-down’ fashion, without the community feeling like they have participated and directly influenced decision-making, the CBT venture will be more likely to fail.

The type and level of community involvement in CBT should be decided and defined by the community to ensure it is appropriate for the capacities within the community and in balance with other cultural obligations e.g. farming duties, religious practices, and childcare.

It is important to assess the community’s strength and organization. Regardless of the type and level of participation in CBT that the community, other tourism stakeholders, and individuals decide upon, it is critical that the host community is already organized to embrace, deliver and benefit from CBT. Organized in this context implies that the host community has established groups, trust systems, and strengths and assets to build upon. Lack of organization and existing strengths can often present a delicate and challenging situation for the development of CBT.