INDIGENOUS TOURISM

Indigenous Tourism

Indigenous Tourism

Introduction

Indigenous tourism, at the international level, is developing since a progressing number of indigenous peoples are becoming an essential part of the industry of tourism and since more indigenous societies rely on employing tourism as a method of accomplishing a better future in terms of economy. Several authors have raised questions on the effectiveness and appropriateness of the policy of indigenous tourism. This paper would refer to some cases, and would present a critical comparison of the advantages, disadvantages, and issues associated to the top down and bottom up approaches to indigenous tourism development. Furthermore, some recommendations would also be presented on the way to overcome these problems for the order of maximizing the benefits for the indigenous communities.

Indigenous tourism

The notion of indigenous tourism has convoluted origins and it may be construed in a rather different way in different locations and cases. Indigenous tourism as defined by the World Tourism Organization, is an extensive notion taking in meeting up the aesthetic, social, and economic needs at the same time as retaining the life support systems, biological diversity, essential ecological procedures, and the cultural integrity. Indigenous tourism is defined to be entrenched in the paradigm of sustainable development. It has been suggested that the approach to the development of the indigenous community may be applicable to all scales of tourism development ranging from the great resorts to the restrict-sized, tourism facilities of special interest. Inskeep is of the belief that sustainability is dependent on the perfection of the formulation of planning with respect to the particular features of the society, economy and environment of an area, and also on the efficacy of the realization of the policies and the incessant administration of the tourism resources. Looking for the maintenance of a balance amid the utilization of sources needed for the development of tourism and the conservation of those resources at the destinations of tourism is at all times, really intricate when the objective is the sustainable and ethical development of the community.

Differently, the swaps amid the other groups of the stake holders and the tourism industry, like the people living in the communities of tourism destinations, are the concerns that require being discussed. This discussion necessitates some crucial queries to be responded, counting in something that is supposed to be the utmost precedence in the realization and execution of the policies. Options vary from the preservation of the resources of cultural and natural heritage to the fiscal development of the activities and facilities of tourism. Additionally, something of concern is that which groups of peoples must be engaged in the procedures of policy making. At times, these may seem to be knotty queries for the tourism planners and public policy makers who are striving to look for desired mutual interests of every part like the governmental agencies, developers, tour operators, local residents, and tourists. It has been suggested by Richards & Hall (2000, p. 6) that there must be one principle for balancing the benefits and costs in ...