Papers by Peter E Richards
Community-Based Tourism Facilitation Manual, 2021
This handbook shares lessons learned over 20 years of work to develop community based tourism (CB... more This handbook shares lessons learned over 20 years of work to develop community based tourism (CBT) for international tourism supply chains.
The handbook summarises and demonstrates a tried and tested, systematic CBT development and marketing process based on '5C's:
Step 1) CONSIDER: focuses on how to select a CBT destination, build trust, and assess potentials;
Step 2) CONCEIVE: focuses on how to shortlist and design marketable CBT experiences and programmes;
Step 3) CRAFT: focuses on how to build local capacity to welcome tourists and offer tourism services;
Step 4) CONNECT: focuses on how to build trusting marketing partnerships and business linkages;
Step 5) CONSERVE: focuses on how to sustain and build on this work, for example after a donor funded project finishes.
It is designed in Training of Trainers (TOT) format, with a focus on both content and training process design, carefully tailored to local contexts.
The manual realises the ambition to compile knowledge and best practices acquired from tourism development projects implemented in Asia and Africa into a community-based tourism (CBT) methodology that can serve as resource for tourism product development in an academic setting and by practitioners.
The Community Based Tourism Manual is jointly developed by the International Trade Centre’s Youth Empowerment Project in The Gambia, funded by the European Union, and the NTF III and NTF IV Inclusive Tourism Projects, funded by the Government of The Netherlands, in partnership with:
Thailand Community Based Tourism Institute
European Center for Eco and Agro Tourism ( ECEAT )
The Gambia Tourism Board
The Institute of Travel and Tourism of The Gambia
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Fresh From the Field: Practical experiences developing and marketing community based cultural tourism in Kayah, Myanmar through tourism supply chains., 2018
The Fresh From The Field Manual presents our team's first-hand experiences, tools and lessons lea... more The Fresh From The Field Manual presents our team's first-hand experiences, tools and lessons learned between 2014 and 2017, implementing the NTF III Myanmar: Inclusive Tourism Project focusing on Kayah State.
Overall, the NTF III aimed to contribute to poverty alleviation and to enhance the trade competitiveness of the tourism sector in Kayah State, Myanmar. The project built the capacity of actors along Myanmar-Europe tourism supply chains: to offer higher quality products and services to international tourists seeking authentic, local, cultural experiences.
One focus of the NTF III project was to develop and market cultural tourism experiences in Pan Pet (ethnic Kayan), Hta Nee La Leh and Daw Ta Ma Gyi (ethnic Kayah) and Htay Khu (ethnic Kayaw) communities. ITC’s team of national and international experts built on two decades of consistent work by organisations including CBI, ECEAT, ITC, CBT-I Thailand and other regional initiatives.
The project highlight is that strategic actions were taken at each step along EU tourism supply chains: through local communities and SMEs, ground handlers, Destination Management Companies (DMCs), tourism associations and international tour operators to develop and market CBT.
Results of this work so far include 20 new cultural tours; over 30 new business partnerships between Kayah ground handlers and Yangon destination management companies (DMCs); and direct employment and income for over 100 actively participating community members, offering cultural tourism services. The project team built capacity and confidence in skills such as tour operation, tour guiding, book-keeping, communication and food hygiene.
By the end of the project, Kayah state had achieved an 140% increase in visitors and an increased visitor spend of almost 400%. Between 2016 and 2017, domestic arrivals to Kayah increased from 16,994 to 33,492. International arrivals increased from 6374 to 8975. In 2017, 1,009 international tourists used CBT services in Hta Nee La Leh Kayah community, earning 6,330,300 ks, which is apr. $5000 USD. 1,343 international tourists used CBT services in Pan Pet, Kayan community, earning 7,589,000 Ks, which is apr. $6500 USD. Both communities successfully collected 10% of income in community funds, which have been saved in the bank.
Currently, partnerships between these local communities and tour operators in Loikaw and Yangon are running effectively, with CBT products being promoted for the 2018/2019 season.
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This research aimed to “identify and critically understand key barriers and opportunities for UK ... more This research aimed to “identify and critically understand key barriers and opportunities for UK tour operators and their ground handlers to source and sell more sustainable tourism products.” The author conducted a literature review in the fields of: i) organisational culture; ii) (sustainable) supply chain management; iii) supply chain collaboration and iv) B2B sustainable tourism marketing. The author synthesized lessons learned into three action-levels: i) inside your company; ii) between companies and iii) to the market. This frame was used to develop a semi-structured interview tool; and interview 13 staff working in 10 UK tour operators (UK TO), and 15 staff in 10 Ground Agents (GA) in UK destinations. The research identified five key staff roles in UK tourism supply chains (TSC) with decision making authority to source or sell sustainable tourism, and their key decision making criteria. The research also identified obstacles and opportunities to sourcing and selling sustainable tourism products: inside tour operators and between B2B partners. The academic contribution was to elucidate a knowledge gap on the state of Supply Chain Collaboration in UK tourism supply chains.
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This handbook shares step-by-step recommendations for working with local communities which have d... more This handbook shares step-by-step recommendations for working with local communities which have developed their own community based tourism (CBT) programs. The handbook will assist tour operators and other partners to work as a team with local community members, to offer fun, safe, inspiring, responsible experiences to the many different types of tourists who are searching for an authentic insight into local life.
The first section, ‘Recommendations for Tour Operators,’ presents simple, concrete actions which tour operators can take during the cycle of:
i) Surveying and fine-tuning CBT products to meet your needs;
ii) Training key tour operator staff (tour guides and sales staff);
iii) Marketing CBT effectively, responsibly and with added value;
iv) Back-stopping CBT operations with effective teamwork;
v) Monitoring and improving CBT for guests and community members.
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 standard is a useful resource for creating shared understanding, when working with communities. Criteria are related to service, safety and sustainability. Tour operators and communities can use the standard to identify strengths and weaknesses in CBT sites, and agree together on priorities for improvement.
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.
The Thailand Community Based Tourism Institute (CBT-I) team hope that this is a useful resource. More info: www.cbt-i.org
Note: The handbook was written for Thai tour operators, working with Thailand CBT Network Coordination Center. However, much of the content will be useful for other stakeholders and other countries which have an emerging CBT sector.
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Teaching Documents by Peter E Richards
MAKE IT COUNT is a guide for outbound tour operators and ground agents on how to scale up the sal... more MAKE IT COUNT is a guide for outbound tour operators and ground agents on how to scale up the sales of sustainable tourism products.
In simple language, the guide presents a collection of proven, recommended actions showing what leading tour operators and their ground agents are doing to sell more sustainable customer experiences. Case studies come from 11 UK tour operators and 13 ground agents from destinations as diverse as Brazil, Cyprus, Costa Rica, India, South Africa, Thailand and Nepal. Contributors include some of the world’s largest tour operators; established leaders in small group travel; and smaller, highly expert, niche operators.
Make It Count was funded by The Travel Foundation.
Thanks to Prof. Xavier Font for your help reviewing drafts of this work.
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Papers by Peter E Richards
The handbook summarises and demonstrates a tried and tested, systematic CBT development and marketing process based on '5C's:
Step 1) CONSIDER: focuses on how to select a CBT destination, build trust, and assess potentials;
Step 2) CONCEIVE: focuses on how to shortlist and design marketable CBT experiences and programmes;
Step 3) CRAFT: focuses on how to build local capacity to welcome tourists and offer tourism services;
Step 4) CONNECT: focuses on how to build trusting marketing partnerships and business linkages;
Step 5) CONSERVE: focuses on how to sustain and build on this work, for example after a donor funded project finishes.
It is designed in Training of Trainers (TOT) format, with a focus on both content and training process design, carefully tailored to local contexts.
The manual realises the ambition to compile knowledge and best practices acquired from tourism development projects implemented in Asia and Africa into a community-based tourism (CBT) methodology that can serve as resource for tourism product development in an academic setting and by practitioners.
The Community Based Tourism Manual is jointly developed by the International Trade Centre’s Youth Empowerment Project in The Gambia, funded by the European Union, and the NTF III and NTF IV Inclusive Tourism Projects, funded by the Government of The Netherlands, in partnership with:
Thailand Community Based Tourism Institute
European Center for Eco and Agro Tourism ( ECEAT )
The Gambia Tourism Board
The Institute of Travel and Tourism of The Gambia
Overall, the NTF III aimed to contribute to poverty alleviation and to enhance the trade competitiveness of the tourism sector in Kayah State, Myanmar. The project built the capacity of actors along Myanmar-Europe tourism supply chains: to offer higher quality products and services to international tourists seeking authentic, local, cultural experiences.
One focus of the NTF III project was to develop and market cultural tourism experiences in Pan Pet (ethnic Kayan), Hta Nee La Leh and Daw Ta Ma Gyi (ethnic Kayah) and Htay Khu (ethnic Kayaw) communities. ITC’s team of national and international experts built on two decades of consistent work by organisations including CBI, ECEAT, ITC, CBT-I Thailand and other regional initiatives.
The project highlight is that strategic actions were taken at each step along EU tourism supply chains: through local communities and SMEs, ground handlers, Destination Management Companies (DMCs), tourism associations and international tour operators to develop and market CBT.
Results of this work so far include 20 new cultural tours; over 30 new business partnerships between Kayah ground handlers and Yangon destination management companies (DMCs); and direct employment and income for over 100 actively participating community members, offering cultural tourism services. The project team built capacity and confidence in skills such as tour operation, tour guiding, book-keeping, communication and food hygiene.
By the end of the project, Kayah state had achieved an 140% increase in visitors and an increased visitor spend of almost 400%. Between 2016 and 2017, domestic arrivals to Kayah increased from 16,994 to 33,492. International arrivals increased from 6374 to 8975. In 2017, 1,009 international tourists used CBT services in Hta Nee La Leh Kayah community, earning 6,330,300 ks, which is apr. $5000 USD. 1,343 international tourists used CBT services in Pan Pet, Kayan community, earning 7,589,000 Ks, which is apr. $6500 USD. Both communities successfully collected 10% of income in community funds, which have been saved in the bank.
Currently, partnerships between these local communities and tour operators in Loikaw and Yangon are running effectively, with CBT products being promoted for the 2018/2019 season.
The first section, ‘Recommendations for Tour Operators,’ presents simple, concrete actions which tour operators can take during the cycle of:
i) Surveying and fine-tuning CBT products to meet your needs;
ii) Training key tour operator staff (tour guides and sales staff);
iii) Marketing CBT effectively, responsibly and with added value;
iv) Back-stopping CBT operations with effective teamwork;
v) Monitoring and improving CBT for guests and community members.
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 standard is a useful resource for creating shared understanding, when working with communities. Criteria are related to service, safety and sustainability. Tour operators and communities can use the standard to identify strengths and weaknesses in CBT sites, and agree together on priorities for improvement.
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.
The Thailand Community Based Tourism Institute (CBT-I) team hope that this is a useful resource. More info: www.cbt-i.org
Note: The handbook was written for Thai tour operators, working with Thailand CBT Network Coordination Center. However, much of the content will be useful for other stakeholders and other countries which have an emerging CBT sector.
Teaching Documents by Peter E Richards
In simple language, the guide presents a collection of proven, recommended actions showing what leading tour operators and their ground agents are doing to sell more sustainable customer experiences. Case studies come from 11 UK tour operators and 13 ground agents from destinations as diverse as Brazil, Cyprus, Costa Rica, India, South Africa, Thailand and Nepal. Contributors include some of the world’s largest tour operators; established leaders in small group travel; and smaller, highly expert, niche operators.
Make It Count was funded by The Travel Foundation.
Thanks to Prof. Xavier Font for your help reviewing drafts of this work.
The handbook summarises and demonstrates a tried and tested, systematic CBT development and marketing process based on '5C's:
Step 1) CONSIDER: focuses on how to select a CBT destination, build trust, and assess potentials;
Step 2) CONCEIVE: focuses on how to shortlist and design marketable CBT experiences and programmes;
Step 3) CRAFT: focuses on how to build local capacity to welcome tourists and offer tourism services;
Step 4) CONNECT: focuses on how to build trusting marketing partnerships and business linkages;
Step 5) CONSERVE: focuses on how to sustain and build on this work, for example after a donor funded project finishes.
It is designed in Training of Trainers (TOT) format, with a focus on both content and training process design, carefully tailored to local contexts.
The manual realises the ambition to compile knowledge and best practices acquired from tourism development projects implemented in Asia and Africa into a community-based tourism (CBT) methodology that can serve as resource for tourism product development in an academic setting and by practitioners.
The Community Based Tourism Manual is jointly developed by the International Trade Centre’s Youth Empowerment Project in The Gambia, funded by the European Union, and the NTF III and NTF IV Inclusive Tourism Projects, funded by the Government of The Netherlands, in partnership with:
Thailand Community Based Tourism Institute
European Center for Eco and Agro Tourism ( ECEAT )
The Gambia Tourism Board
The Institute of Travel and Tourism of The Gambia
Overall, the NTF III aimed to contribute to poverty alleviation and to enhance the trade competitiveness of the tourism sector in Kayah State, Myanmar. The project built the capacity of actors along Myanmar-Europe tourism supply chains: to offer higher quality products and services to international tourists seeking authentic, local, cultural experiences.
One focus of the NTF III project was to develop and market cultural tourism experiences in Pan Pet (ethnic Kayan), Hta Nee La Leh and Daw Ta Ma Gyi (ethnic Kayah) and Htay Khu (ethnic Kayaw) communities. ITC’s team of national and international experts built on two decades of consistent work by organisations including CBI, ECEAT, ITC, CBT-I Thailand and other regional initiatives.
The project highlight is that strategic actions were taken at each step along EU tourism supply chains: through local communities and SMEs, ground handlers, Destination Management Companies (DMCs), tourism associations and international tour operators to develop and market CBT.
Results of this work so far include 20 new cultural tours; over 30 new business partnerships between Kayah ground handlers and Yangon destination management companies (DMCs); and direct employment and income for over 100 actively participating community members, offering cultural tourism services. The project team built capacity and confidence in skills such as tour operation, tour guiding, book-keeping, communication and food hygiene.
By the end of the project, Kayah state had achieved an 140% increase in visitors and an increased visitor spend of almost 400%. Between 2016 and 2017, domestic arrivals to Kayah increased from 16,994 to 33,492. International arrivals increased from 6374 to 8975. In 2017, 1,009 international tourists used CBT services in Hta Nee La Leh Kayah community, earning 6,330,300 ks, which is apr. $5000 USD. 1,343 international tourists used CBT services in Pan Pet, Kayan community, earning 7,589,000 Ks, which is apr. $6500 USD. Both communities successfully collected 10% of income in community funds, which have been saved in the bank.
Currently, partnerships between these local communities and tour operators in Loikaw and Yangon are running effectively, with CBT products being promoted for the 2018/2019 season.
The first section, ‘Recommendations for Tour Operators,’ presents simple, concrete actions which tour operators can take during the cycle of:
i) Surveying and fine-tuning CBT products to meet your needs;
ii) Training key tour operator staff (tour guides and sales staff);
iii) Marketing CBT effectively, responsibly and with added value;
iv) Back-stopping CBT operations with effective teamwork;
v) Monitoring and improving CBT for guests and community members.
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 standard is a useful resource for creating shared understanding, when working with communities. Criteria are related to service, safety and sustainability. Tour operators and communities can use the standard to identify strengths and weaknesses in CBT sites, and agree together on priorities for improvement.
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.
The Thailand Community Based Tourism Institute (CBT-I) team hope that this is a useful resource. More info: www.cbt-i.org
Note: The handbook was written for Thai tour operators, working with Thailand CBT Network Coordination Center. However, much of the content will be useful for other stakeholders and other countries which have an emerging CBT sector.
In simple language, the guide presents a collection of proven, recommended actions showing what leading tour operators and their ground agents are doing to sell more sustainable customer experiences. Case studies come from 11 UK tour operators and 13 ground agents from destinations as diverse as Brazil, Cyprus, Costa Rica, India, South Africa, Thailand and Nepal. Contributors include some of the world’s largest tour operators; established leaders in small group travel; and smaller, highly expert, niche operators.
Make It Count was funded by The Travel Foundation.
Thanks to Prof. Xavier Font for your help reviewing drafts of this work.