CTO and Planeterra team up in the name of community tourism
Ann Ruppenstein
The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and global community tourism non-profit Planeterra have joined forces to scale up community tourism throughout the Caribbean. The goal of the partnership is to enhance the social, economic and environmental well-being of communities in the region by seeking funding to build the capacity of enterprises, while getting community tourism enterprises to utilize the training and mentorship offered by Planeterra’s Global Community Tourism Network.
Community tourism enterprises have the ability to change lives and keep tourism dollars in the hands of local people, but often lack the support and training needed to develop product offerings, capture the travel market and attract enough customers and visitors.
To help address this, Planeterra launched the Global Community Tourism Network, which seeks to change the face of travel by putting communities at the centre of tourism efforts, and to connect them to travel businesses that can help them to build back better after the pandemic, which is now being offered to social enterprises in the area.
This Network is made up of more than 270 community tourism enterprises in 70 countries, who are all gaining training, mentorship and connection through Planeterra’s online resources and team, as well as market access. Since the launch of the initiative, Planeterra has connected with governments, travel companies, and agents who want to be involved in helping to uplift communities through tourism.
Travel Courier caught up with Planeterra’s president Jamie Sweeting and global programs manager Rhea Simms to find out more about the partnership with CTO and what the future holds.
Tell us a little bit about the new partnership with CTO and why you are excited?
Jamie Sweeting: Our partnership with CTO is centered around supporting community tourism enterprises throughout the Caribbean. We believe that community tourism is the single best way to improve local people’s lives through tourism, so we’re extremely excited by the possibility of working with CTO member Governments to provide the enabling environment to see community tourism enterprises thrive in this incredible region of the World.
Rhea Simms: Through this partnership with CTO, Planeterra is able to share our knowledge and resources with CTO member countries in order to help them improve the success of communities working in tourism. It also gives us the ability to share the tools and resources developed by CTO with our Global Community Tourism Network – with more than 260 partners in 70 countries – to further spread their expertise.
What kind of impact can this have on local communities in the region?
Jamie Sweeting: Sadly, much of international tourism to-date has failed to uplift the communities where tourists visit. Community tourism offers the opportunity for travel companies to offer excellent experiences to their clients while at the same time injecting much needed revenue into community organizations and non-profit groups that help improve lives in local communities.
Rhea Simms: For example, Planeterra has been working with the San Antonio Women’s Cooperative in Belize for the last five years. Through our mentorship, support, and partnerships in the travel industry, the San Antonio Women’s Cooperative has grown to be a profitable enterprise. They have increased employment opportunities for women, and are investing a portion of their profits into girls’ education. Through our partnership with CTO we aim to scale this kind of impact across the region.
The Caribbean in particular is well known for its All-Inclusive resorts. How does this spread the benefits of tourism beyond those who typically benefit?
Jamie Sweeting: Whether it be all-inclusive resorts or cruise ships, a growing number of tourists are looking for more from their holidays than just to lie on the beach all week. As such, community tourism experiences offer fabulous opportunities for tourists to learn more about the local culture, history, nature, food etc. These can be community tourism experiences through day excursions or by all-inclusive resorts bringing community tourism enterprises onto their properties to provide experiences ranging from meal services to guided nature walks / snorkels to artisan markets.
Rhea Simms: It is Planeterra’s aim to break down barriers that community’s face to benefit from the tourism industry in their country, as well as help travel companies, including resorts, better work with and access communities.
Can you tell us more about the kind of work Planeterra will be doing and what kind of changes are you hoping to see?
Jamie Sweeting: Planeterra will be providing training, capacity building, guidance and mentorship to existing community tourism enterprises in the region as well as working with CTO member Governments to help support the development of new community tourism enterprises. We hope to see dozens of successful community tourism enterprises throughout the region in the coming years.
For more information on the Global Community Tourism Network, visit communitytourism.org.
