Community-based tourism, also known as CBT, is a kind of tourism operated and managed by the local community for the sake of the well-being of the particular community through providing a mechanism for sustainable livelihoods. It means preserving socio-culture such as traditions and enhancing the socio-economic situations of a particular community. CBT concentrates on economically vulnerable villages and developing countries because CBT is an alternative for economic development as well as conservation and protection of natural resources of those villages. The term CBT was not very scarce until 2012, where the country was free from the political isolation. The country became politically more open, and the nation's doors were open for traveling. Vast foreign investments along with vast tourists, were ready to explore the unknown country. There is a wide range of activities to do, depending on the location of the villages. Some villages offer water activities, and some may not. In the process of implementing CBT villages, non-profit organizations like ActionAid Myanmar also takes part in the process. The ultimate goal of CBT is to generate profits by offering tourists local lifestyles, accommodation, local activities, and culture. Despite its advantages, there are also setbacks while running CBT villages, such as not having adequate both human resources and technical resources.
History
Myanmar started its political transformation in 2012, after decades of political isolation. Life before 2012 was commute, and there were no connections with the outside world. Doors to other countries were not available much. The majority of people were poor, and the livelihood of the people was substandard. The transition from military dictatorships to a more democratic country led to the implementation of CBT. As a result, tourists became more interested in exploring these pristine and unspoiled sites. Moreover, CBT was included in the 100 Days Plan, the government's reformed agenda. The 100 days was set by the National League of Democracy, accompanied by an optimist view that aimed to work towards the priorities and convenience of the public, such as the development of transport infrastructure, telecommunication, and so on. The tourism Industry became flourished as one of the economic sectors for the sake of generating foreign revenues, protecting local traditions culture, environment, expansion of employment after the country was emancipated from the military regime in 2010.
General structure
Even though CBT solely focuses on the community of the host villages, some of the decisions depend on the government's approval or the head of the villages. Most of the villages have heads of the village who would be the medium between the villagers, the professionals, organizations, and the government. Communities must be consulted and involved in the decision-making process on tourism planning and management, which directly affect their livelihoods. However, final decisions shall be made in coordination with the public sector and with the approval of the public administration. Some of the villages are ruled by abbots or monks under the teachings of the monk and the Buddha. CBT prefers the bottom-up decision approach rather than top-bottom decisions where the majority of the votes are determined by the villagers.
Services
CBT villages offer a wide variety of activities and services depending on the location of the villages. Some of the common activities are listed down below.
Bird watching
Visiting religious sites
Fishing
Handicrafts
Trekking
Participating in local festivals
Services like bird-watching are common around Ayeyarwaddy Delta and central Myanmar. Since Myanmar is a Buddhist country, apart from villages in upper Myanmar, most of the CBT villages have religious sites to visit such as monasteries, temples, and pagodas where tourists can learn local culture, buy souvenirs, and participate in local festivals. Some of the activities are not common, and only a specific CBT village can offer that service such as AyeYarWaddy Dolphine Sanctuary. Some of the villages are located near the lakes and streams so tourists can also enjoy swimming in them and the villages provide transportations for them. Typically, some youths can speak decent English to communicate back to the tourists because the majority of the villagers are not fluent in English.