The core goal of sustainable tourism is to contribute to sustainable development in the regions visited. This is not a goal that is realized instantaneously, but a process that should be monitored and assessed. To do that, it is very helpful to have a baseline study — an assessment at one point in time against which progress can be measured.
The aim of the original Tourism Voices project was not only to have communities take ownership of the messaging, but also to create such a baseline.
We are 25 years further since the original project, and recent visits to some of the regions that were covered in the early 2000s show that assessments are badly needed to review the (lack of) progress and the direction tourism development has taken.
What We're Doing
The current Tourism Voices project aims to train local storytellers to visit the groups that were interviewed then, and re-create their stories with them. In this way, we can assess what became of their hopes and dreams, concerns and fears, as expressed in the original stories.
The outcomes will not only be shared through stories on our platform, but will also form the basis for local consultations with stakeholders involved in tourism development in the region, to create plans and projects to improve the sustainability of tourism.
If you are interested in working with us on this project, please contact us.