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The concept of community-based tourism, in which businesses are owned and operated by local communities with revenue, in turn, targeting rural development, dates back to the 1970s. Pre-pandemic, a greater number of community enterprises were entering the tourism value chain as travelers increasingly sought culturally immersive experiences with travel dollars going directly to local communities.
But this model wasn’t as widespread nor as prioritized by mainstream tour companies. Communities lacked access to training and resources to set up their own businesses to compete, while governments and for-profit travel companies focused on selling established mainstream tours over the more complicated task of doing commerce with local communities.
Planeterra’s new ‘PACT’ prioritizes community tourism development in Panama
Date: Jan 18 2021
TORONTO Planeterra, the non-profit offshoot of G Adventures and the global leader in community tourism enterprise development, has teamed up with the Panama Government, in partnership with the Panamanian Foundation for Sustainable Tourism (APTSO), Fundación Natura, for a joint venture, ‘PACT’, to work with communities across Panama to build community tourism experiences that improve the well-being of residents, visitors, and the environment.
The partnership aims to reposition Panama as a destination focused on cultural immersion experiences for travellers that leave a positive footprint on the country in terms of supporting local people and businesses, and ensures traveller dollars stay in-destination, says Jamie Sweeting, President of Planeterra.
The Panama Government, in partnership with the Panamanian Foundation for Sustainable Tourism (APTSO), Fundación Natura, and non-profit Planeterra, the global leader in community tourism enterprise development, recently announced a joint venture to work with communities across Panama to build community tourism experiences that improve resident, visitor, and environmental well-being and celebrate the country as a destination filled with natural beauty and must-have cultural experiences.
“The launching of the Panama Alliance for Community Tourism (PACT) is a major break-through in the implementation of Panama’s Sustainable Tourism Master Plan”, explained Ivan Eskildsen, the Panamanian Minister of Tourism. “In our Master Plan, we have prioritized the development of tourism experiences focused on the ‘discerning traveler’, a global trend that is demanding more and more authentic experiences that benefit local communities, and their surrounding environment. We are excited t