COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING

FOR
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY BASED
TOURISM
Introduction
Community based tourism development is facing various
challenges;
1. Lack of awareness
2. General knowledge of tourism,
3. Local leadership
4. Entrepreneurship skills
5. Organization structure as well as networking
Because of these challenges Community capacity building
become inevitable. Community capacity building (CCB), also
referred to as capacity development.
Community capacity refers to the levels of competence,
ability and skills necessary to set and achieve relevant
goals. Balint, 2006, p. 140.

Community capacity is the ability of individuals,

organizations and communities to manage their affairs and
to work collectively to foster and sustain positive change.
Hounslow, 2002, p. 20
Community capacity building is defined as “Programmes
or projects which… provide people with the skills,
knowledge and experience needed to help them contribute
to their changing community”.

Community capacity building is about supporting people

in communities to develop the skills and knowledge that they
need to enable them to work together to bring about the
positive change they want to see within their own
communities.
Note: the community capacity building should be undertaken
even before the project or community initiative starts
Knowledge building: the capacity to enhance skills, utilize
research and development and foster learning;
Leadership: the capacity to develop shared directions and
influence what happens ;
Network Building: the capacity to form partnerships and
alliances; Valuing community and the capacity of the
community to work together to achieve their own
objectives; and
Supporting information: the capacity to collect, access
and utilize quality information
Community capacity-building on an individual level requires
the development of conditions that allow individual
participants to build and enhance knowledge and skills.
It also calls for the establishment of conditions that will
allow individuals to engage in the "process of learning and
adapting to change
Institutional level/organizational level
Community capacity building on an institutional level should
involve aiding institutions in developing countries.
It should not involve creating new institutions, rather
modernizing existing institutions and supporting them in
forming sound policies, organizational structures, and
effective methods of management and revenue control
Societal level
Community capacity building at the societal level should
support the establishment of a more "interactive public
administration that learns equally from its actions and from
feedback.
It receives from the population at large." Community
capacity building must be used to develop public
administrators that are responsive and accountable
 Training Programmes With Local
Communities
Important topics to consider include:
• Product development issues;
• Handling visitors, customer care and hospitality skills;
• Marketing and communication;
• Environmental management;
• Working and negotiating with commercial operators;
• Management skills, legal issues and financial control;
• Guide training, including content and delivery; and
• Basic language training.
Outcomes of community capacity
building
Expanding, diverse, inclusive community participation
Expanding leadership base
Strengthening individual skills
Encouraging a shared understanding and vision
Strategic community agenda
Facilitating consistent, tangible progress toward goals
Creating effective community organizations and
institutions
Promoting resource utilization by the community
Capacity Building through
Partnership
Capacity building requires time, money and the required
skills and knowledge, things which local community do not
always have in abundance.
The importance of partnerships in this regard can add
considerably to the success of capacity building.
Government, national, local and international
Provision of infrastructure, institutions, etc. for capacity building.
For example, offering subsidies or tax breaks to companies who
engage in community or staff capacity building.
NGOs
Management support; supporting research; logistics and
administration
Facilitating communication and co‐operation between
stakeholders
Disseminating information and exchange of skills and knowledge
Funding or raising funds for capacity building programmes
offering education and/or skills training programmes
Private sector
Professionally qualified experts in fields such as finance, human
resources, tourism and conservation.
Private tourism operators can offer on‐site experiential learning,
Apprenticeships/internships and training for communities and
staff.
Universities/ Research organizations
Build capacity by training local people to conduct surveys or act
as translators.
Offering scholarships or practical training to community
members and staff.
Local communities
Can engage in capacity building in terms of educating tourism
operators regarding local cultural and community traditions.
Community capacity building in tourism development often
faced barriers
Lack of funding and commitment
Lack of political will to develop capacity in communities
Lack of leadership to unite, motivate and take action in
community