Sixth International Conference on Tourism & Leisure Studies

Abstract

Community-based tourism has been widely advocated by academics and professionals as a potential contributor to the conservation and development of a destination. However, others have questioned whether sustainability goals can be achieved through this form of tourism. Of the various factors reported in the literature that hinder the success of sustainable tourism, the lack of effective collaboration among stakeholders is prominent. This study builds on stakeholder theories and collaboration to investigate the contributions of stakeholder collaborations to community tourism. The research adopted an exploratory design and carried out in-depth interviews with stakeholders and web analysis of community tourism companies in destinations such as Mexico and Spain. The results revealed the beginning of the positioning towards responsible and proximity tourism among the stakeholders of community tourism. Consequently, community tourism in Mexico and Spain accelerates the replication of this type of tourism, in tour operators and larger companies, which affects the development of fair trade and the use of natural resources, neglecting communities and benefiting others interested in tourism. Therefore, in remote and resource-poor destinations, the lack of community empowerment and participation jeopardizes the long-term survival of ecosystems and the communities themselves.