A Framework of Best Practice for Community Based Tourism Initiatives
Authors:   ,   Institute of Technology Tralee, O'Sullivan Cornelius 
Published: June 2024

"This study commences with a detailed analysis of the tourism industry from a global perspective charting its inception through the time of the Persian, Assyrian, Greek, Egyptian & Roman empires to the present elimate, surpassed then by adherence to future predictions. The study then moves to examine the Irish tourism product by acknowledging the individuals who have pioneered & continue to survey its development. The study in response to its principle aim of creating a Framework of Best Practice for Community Based Tourism Initiatives identifies, discusses & evaluates in detail four core fundamental building blocks for such initiatives. These four critical areas are: • Issues of Sustainability & Ethical Considerations (Chapter 3) • Grass Root Involvement (Chapter 4) • Issues of Change (Chapter 5) • The Importance of Partnerships (Chapter 6) Having identified and tested the importance of these ‘critical success factors’ the researcher develops O ’ Sullivan’s Community Tourism Development Model, O’ Sullivan, C., 2005. In response to the notion of triangulation the author adopted a multi method approach in the gathering & analysis of the studies primary research. This research focused essentially on two Kerry towns, namely Tralee (moderately tourism dependent) & Kenmare (highly tourism dependent), Through the culmination of the research findings the author makes a number of key conclusions. With regard issues of sustainability & ethics, community developers in general are aware of the importance of such issues, while feeling that they are adhering sufficiently to such concerns when planning for developments. However residents living in these communities have serious concerns about these issues & the manner in which the development group may pursue tourism development in the name of community development. In relation to grass root involvement academic literature reiterates time & time again that community involvement on a mass scale is an idealists dream. However residents who are not offered the opportunity to partake in the development process will formulate negative opinions about the development group, regardless as to whether they actually become involved in the development process or not. The formulation of Partnerships for tourism development on a community wide scale has, without prejudice to the limitations of the community, multiple benefits. Partnerships facilitate the development of an action plan that is representative of community wide view & values. It may also be fair to conclude that the smaller the community the greater the need for partnership creation. This study also tests a number of widely held academic assumptions specifically relating to community based tourism development. Through analysis of the primary research findings on SPSS by use of multiple test techniques the author either accepted or rejected these assumptions. Rejecting The assumption that there is a mathematical link between the length of an individual’s residency in an area and their opposition to tourism development in their community. The assumption that there is a mathematical link between the distance a resident lives from the town centre and their feelings towards tourism development in their community. Accepting The assumption that there is a mathematical link between residents’ financially benefiting from the tourism industry and their stance on future tourism development. The assumption that there is a mathematical link between residents’ wanting to see tourism further developed in their community, and residents’ perceptions regarding their ability to make positive contributions to the industries development The assumption that there is a mathematical link between the degree of interaction that residents’ have with tourists, and their resulting views on tourism development. The assumption that there is a mathematical link between residents’ perceptions of tourism impacts on community growth rates, and their resulting views on tourism development in their area."