Enhancing positive impacts at tourist destinations through local participation in community-based tourism: New directions for sustainable tourism

Abstract

This article presents the interplay of community-based tourism (CBT), local supply and carrying capacity by focusing on how to decrease leakages related to goods and services in tourism (such a food and drink, construction material for accommodation establishments and tourism services). It is a conceptual paper whose aim is to present a new direction in tourism carrying capacity to enhance local impacts. It advances a different approach to carrying capacity linked to the concept of CBT, where a company’s Corporate Social Responsibility also contributes to the local economy in pursuit of tourism linkages. A new approach to carrying capacity is suggested steeped in local resources, both human and natural, supply capacity and the concept of CBT. The article argues that communities must define their own development trajectories based on their capabilities, capacities and context.