Introduction
In tourism development one of the main challenges is matching what a place has to offer with what visitors want and are willing to pay for. Many of the things that attract visitors to a place are not directly sold – the landscape, the agriculture and the everyday lives of local people. The challenge is to identify things which tourists and day visitors will pay money for and to organise the production and delivery of the goods and services in a way which provides earnings for local people. In the context of tourism and poverty reduction this is more challenging because the purpose of the intervention is to benefit the poor.

Tourism providers can help these producers access the tourism market in a number of ways which not only generates income for these producers but also enhance the visitors’ experiences.

The Opportunity
Visitors are often looking for local character and genuine, authentic experiences and by providing these services, be that through local arts, crafts or other services, such as baby-sitting or guiding, a tourism company can make a significant difference to the local poor community. Excursions and activities contribute more to the local economy where they build on existing livelihoods and cultural activities – the living culture. Benefits might include:

• A more distinctive offer
• Revenues/profits from commissions
• Word of mouth marketing and referrals
• Extended length of stay
• Repeat business

Who Can Help & How?

Hotels & Resorts

Guest Houses, Small Hotels & B&Bs

Restaurants, Cafes & Bars

Retail: Markets & Shops

Cultural Heritage Sites

Protected Areas

Other Visitor Attractions

Local Guides

Local Operators & Ground Handlers

Words of Caution

• Avoid raising the expectations of the poor. Be sure about the market at a given price and quality and then begin the process of creating appropriate supply, clear in the knowledge about what the market will purchase.
• Think carefully about whether or not there is adequate local demand from visitors to create a viable market.
• If goods and services are developed for which there is no local demand the initiative will fail, if the supply exceeds demand then prices will fall. The initiative will fail to make the anticipated contribution to local incomes and if the community has borrowed money in anticipation of selling to tourists then financial ruin is a real risk.