Hosts /Host commuties

Hello everyone,

Hosts/ host communities is the last stakeholder in tourism I would write about, however there are other stakeholders namely: the media, pressure groups and voluntary organizations.


For the purpose of this blog, hosts are those who live in the vicinity of a tourist attraction/destination and are directly or indirectly involved in tourism activities.unlike other export sector, product are taking to the consumer but tourism brings tourist to the product(attraction or destination). Therefore tourist, domestic or international will always have a host.And attitude of host communities  members vary from region to region and from one individual to another in the same region.

Well, as a people, Nigerians are know to be hospitable. Its funny even most countries doing better than Nigeria as regards tourism are not as hospitable as Nigeria.Now this is a plus we must capitalize on, reason is the values of hospitality and guardianship provide the foundation for an approach to the development of the industry.

The host community is a fundamental component if any tourism system, so they should be involved in tourism development .

Contributions
 If host/ host communities are empowered to initiate tourism development they contribute a lot but most importantly can help

• keep attractions, destinations sustainable.
• reduce sociocultural impacts like host-tourist relationship, preserve culture etc.
  
  Working with Host Communities
  Some simple and effective ways of working with host communities are:
• Buying locally produced goods and services.
• Employ local people.
• Provide tourists with information on the area's cultural and natural characteristics.
• Support, sponsor and volunteer in, local events, projects and local communities respectively.
  
  
  
  I really do would like to go on but have to be as brief as possible.I believe I have been able to point out that tourism industry should not just  involve but also  take into account the views and aspirations of  host communities.
  
  Next I would be elements of the tourism industry.I drop my pen for today.
  
  Have a lovely week ahead.
  Bye for now