Distributive Justice Issues in Community-Based Tourism

Conventional tourism and its attendant challenges for nature and communities have necessitated the need for tourism to be more sustainable, equitable, and responsible, hence the introduction of community-based tourism (CBT). CBT was developed as a model and a viable instrument for poverty reduction, offering opportunities for conservation and rural economic development. However, despite the potential of CBT to generate welfare for communities, many initiatives have failed to deliver on their promises. Since tourism and justice issues cannot be separated from each other, concerns over the discussion of justice related issues have emerged as a community concept which requires critical investigation. This chapter presents a theoretical exploration of how justice is conceptualized, with an emphasis on distributive justice in the context of CBT, and how it is shaping the production of CBT. It also explores some critical approaches to tourism studies and practice and how justice for local communities is conceptualized in CBT contexts.