Ecotourism operators have not
reached the required standards of ecotourism, so instructions as to how to carry out
As a result, one response to the rising criticism of ecotourism is the concept of
“community-based ecotourism (CBET),” which originated with Woodley in 1983.
Tourism managed by the community is called “community-based tourism” (CBT). If that
CBT is managed by applying ecotourism concepts then it is called “community-based
ecotourism” (CBET). Ecotourism is a form of sustainable tourism and it is communitybased
because local communities maintain full or major control over the management of
tourism. CBET implies that a community is taking care of its natural resources in order to
gain income through operating a tourism enterprise and using that income to better the
lives of its members (Sproule, 1998: 244-245). So, CBET can be a way of ensuring local
livelihoods and the sustainable use of natural resources