An Overview: Tourism Non-governmental Organizations and Poverty Reduction in Developing Countries

Abstract

This article illustrates how select non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are using tourism as a development tool for poverty reduction. These tourism-oriented NGOs are becoming increasingly relevant as an alternative and legitimate source of development aid to many developing countries, since the turn of the 21st century. Many NGOs based in the developed world, in their quest to meet the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals, are partnering with developing world NGOs and communities to help create locally initiated solutions to poverty. These partnerships ensure community involvement and more direct benefits to communities, while creating sustainable solutions that preserve their culture and environment. Although there are several distinct types of tourism NGO providing both financial and non-financial benefits to poor and indigenous communities, this article focuses on three−educational and advocacy organizations, “voluntourism” organizations and tour company foundations−that have made substantial contributions to poverty reduction through sustainable tourism. Is this an effective means of providing communities with socially and environmentally responsible tourism in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Central and South America? This article suggests that it is; however, the lack of uniform standards for measuring the success of these organizations complicates efforts to ascertain the exact levels of poverty reduction.