Community Development

Community development is the planned evolution of all aspects of community well-being (economic, social, environmental and cultural). It is a process whereby community members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems. The scope of community development can vary from small initiatives within a small group, to large initiatives that involve the whole community.

Youth tourism and sustainability: a framework for community development

Youth tourism, according to the UNWTO, is the fastest-growing segment of the tourism industry. Implementation of youth hostels and student residences has been succesfully used by local communities for community development in many parts of the world. Hostels in Niagara Falls, Brussels, and Mexico City have demonstrated that young travellers are helping revitalize neighbourhoods through their enthusiasm for local buying which supports and attracts small businesses in the community.

EBI’s approach to community development is based on the 27 criteria of ETIS (the European Tourism Indicator System ) which are divided into the following four categories:

1. Destination Management
2. Social and Cultural Impact
3. Economic Value
4. Environmental Impact

How EBI can help your Community

EBI takes a 360-degree perspective while working with the community. We work in conjunction with local leaders and stakeholders to understand needs and identify development opportunities. We then analyse these before we make concrete recommendations in terms of strategic planning including infrastructure planning for the benefit of the community.

Expertise and experience brought in by the EBI Team

Joel Marier , CAE, Adm. A. and the team at EBI bring extensive experience of working with local authorities and community stakeholders for community development. Their experience, whether it has been with local government or UNESCO, has been honed in all parts of Canada and around the world, where they have specialized in youth tourism and social economy projects. The team has the additional advantage of being able to consult stakeholders in English, French and Spanish to ensure that the wishes of the community, wherever it is located, is transformed into tangible plans and actions.