This October, I walked through the Olive Groves outside Monopoli, Puglia, under a low sky bathed in apricot. I drove a large rental car (the company’s booking mistake) down a narrow country road with white stone walls on both sides, worried I ran into another car and had nowhere to go. Anyway, I drove on, led by the pain in my stomach and the promise of home-cooked food from the old farm that has been in Mauro’s family for generations.
I booked the experience through eat and eat, a platform that connects travelers with places to eat around the world. Mauro’s mother was in the kitchen making Orecchiette in the kitchen, a typical puglia ear-picked pasta, while his father poured glasses of their homemade red wine with a smile.
The plan was to stay for two hours. We ended up chatting for a long time after dessert, learning about their olive harvest and family history in the region. At the end of the night, there were breasts all around, the good that felt like parting with new friends rather than the bad.
That is the magic of community-based tourism. Travel that replaces itineraries with human interaction. It sells CheckLists for Conversation, allowing local people to become news sellers, and remember that the best way to get to know a place is to be invited into someone’s home.
As more travelers seek more, faster, and more sustainable experiences, community-based tourism has emerged as one of the most meaningful ways to explore the world. Whether it’s cooking dinner on a farm, learning to weave in Ntangeni village, or joining a fisherman at dawn, these experiences break the gap between visitor and resident.
Here are 10 ways to give back to a real estate company and go as far as giving back.
Meagan Drillingler takes in the view from a balcony above the winding streets of Polignano a Mare.
(Meagan Drillingler)
1. Eat Globally
If you like the idea of being invited to the dinner table, it is the largest social dining platform in the world. It connects travelers with local managers who open their own restaurants, cooking classes, and food tours in more than 100 countries. You might find yourself sharing tapas in Barcelona, learning to make sushi in Tokyo, or, like me, enjoying a pugliese home-style feast in an Olive-Studded Villa.
2. NELOCALS – Local
With a dynamic experience, allow travelers independent stars and direct experiences with residents. You can explore the hidden corners of Lisbon with a born-and-raised guide, Tour street art in Bangkok, or sip Espresso at the Milanese Cafe while exchanging local gossip.
3. Travel spoon – Asia, Latin America, and beyond
Think of it as a beadlith cousin, but with more twisted hands. Visitors cook alongside the stalls, markets that go to show the ingredients before cooking together. It is located in more than 65 countries, with branches from Osaka in Osaka.
4. ViaVII – Middle East and North Africa
Born in Jordan, it is an emerging platform that connects travelers to authentic experiences run by local entrepreneurs, often women and youth in rural areas. You can visit a Bedouin family in Wadi Rum, learn traditional art in Petra, or take a storytelling tour of Amman’s old stories.
5. Grassroots Journey – India
In Western India, he brings visitors to small villages in Maharashtra and Gujarat to get an immersion into everyday rural life. Guests stay in homestays, learn farming techniques, and join in an evening of folk music under the stars.
6. Chalalán Ecoledge – Bolivia
Hidden deep in the Madidi National Park of Bolivia, it is owned and managed by the indigenous community of San José de Uchupiamonas. Only accessible by boat, the ecology offers forest tours, Wildlife Spotting spots, and cultural storytelling by local guides.
7. Toursbylocals – Global
For travelers who still want the comfort of a guided tour, pair you with independent local guides in 175 countries. Whether you’re exploring the architecture of Havana or the backstreets of Hanoi, your guide’s stories lead the way.
Brightly colored boats sail through the crystal clear waters of Kho Phi Phi, one of Thailand’s most beautiful islands.
(Meagan Drillingler)
8. Andaman Find – Thailand
This community-based travel organization emerged after the 2004 tsunami, helping Thai villages rebuild through tourism. Today, he offers homestays, cultural exchanges, and eco tours on the coast of Thailand.
9. BabGong Community – Phuket, Thailand
Located on Phuket’s quiet east side, it offers mangrove kayaking experiences, batik workshops, and cooking classes using ingredients grown on site. All activities are run by local people, and profits fund conservation and cultural programs.
10. CCACCACCOLO SWIMMING RESORT – PERU
In the high places of the sacred valley, it welcomes visitors to learn ancient fighting techniques from the Quechua Artisans. Visitors can participate in weaving, dyeing, and weaving while supporting women’s livelihoods.
How to choose the right social experience
Not all “local” tours are created equal. To make sure your investment benefits the community and not just the convention, ask a few important questions before booking:
-
Who owns the business? Seek local ownership or partnership.
-
Where does the money go? Popular programs are obvious in how they stimulate society.
-
How many guests per group? Less is always better real communication.
-
Is it true or made up? Real CBT is not a tourist class culture; We respectfully invite you to participate.
It is also good to look for (GSTC) authorized users, or to book through recognized platforms such as, which of our local partners for sustainability.
Meagan Drillinger lights candles at a temple in Cambodia,
(Meagan Drillingler)
How to be a good guest
Community-based tourism works best when travelers meet local people through, with curiosity, humility, and respect.
-
He was there. Put down your phone. Look, listen, and learn.
-
Ask before taking pictures of people. Always.
-
Go at local speed. Not everything runs on Western time, and that’s the point.
-
Bring a small gift. Something thoughtful at home (like coffee beans or chocolate) goes a long way.
-
Support the local economy. Buy art or food directly from the hosts and not from nearby vendors.
Beyond the Earth Payoff, CBT can have a measurable impact. According to community-based tourism, it can reduce rural poverty, preserve cultural heritage, and promote gender equality when done responsibly. At a time when travel is often unheard of, these models put the focus back where it belongs.
And from a traveler’s perspective, it’s very rewarding. I left the five-star hotels without remembering the decoration, but I can still see Mauro’s father leaning on that wooden table in Puglia, insisting that I take one glass of “street” wine.
Traveling doesn’t have to mean cheating on landmarks. It can mean stepping into one’s world, even in the evening, and realizing that perhaps the world feels a little smaller, and more connected, when you do.
