community Empowerment

Engaging stakeholders in decision-making will foster a sense of ownership.

3.1.1 Community Workshops and Forums: Organize regular workshops, committees and forums where local residents can voice their opinions, share ideas, and actively participate in decision-making processes related to tourism development. Encourage open discussions to address concerns and gather innovative ideas. 

3.1.2 Advisory and Initiative Committees: Establish advisory committees comprising community representatives, business owners, and other stakeholders. These committees can serve as a direct channel for community input and involvement in decision-making. They can be created for different initiatives or topics, such as a winter sports committee, environmental committee or events committee, where people who are passionate about particular issues can volunteer and work towards a common goal. 

3.1.3 Community Needs Assessment: Conduct a comprehensive needs assessment to understand the specific requirements and concerns of the community. Identify areas where tourism can contribute positively to local development and address community needs.

3.1.4 Feedback Mechanism: Establish a digital or physical suggestion box or feedback form for residents to share their thoughts.

3.1.5 Transparent Information Sharing: Provide transparent and accessible information about tourism development plans, projects, and decisions to ensure that all community members are well-informed and engaged in the process. Create interactive mapping and visualizations to showcase tourism plans and their implications in visual forms to help community members better understand proposed changes and provide feedback.

3.2 Benefits 

Actions will focus on ensuring equitable distribution of tourism benefits among the community members, managing the impacts of visitors on local communities. 

3.2.1 Community-Based Tourism Enterprises: Facilitate the creation of community-based tourism enterprises, ensuring that local residents benefit directly. Implement revenue-sharing programs that allocate a portion of tourism revenue to community development projects, infrastructure improvements, and social programs that directly benefit local residents.

3.2.2 Community Benefit Agreements: Develop community benefit agreements that outline the specific benefits and contributions that tourism initiatives will provide to the local community, ensuring that residents receive a fair share of the economic benefits generated by tourism.

3.2.3 Citizen Recognition Programs: Recognize and reward community members who actively contribute to tourism development efforts, incentivizing continued engagement and participation in decision-making processes. Introduce recognition programs that reward community members for sustainable practices or outstanding contributions to tourism development, like a “Discover Oni Stakeholder of the Year” designation. 

3.2.4 Formulate and Implement Cancellation Policies:  Empower tour operators and guest houses to protect themselves from losing revenue from no-shows and canceled bookings.

3.2.5 Local Procurement Policies: Establish policies and guidelines that prioritize local procurement and sourcing for tourism-related goods and services, creating opportunities for local businesses to benefit from tourism activities.

3.2.6 Conduct Regular Impact Assessments: Conduct regular assessments of the social, economic, and environmental impacts of tourism on the local community, using the findings to inform decision-making and adjust strategies to maximize benefits and minimize negative impacts.

3.3 Collaboration

Engaging with government agencies, local communities, businesses, and NGOs will be vital to building strong partnerships and rolling out successful programming.

3.3.1 Transparent Communication Channels: Establish transparent communication channels to share information about tourism plans, projects, and their potential impacts. Utilize both online and offline platforms for effective communication. Facilitate regular multi-stakeholder forums and roundtable discussions where government agencies, local communities, businesses, NGOs, and other stakeholders can collaborate, share perspectives, and work together to address tourism-related challenges and opportunities.

3.3.2 Network with Agency of Protected Areas: Establish a network of collaboration with the Agency of Protected Areas to create a synergistic relationship where cultural and environmental conservation, economic development, and community-wellbeing are mutually reinforcing. 

3.3.3 Public-Private Partnerships: Foster partnerships between the public and private sectors to jointly develop and implement tourism initiatives, leveraging the strengths and resources of both sectors to achieve common goals and objectives.

3.3.4 Joint Campaigns: Collaborate on joint marketing, advocacy and capacity-building campaigns and activities with national and international groups, NGOs, associations, and other organizations with aligned missions.

3.3.5 Establish a Winter Sports Committee: This committee would handle marking and grooming of trails, safety and regulations, as well as facility management.

3.3.6 Establish an Events Committee and Calendar: To develop, plan, and oversee annual and seasonal events in the community, such as festivals, bazaars, market days. Publish an online events calendar as a way to organize and promote already existing and newly created events.