Local Economic Development and Community-Based Tourism in Developing Countries. A Case Study

Community-based tourism is taking its place in the world as an alternative to traditional tourist destinations. This form of tourism permits greater contact with the local community and allows the tourist to have new experiences. This paper presents the results of fieldwork carried out in the Island of Fogo (Cape Verde), assessing the opinion and perception of tourists visiting this island, as they evaluate the quality of services offered by community-based tourism enterprises as well as the potential of the touristic resources in the area. The study also presents an analysis of touristic supply based on this type of business. Principle results of the study endorse the quality of services offered to tourists by local businesses and highlight the hospitality of the local community, a key element for developing this kind of tourism.