ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates the extent to which, and indeed how, community empowerment plays a vital role in enhancing the active participation of ethnic minority communities, thus increasing the likelihood of positive perceptions of impact of tourism on their communities in the context of community-based ecotourism (CBET) in Laos. It identifies and discusses the factors that hinder community participation and empowerment, using two case studies of CBET projects in Lao PDR in Ban Na Village in Bolikhamxay Province, and Houay Kaeng Village in Sayabouly Province. The CBET is meaningful when it assists the building of community capacity so that wider inclusion of local communities is possible through active participation and support or collaboration, thus establishing the essential components of community empowerment: community ownership and control over tourism development. In contrast to the case of Ban Na Village, three different levels of community participation in the tourism planning and development process in Houay Kaeng Village were observed: active, passive and non-community participation.
