E-Community-Based Tourism for Asia's Indigenous People
Indigenous peoples are good for national tourism development in Asia because they present an exotic image that helps to differentiate countries from each other. However, tourism is far from being good for indigenous peoples, as they are often excluded from the revenues that tourism generates and are subjected to the environmental degradation and cultural pollution that mass tourism inflicts upon them. information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the hands of such people can help alleviate some of this imbalance. By catering to the rising demand for authentic travel experiences that do not damage the environment, and in a manner that is under the control of the indigenous peoples themselves, ICTs empower local communities to operate small-scale tourism on their own terms. Once familiar with the ICTs, such people can go on to apply them to their special needs, in accordance with international conventions concerning the well-being of indigenous peoples.