A study conducted in Bolivia concludes that community-based tourism enterprises have been the most affected by the pandemic in the country.
The impacts of Covid-19 have also been felt in community tourism. This is demonstrated by the study "Impacts of Covid-19 on Tourism Entrepreneurship in Native Communities from Bolivia", carried out by UNIFRANZ, in partnership with the Asociación de Turismo Comunitario de Bolivia TUSOCO and the World Indigenous Tourism Alliance (WINTA).
Although the whole country was affected by the sanitary crisis, the study indicates that community-based tourism enterprises were the most affected. This has had negative consequences both for the livelihoods of the entrepreneurs and their families, as well as for the resources needed for the preservation of cultural and natural heritage. In fact, during 2020, more than 500 families did not receive any income from their community tourism activities.
Experts estimate that the recovery of tourism in Bolivia will be slow, reaching 2019 levels only in 2023. This has meant that 80% of community-based tourism entrepreneurs have migrated to other sectors in order to make ends meet, and due to projections, are unlikely to return to community-based tourism in the short term.
Fortunately, not everything is negative for Bolivia. Projections made by the UNWTO regarding the recovery of the sector after the health crisis indicate that tourists will be more inclined towards natural attractions and attractions that offer outdoor and culturally authentic experiences.
