Kuna Yala ? Effekter av lokal involvering inom destinationsutvecklingen
B-uppsats
Community based tourismDestination developmentSan Blas IslandsKuna YalaLokalsamha?llsbaserad turismDestinationsutvecklingSan Blaso?arnaKuna Yala
This essay has examined how the local community is involved with the tourism development on the San Blas islands and how it effects the destinations development. The method of choice has been a qualitative interview with an operator that offers trips to the destination. Also there has been made a literature study where previous research about the San Blas and the subjects of choice is being presented. During the writing process of this essay it has become obvious to us that the local community (Kuna Yala) is very much involved in everything that concerns the destination. We can thereby establish that the local community of San Blas can be placed on the top step of Arnsteins (1969) ?Ladder of Participation?. This comprehensive involvement brings both positive and negative effects on the destinations development. On the negative side we can se that the service level sometimes is low due to lack of knowledge and communication amongst the Kunas. The positive effects however shows that the destination is perceived more unique when the visitors gets to experience the real Kuna lifestyle that also creates a sustainable social environment. Many Kunas make their living on the tourism industry, which secure that the visitors money stays at the destination. The destination itself has not followed any traditional curve regarding destination development, which makes San Blas problematic to apply in Butlers model about the destination lifecycle.