Stat Rep

After talking about noobz, I thought it only appropriate to highlight my very own degree of nubbishness. Pro World Service Corps enlisted me as an intern to help develop sustainable tourism. Right, wtf does that mean? Other buzz terms like ecotourism, conservation, and community-based tourism come to mind. Well, it turns out that their assignment for me began as something as vague as those terms. Now, however, I'm in the process of developing a brand-spanking new community-based tourism business. I know what you're saying, "Cyrus, you silly boy, you don't have any business training, what do you know?" Well this is sort of how I started out thinking as well - As a goddamned noob, right? Well, research has been the focus these past three or so months. By research I mean using the Internet to see what other groups and companies are doing in the realm of community-based tourism, etc. I'm looking at online tourist agencies, and organizations that both promote and further define what exactly denotes this type of tourism. Two different home-stays have consulted with me as well. At the forefront of their problems is market accessibility and identification. This ultimately stems from lack of Internet know-how and access. These days it's nye impossible to run a successful business without a good website. A website isn't the only thing, one needs networking outlets and listings. You know that little box that says "Follow us" with all those links to twitter, facebook, digg, etc.? Yeah, crucial. Additionally, they need to have their programs listed in agency websites, those trip planner thingies, often with search engines and so on. Often times hotels have a desk or kiosk with brochures and an agent to help guide tourists towards this or that activity, and it's my believe that  a simple single 1/3 brochure with sexy wording at the top can go a long way. One would think all this is pretty common sensical, but it's really not for locals. They also have to pay these agencies to advertise their brochures as well as verbally discuss and book programs. That is why proper Internet use is so important - the western world is well-versed in this world, and it cuts out the agents, the middle men. One aspect that helps me be effective at this job is that I understand a lot of what tourists and foreigners like and want (from past experience and ongoing surveying and interviewing, lots of note-taking), but also have a growing awareness to limits and difficulties among local operators. Sometimes my advice is so hair-brained, it burns - westerners NEED toilet paper. They HATE squat toilets. And in many cases it's simply inconceivable to imagine how one even goes about shitting without tp. I mean, you either wash your ass with the water there, or wipe with your hand, and wash it after, but aren't both options shitty? (This is where locals would use either the provided bucket or small spray like the one by your kitchen sink to clean it. wet. Also why you get a hepatitis shot(s) before leaving) Anyway, hope this note has been at least a bit explanatory if not boring as tits. Our next steps will be to draw up a mission statement (already in rough draft form so far), and emailing various sites about listings. Some groups that are genuinely concerned about communities offer free listings for qualified groups, so we'll have to step up there. Shouldn't be too hard, we got a word smith extraordinaire constructing these documents after all, ya? Haha, best of luck to you all, and thank you for reading.