Editorial

Dear Community Development Readers,

In this issue, we are thrilled to present a thematic collection co-edited by Dr. Tiffany A. Flowers and Dr. Erin L. Berry-McCrea, exploring community engagement in education with underrepresented communities. Our heartfelt appreciation goes to Dr. Flowers and Dr. Berry-McCrea for their dedicated co-editing of this compelling thematic collection. Drs. Flowers and Berry-McCrea have provided an introduction to the articles; however, one article for the thematic issue came in after their introduction was written.

We’re also excited to share articles focusing on community development and tourism. These contributions provide insights into the dynamic relationship between community development and the tourism industry. Topics include leveraging tourism for community growth and assessing the impact of community readiness on ecotourism and sustainable development. These articles explore diverse aspects of community engagement across tourism development. The first article investigates the positive impact of community empowerment on local support and sustainable tourism development, contributing significantly to empirical research in this field. The second critically assesses community-based tourism (CBT) in Thailand, challenging assumptions and emphasizing the need for CBT as a genuine sustainability tool. The third applies the Community Capitals Framework to indigenous experiences in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh, identifying positive contributions to human, social, and cultural capital while highlighting challenges in political capital and urging attention for just and inclusive tourism development. The fourth, a case study in South Africa, reveals how formal tourism institutions, like Visit Stellenbosch, effectively broker power between residents and CBT enterprises, but geographic marginalization and tokenism present challenges to resident empowerment. The fifth analyzes community perceptions of rural community-based tourism (RCBT) in Colombia, recognizing it as an alternative development activity but noting challenges like community apathy and the importance of strengthened social capital for successful RCBT implementation. Lastly, the sixth article explores the impact of community-based tourism (CBT) on rural communities in India, emphasizing positive effects on residents’ quality of life and their support for tourism, showcasing the potential for alleviating poverty through CBT initiatives.

We hope these articles enrich your research, teaching, and practice. Personally, I extend my gratitude to the editorial board and the broader editorial team, especially Managing Editor Dr. Sofia Kotsiri, Associate Editors Drs. Brien Ashdown, Bryan Hains, Kristina Hains, and Matthew Mars, as well as Book Reviews Editor Dr. Anne Silvis. Your dedication to timely reviews has curated a journal with a strong emergent impact factor and better relationships with the scholars, educators, and practitioners in our field.

As always, stay informed about our new articles published online and in issues by subscribing to RSS feed and/or our alerts on our Taylor & Francis website (See Figure 1 and website: https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/rcod20).

Figure 1. How to subscribe to journal alerts.

In conclusion, my gratitude further extends to the authors, editors, readers, reviewers, and all who lend their support to Community Development and the Community Development Society.