SCOTO | UK Community Tourism Alliance

UK Community Tourism Alliance

Who are we?

We are a collective of community focused organisations and initiatives from Scotland, England and Wales exploring the value of a UK-wide 'Community Tourism Alliance’. We anticipate Northern Ireland representatives joining us early in 2026 and are keen to hear from anyone keen to join us on our journey.

BACKGROUND

SCOTO has been meeting regularly with The Good Organisation based in York and the Foundational Economy Alliance in Wales, since July 2025, when we met at the “Tourism: Our Voice” conference in York

The conference was organised by the Good Organisation and focused on community and sustainable tourism. You can find a copy of the programme here >

Since then we have come together to discuss the the need for a UK 'Community Tourism Alliance' as a national voice for community tourism and a shared commitment to action.

We currently have the following partners:

Good Organisation, York

Foundational Economy Alliance Wales Ltd

Peoples Economy, UK

SCOTO CIC, Scotland

Good Organisation

Based in York the Good Organisation is leading a transformative shift in tourism, which prioritises social, economic and spatial justice.

Foundational Economy Alliance Wales Ltd

The Alliance is an independent membership organisation based in Wales working to improve liveability - not just services but social infrastructure and residual income after paying for essentials .

SCOTO

SCOTO is a network of community tourism enterprises spread across Scotland, and the only network with specialised knowledge and extensive experience in this field.

People's Economy

The People’s Economy envisions a democratic, equitable and liveable economy where communities can meet their needs and priorities.

"Since we met with the Foundational Economy Alliance initially in Dumfries and then North Wales in 2024 and the Good Organisation in York in 2025 we have been meeting regularly to explore community tourism at a UK level. We have discovered that there is a lot of community tourism research taking place across the UK and exploring many different aspects of people, places and purpose in tourism. And our Knowledge Exchange on 5 March 2026 seeks to bring this together at a UK level.

The European Travel Commission’s Reykjavik Declaration in 2025 has been real food for thought for us with its emphasis on people, places and purpose in tourism - what we refer to as community led tourism. We are taking their six themes to structure the Knowledge Exchange and will have presentations and discussions hosted by key researchers from the UK and beyond. Our ultimate aim is to codesign a UK Declaration of Tourism for people, places and purpose which will then be championed by the new UK Community Tourism Alliance we are setting up. Exciting times!"

Carron Tobin, Exec Director, SCOTO CIC

WHY?

Why we think a UK community tourism alliance is needed?

Through discussions with the other partners, we need to create a UK declaration on community tourism similar to the European Travel Commission's Reykjavik Declaration 2025 (Click on the link below to read the Declaration) which places a focus on people, places and purpose in tourism in EU countries.

We also feel there needs to be a national voice for community tourism, to help make it a shared and widely understood concept that people recognise, appreciate, and buy into.

Find Out More >

WHAT?

What we are looking to do next?

We are looking to draft a UK 'Declaration for Action' as a response to the Reykjavík Declaration for discussion.

This and other community tourism ideas, knowledge, experiences and solutions from across the UK would be collected to share on a new website - UK Community Tourism Alliance.

HOW?

How can I get involved?

We invite you to join us at our first alliance event - a Community Tourism Knowledge Exchange where we will explore current research and what we need to focus on in the UK using the six themes set out in the Reykjavik Declaration as our starting point.

This is a key event during the 2-day annual SCOTO Gathering 5-6 March 2026 at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and will help us codesign a future for community led tourism across the UK.

2026 SCOTO Gathering

Reykjavík Declaration:

Through this statement, we promote a vision of tourism focused on people, places, and purpose, with the primary aim of enhancing the well-being of residents across Europe. Our commitment is to support thriving communities, protect Europe’s cultural and natural resources, and promote respectful interactions between visitors and hosts."

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