Researchers at NC State University say they’ve created a way for the public to easily find and connect with these smallest of small business owners, who often not only serve as experts at their crafts but are also top-notch tour guides in their community.
People-First Tourism Inc. (P1t), founded by NC State scholars with backgrounds in anthropology, tourism studies and computer science, creates an online marketplace where the public has direct pathways to vetted micro-entrepreneurs.
Through its website,www.peoplefirsttourism.com, users can learn about and book experiences with locals, currently ranging from cooking lessons with Costa Rican indigenous people to soap-making sessions in the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains.
“It provides an opportunity for people found at the margins of the tourism industry to obtain some extra household cash for work they enjoy,” said Tim Wallace, an associate professor of anthropology and one of the company’s four co-founders. “It allows them to share with visitors, in their own words, something about their life experiences as individuals and members of a vibrant community.”
Read the full article: Start-Up Connects Micro-Entrepreneurs With Tourists | NC State News
