Crooked Trails is a non-profit community based tourism organization. So what is that? In a nut shell it’s a  mini-peace corp. experience. Community based tourism puts the control of tourism in the hands of the people are most affected by it. They say how often we come, where we go what we do and more importantly what we don’t do. We don’t want communities putting on shows just for us. If we catch part of a ceremony then great, but its not scheduled in.

Kenya example. If you come to Kenya with us you would be greeted by community members including elders, children and Maasai warriors. Each day you will make mud bricks side by side with the villagers. While the bricks dry you will go on safari. When you return you will build the walls of the school the community needs. The whole program is like combining an eco-tour with a service project.

Validation Time in Pang Sa Thailand, our first program.

Ah-Sut, Lahu, headman of the village of Pang Sa, stood calmly near a sacred alter explaining its significance. Suddenly, a min-van of tourists guided by a Thai man arrived. I was in Pang Sa leading a group that was visiting the Hill Tribes in the far north of Thailand near the Burmese Border. We stood in disbelief as the tourists jumped out of the van, armed with cameras, and literally run through the village, shooting trophy photos of people they did not know.  They aimed in close range at mothers nursing their children, old women weaving, men working their fields and children at play. Within 15 minutes they were gone. I assumed they had just completed the part of their tour where they go to “see the exotic Hill Tribes.” 

I looked to Ah-sut and asked through an interpreter, “How do you feel about this?” He remarked sadly that he did not understand, but what could he do? “I don’t get it,” he said, “why don’t they stay and have a cup of tea?”

Whenever people ask me about my company Crooked Trails, and what is Community Based Tourism, I think of Ah-Sut and those tourists. I realize that the people on that mini-van could not have felt good about their experience, which was devoid of any contact or respect of any

kind.

I knew back then as I do now, that there is a better way to travel, and as the mini-van of tourists sped away in a cloud of red dust, my group prepared to stay with Ah Sut in Pang Sa for 10 days to build a community center (something the village had wanted for years but could not afford). We would stay in the local homes, eat the local food and live with them. We would study their language, play with the children, help in the fields, lounge around and learn what it meant to be Lisu and Lahu. We smiled a lot.

I founded Crooked Trails with my long time friend and travel companion, Tammy Leland. The concept for Crooked Trails came about as Tammy and I studied tourism, traveled abroad and talked over beers about how we wanted to change the world by changing the way people travel. We thought travel did not have to be a rapacious form of voyeurism where the traveler returned home feeling like they caught the great photo, but empty and embarrassed about how they got it. We believed that most people were longing to have the opportunity to meet and live with someone whose culture was totally foreign. We were right.

We created the organization to inspire environmentally and culturally sensitive travel in areas where the negative impacts of tourism were threatening the cultures and environments of popular tourist destinations. We realized quickly that our goals were educational and developmental, so we became a federally recognized non-profit so we could raise funds for some of the projects we do in our host communities.  Crooked Trails also works with non-governmental organizations abroad in conducting our travel programs and service projects.

We recognized that one of the biggest elements missing from mass tourism is the involvement from the local communities. Our programs are community-based, which means the community members are involved in making decisions. They decide what our service projects will be and how they will be conducted. They decide how often we come, what we do, what we see, where we go and what we pay. We believe this element of self-determination is key to a sustainable tourism program.

We began Crooked Trails in 1998 and our first program ran in 1999. Since our small beginnings, we have doubled every year and are planning 30 programs in 10 countries for 2008. We run university and school global service programs as well. We have also begun running donor programs for other non-profits. We just recently signed on PATH to run their donor programs abroad and will begin this year to Thailand.

And here in brings me to the topic of today’s talk. “Its more than just business”

My background is in science and education...

If you go to the small business association or have an MBA consult you on starting your business they will most likely tell you that the main keys to success will include: a good business plan, backing by a bank and buffing up on our accounting and marketing skills. We had none of those. I am not saying those things aren’t important but I am here to tell you that we had none in fact we were told no for a loan. And yet we have grown and prospered and done our work. We looked for a loan they denied us but we were not deterred.

A dream is the start” “a Dream is your inspiration from direct experience of a situation in which you see the possibilities I dreamed everyday- about what we can accomplish for CT. It’s a bit like the SECRET…

My 3 keys points to a successful business you may not find in any MBA class. And I might add that my 3 main points are not requirements “it just happens that for us- for CT they worked. These 3 have been synergistic for CT. they have been the secret combination of elements that created the lithium crystal that makes CT run. I know many of you will think that passion is at the top of the list.. its not. Its not even on my list- the reason is that it’s the beginning, it’s the least you can have to start your own business. So my three things are:

1. Supportive partner-
2. Have a part of yourself in the business
3. Work for the greater good

A Supportive partner has been fundamental to Crooked Trails. I can say with out a doubt that if I did not have a partnership with Tammy CT would not exist. I couldn’t have pulled it off alone. It’s also been great to have someone to rely on when I was down and feeling like it just wasn’t worth it anymore. The reason this partnership has worked is that the relationship Tammy and I have is unconditionally trusting. We both have total freedom to do what we want inside the business. It’s been great and kept it creative and interesting for both of us.

Have a part of yourself in the business this has been key for Crooked Trails. If you came with us to Peru for example.. all the people you would meet, the families you would live with, the NGOs you would encounter are all friends of Tammy. She has spent the past 12 years going down there and creating lasting trusting relationships. It’s these relationships that she then turns over to our clients. The experiences we have in other countries play out in our business at home and what we offer our clients.  Having ourselves in our business even plays out name in our name.. The Crooked Trails was invented to denote the idea of the road less traveled. In the end we chose it because we call it CT and that can also stand for Chris and Tammy

Work for the greater good The reason to have your work be for the greater good is two fold. Not only is it a great thing to do but for the simple reason that if you are only in business for the money then when your business is having a bad month and is in the red.. you may give up. But if the greater good is the driving force behind your business you will be much less likely to give up. Tammy and I spent the first 4 years of Crooked Trails working side jobs to make ends meet. If had been only about the money we would have given up long ago. So find a reason other than money to be in business because it will drive you much further than dollars.

Board   - we are a non-profit and currently have two people resign as their tenure was over. So if you are interested in the work of Crooked Trails please contact me or Tammy or our board president who is here today: Megan Lane. Our Vice president Terry Rogers is here as well.

I hope to see you on a Crooked Trails someday. Thanks, be safe and travel boldly.