Local Alike applies voluntourism to community development

Founded 13 years ago with a vision to transform tourism into a tool for community development, Local Alike has long pioneered community-based tourism in Thailand.

Now, Somsak Boonkam, founder and CEO of Local Alike, is inspiring a new generation of young volunteers through specialised voluntourism programmes for Gen Z.

For Somsak, the idea for Local Alike stems from personal experience.

“I grew up in a small village in Roi Et where I saw first-hand the challenges in community tourism. Local people were taken advantage of by the tourism industry, which used them without generating income for the community,” he recalled.

“I wanted to empower local communities to take charge and address this issue. After exploring various models, we developed a concept that combines tourism with community development, ensuring that a significant portion of…