Community Based Tourism is tourism in which local residents (often rural and touristically marginalized) invite tourists to visit their communities with the provision of overnight accommodation. Community based tourism enables tourists to discover the local habitats and wildlife and celebrate traditional cultures, rituals and wisdom. The community is made aware of the commercial and social value placed on their natural and cultural heritage through tourism, thus fostering community based conservation of these resources. In the year 2012-13, the foundation embarked on one of its most ambitious project of setting up a community based tourism model in the village of Verlem in Netravali panchayat of Sanguem Taluka of South Goa. The plan was to create a model of community owned and community operated tourism that believes in and practices principles of responsible and ethical tourism. The project development involved extensive community consultation. After various deliberations over a period of 6 months a model was developed that was branded as Aangan – Village Stay. A governance structure of a co-operative society was created called the Verlem Eco Tourism Cooperative Society. This society was Goa’s first tourism cooperative. Under the project we also helped community to set up Goa’s first commercial strawberry cultivation and add value to the project. The Strawberry Project has now garnered support from the Government and two more villages in the vicinity have taken up cultivation. Subsequently, foundation helped the community from a small hamlet in the village of Taldem in Sancordem to set up the Jungle Trails Homestay, which is managed and operated by a Bramhani Women’s Self Help Group consisting of 14 women since 2017.  The project’s success in Goa helped the Foundation to get a project of Tribal Development Department in Dahanu, Raigadh, Maharashtra to “Devise a community based ecotourism model for the village of Veti in Dahanu”. During the one year of project period, an assessmentof the tourism potential of the village.

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In the FY 2022-23 Mineral Foundation of Goa has scaled up the Talade Project Model by tying up with Dept of Rural Development, Govt. of Goa to include more villages, self help group and provide capacity building. This three year project will be driven by Mineral Foundation of Goa to include diverse activities. Mineral Foundation of goa has also helped farmers from Dabhal ward of Kirlapal Dabhal panchayat to start Dabhal Farmers Self Help Group and promote Kulagar Centric Community Based Tourism activity with some existing resources and introduction of new facilities. These two model will hopefully spur interest of similar communities in showcasing their rich heritage and other aspect to niche tourist visiting Goa