Working with local guides to create authentic tours

Our small travel agency wants to move away from standard bus tours and offer small-group experiences led by local residents, such as cooking with a family or walking through old craft workshops.

Finding reliable guides, agreeing fair payment and keeping quality consistent are our main concerns. We also need insurance that covers activities outside traditional sightseeing. Travel businesses that work with community-based tourism: how do you train hosts and handle cancellations during the low season?