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Community-based tourism (CBT) is about social justice, empowerment, equity of benefits, redistributive measures, ownership of tourism sector and holistic community development. The aim of this article is to explore the relationship between Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) and CBT by proposing a model depicting the various stages of TALC in relation to CBT, community participation and type of tourist. The research indicates, first, that the understandings of community participation and its relationship with CBT need to be more precise to show that CBT is in itself participatory. CBT can also be described as self-participatory: the community itself initiates and drives the development. Secondly, the findings indicate that tourism development at destinations go through stages during which CBT is gradually jeopardised and marginalised by outsiders and local elite. Tourism destination control, as a consequence of CBT, increases potential growth through external stakeholder support which is important. More research is required to investigate, understand and enhance the role of CBT in tourism destinations for the benefits of the local community and disadvantaged (poorest and socio-economically marginalised) – people in particular.