This essay aims to inspire empirical research on the state and management of knowledge for planning community-based ecotourism (CBE). It contextualizes a problem observed in the World Wide Fund for Nature from an epistemic perspective. Literature selected from various fields is used to argue that active, systematic knowledge management within and between remote communities - is required for effective public participation in the planning process. Discussions link knowledge, community empowerment and innovation, and suggest that communities depend heavily upon local planning agents for access to knowledge. The conclusion, therefore, is that research efforts should concentrate upon these agents