ESTC 2011 Presentation by Megan Epler Wood, Planeterra, Destination Management Tools

This presentation was presented at the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference 2011 (ESTC 2011), held in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA, from September 19th-21st. Organized by The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), the

ESTC is a unique annual conference providing practical solutions to advance sustainability goals for the tourism industry.

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Destination Management

Developing Next Generation Tools

A Collaborative Initiative:Belize Tourism Board, Planeterra Foundation, Cornell Center for Sustainable

Global Enterprise

Destinations Destination

management is at the frontier of sustainable tourism

The range of destination management issues is broad◦ Emerging destinations◦ Partially developed◦ Highly developed

Tourism is the principal export earner for 83% of developing countries

Tourism is the main source of foreign exchange for 47 of the 50 Least Developed Countries

Challenges to Destinations are Growing in Developing Countries

Problem of lack of understanding of how destinations actually develop◦ Inadequate infrastructure to

service a growing destination a consistent problem Lack of water and waste

services a chronic issue Lack of education programs for

tourism service community chronic

Inability to manage growth and land-use planning as an effective tool chronic

Destinations Next Steps

Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Entry Way, Mexico

Creating A New Paradigm in Government Decision Making

Need for Governments to fully understand the “business proposition” of destinations

Creating Knowledge Management System a direction that was explored by the BTB, Planeterra, and the Cornell Center for Sustainable Global Enterpise

Destination Business Planning Issues

Governmental policies need to be closely studied and further improved◦ Connection between

tourism taxes and marketing dollars is far too close, leading to unsustainable growth

Ambergris Caye, Belize 20 years ago had 3-4 hotels

Next steps destinations Economic Capacity

to Reinvest in Human and Environmental Capital◦ Tax System

National Municipal

Political capacity to respond to local destination stewardship goals

BelizeInvesting in Destination Management Tools

Tourism Expenditures 22% of GDP in 2010◦ One in seven jobs related or driven by tourism

WTTC Forecast

Role of Tourism in Belize Economy

Tourism to double its

importance to economy

in in 10 years

•44% of GDP•Valuation at $800 million by 2020

Decision Making on Tourism Directions

Moving Belize to mid-lower and lower price market niche

Moving Belize to mid-priced and above market niche

Old Paradigm◦ Crank up visitor numbers

◦ Attract condominium and real estate development

◦ Keep cruise traffic growing Build growing day tour

market for cruise

◦ Market Belize primarily via trade shows and print

New Paradigm◦ Double expenditure per

visitor

◦ Demonstrate value of Belize’s destinations for higher value professional tourism investors

◦ Create top attraction in Belize City

◦ Use Revamped Digital Marketing focus

Belize Tourism Board ActionPlan 2010-2012

Radical Changes to Marketing Strategy

Destination Planning

Quality Assurance

Greater Efficiencies to BTB Operations

BTB Action Plan Mandates

Need to Arrest Problematic Development Patterns

Knowledge Management System to Support Long-Term Planning Moving toward

informed national and municipal decision making

Developing Belize as High Value Investment Opportunity

San Pedro

Knowledge Management Tool

Megan Epler WoodPlaneterra Foundation

http://www.planeterra.org

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