Rural Community Tourism Assessment & Indicator Development

Dr. Kristin Lamoureux, Executive Director, International Institute of Tourism Studies,

George Washington University

Understanding Tourism

"Tell me and I will forget.Show me and I may remember.Involve me and I will

understand."                 ~Chinese Proverb

Purpose of Indicators

4

Assessment & Indicator Development Objectives

1. Promoting sustainable development

2. Creating products for specific visitor market segments

3. Gaining and maintaining competitiveness4. Enhancing the visitor experience5. Preserving local resources6. Improving the quality of life of residents

5

How Can the Community Reach These?

1. By understanding where it is now

2. By creating a Destination Development Strategy tied to indicators of success (tangible indicators)

3. Implementing that Strategy4. Monitoring progress and making adjustments

Tourism Assessment Toolkit

Project Phases

Destination Review

Assessment Process & Stakeholder Engagement

Visioning & Strategic Planning

Recommendations, Next Steps & Implementation

Crow Territory

Objective Engaging local stakeholders to

indentify indicators for community tourism, collect data & develop a comprehensive strategy for tourism that promotes the natural and cultural assets of the Crow Nation while maximizing the benefits to its people.

Analysis of the physical, social, policy and tourism industry situation. Governance Economic Social Environmental Market Structure

Destination Review

Assessment Process• Attractions Inventory• Site & Infrastructure Analysis• Market Demand Analysis• Supply & Competitive Analysis• Socio-Cultural & Natural Resource Use • Human & Institutional Capacity Assessment• Environmental Footprint• Cost Benefit Analysis

Inventory of available resources for tourism development within the Crow Nation (including cultural, heritage, natural, and festivals, etc.).

Analysis of “readiness” of the resource & tourism draw.

Review of potential markets and recommendations for enhancement

Assessment Process & Stakeholder Engagement

Preliminary Findings Destination Crow DMO Workforce Development Support

Business Skills Tourism, Event, Hospitality Training Entrepreneurship

Product Development Support Access to Financing

At the end of the process, the plan developed: Recommended actions Recommended responsible parties Project next steps Implementation strategies Strategies for monitoring and evaluating

tourism development

After the Assessment…

Student Support for Community Tourism: GW Consulting Practicum

Focused knowledge and capacity of a consulting team with diverse background and experience in business, management, marketing, sustainable tourism, etc.

Engage public, private sectors & civil society

Adopted by partner countries/universities

Building of local capacity through partnership with local academic institution (future industry leaders)

Previous PracticumBulgaria – 2001Dominica – 2002Honduras – 2003Morocco 2004Panama – 2005Montenegro – 2006West Virginia - 2006Turkey – 2007Guatemala – 2008Dominican Rep. - 2009Portugal - 2010Belize – 2011Peru – 2012

Mexico – 2013 Spain – 2014 Myanmar - 2015

Dominican Republic Consulting Practicum

Resources

17

Tourism, Conservation and Communities: A Tourism Assessment Process: www.gwu.edu/~iits/Sustainable_Tourism_Online_Learning/Gutierrez/Tourism_Assessment_Process_Manual.pdf

Tool: Tourism Destination Visioning Exercise: www.gwu.edu/~iits/Sustainable_Tourism_Online_Learning/Gutierrez/Tool_Tourism_Destination_Visioning_Exercise.doc

Tool: SWOT Analysis: www.gwu.edu/~iits/Sustainable_Tourism_Online_Learning/Gutierrez/Tool_SWOT_Analysis.doc

Tool: How to Conduct Community Mapping: www.gwu.edu/~iits/Sustainable_Tourism_Online_Learning/Gutierrez/Tool_How_to_Conduct_Community_Mapping.doc  

Tool: How to Conduct a Stakeholder Focus Group: www.gwu.edu/~iits/Sustainable_Tourism_Online_Learning/Gutierrez/Tool_How_to_Conduct_a_Stakeholder_Focus_Group.doc

18

Thank You!Dr. Kristin Lamoureux

Executive Director, International Institute of Tourism Studies

The George Washington UniversityEmail klam@gwu.edu