STEMM… The Bahamas Sustainable Tourism Entrepreneurial Management & Marketing Project A project...

STEMM… The Bahamas

Sustainable Tourism Entrepreneurial Management &

Marketing Project

A project conducted by

The Bahamas Hotel Associationin cooperation with

The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, The Bahamas Antiquities Monuments & Museums Corporation and the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism

with support fromThe InterAmerican Development Bank, Multilateral Investment Fund

STEMM…The Bahamas Sustainable Tourism Entrepreneurial Management & Marketing Project

A Cooperative Effort

to improve the competitiveness of pilot island destinations and tourism activity clusters in The Bahamas towards positioning the country as:

A Sustainable Tourism Destination

Conducted by The Bahamas Hotel Association in cooperation with The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, The Bahamas Antiquities Monuments & Museums Corporation and the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism with support from The InterAmerican Development Bank, Multilateral Investment Fund

STEMM…The Bahamas Sustainable Tourism Entrepreneurial Management & Marketing ProjectConducted by The Bahamas Hotel Association in cooperation with The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, The Bahamas Antiquities Monuments & Museums

Corporation and the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism with support from The InterAmerican Development Bank, Multilateral Investment Fund

Project History

Spawned over a year ago from:• BHA Environment Committee’s 2005 Work Plan, and• Initial discussions with IDB Representatives to explore how

better to deliver on BHA goals in this area

Further sparked by:• A new national emphasis on supporting more sustainable

practices and products• Trends in the industry and untapped potential, particularly for

small and mid sized operations• Shortcomings in offerings: Range, Depth and Quality• Concerns about losing more of what we have to offer• Indications of potential from existing operators• New thrust by the Ministry of Tourism• Buyer opportunities

Project History- continued

February 2005:• IDB Country Representative Richard Herring informs BHA of

potential resource assistance for sustainable tourism efforts through their Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF)

• Further research on our part revealed a potential match between the sustainable tourism development needs of The Bahamas and the MIF objectives in that area

Partnership approach taken to benefit the overall effort and all parties:• Discussions commenced with the Ministry of Tourism (MOT), the

Antiquities Monuments and Museums Corporation (AMMC) and the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST)

• A Coordinated Project Planning Group was established

A Project concept was developed and presented to IDB MIF




May 2005:

• IDB notifies BHA that the project concept has been received favourably

• Green light given to develop detailed proposal

• National IDB team, led by Country Representative Richard Herring and Social Projects Specialist Jorge Torres actively assist with the proposal development



IDB MIF Team visits The Bahamasfor one week together with:

• IDB Caribbean Executive Director Jerry Butler, and

• IDB Sustainable Tourism Consultant


June 2005:



The Tiamo Way by Mike HartmanDuring the Team’s visit time was spent with Public & Private Sector Stakeholders in:• Abaco and the Cays• Andros• New Providence

Stakeholders Consulted• Barry Benjamin, BHA Environment Committee Chair, Owner, Peace and Plenty, Exuma• Jeremy MacVean, Past President, BHA, General Manage, Comfort Suites Paradise Island• Earle Bethell, President, BHA, General Manager, Nassau Beach Hotel• Frank Comito, Executive Vice President, Bahamas Hotel Association• Dr. Jennifer Edwards, BHA Environment Committee, Sustainable Tourism Consultant, UWI• Vernice Walkine, Director General, Ministry of Tourism• Angela Cleare, Senior Director, Product Development, Ministry of Tourism• Earlston McPhee, Manager, Sustainable Tourism Development Unit, Ministry of Tourism• George Mackey, Chairman, Antiquities Monuments & Museums Corporation• Dr. Keith Tinker, Director, Antiquities Monuments & Museums Corporation• Philip Nairn, Antiquities, Monuments & Museums Corporation• Gary Young, Director, Research, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism• Lynn Johnson, General Manager, Green Turtle Cay Resort & Yacht Club• David Bethel, Architectural Preservation Foundation of Green Turtle Cay• Alton Lowe, Noted Artist, Owner, Lowe Museum• Patricia Frances, Green Turtle Cay Library• Lloyd Cheong, Grand Bahama, Blue Flag Consultant to Ministry of Tourism• Robert Kramm, CEO, Old Bahama Bay, Grand Bahama• Tim Cabral and Robert Malone, Hopetown Resort & Marina• Michael Hartman, Tiamo Resorts• Jeff Birch, Small Hope Bay Lodge & President, Bahamas Out Island Promotion Board• Peter Douglas, Andros Director for Bahamas Ministry of Tourism)• Sheila Blanche, Owner, Love at First Sight, Andros• Danny Lowe, Owner, Orange Hill, New Providence• Iris Dillet-Knowles, Owner, Dillets Bed & Breakfast• Michael Symonette, Owner, Bahamas Experience Tour Operator



July 2005:

• BHA notified that IDB MIF has approved initial draft of proposal

• BHA and lead partners MOT and AMMC agree to provide partner financial and inkind support

November 2005:• IDB MIF approves project




Project History-Continued

March 2006:

• Official signing and launch of the approved project

April 2006• STEMM Project

officially startsSigning of the Agreement17 March 2006

•Colin Higgs, Permanent Secretary, MOT•Jerry Butler, IDB Caribbean Executive Director•Richard Herring, IDB Country Representative•Earl Bethel, President BHA•Frank Comito, Executive Vice-President, BHA



April 1 to June 30 - Key Post Launch Initial Steps

Organise Core Staff• Lead Technical Consultant

- Dr. Jennifer Edwards

• Project Manager- Ruby Sweeting

• Project Administrative Support- Ingrid Musgrove- Ruth Rahming

Convene Project Advisory Group:• The Bahamas Hotel Association• The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism• The Bahamas Antiquities Monuments & Museums Corporation• Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism• InterAmerican Development Bank

Develop Year One Work Plan

Identify Initial Stakeholders

Conduct Stakeholders Planning Workshop



What is STEMM?

A new Business Management and Marketing initiative of The Bahamas Hotel Association and its core partners that will:

• Target Small and Medium sized Entrepreneurs (SMEs) in tourism that have not fully benefited from the traditional approach to management and marketing that is typical of larger properties and businesses

• Emphasize business operational, environmental management and marketing competitiveness

• Focus on SMEs, attractions and activities in 4 key tourism sub-sectors:– Accommodations– Marinas– Heritage & Cultural Attractions (Sites and Events)– Nature/Eco Business Activities e.g. Nature Trails, Botanical Parks,

Bone-Fishing, Kayaking, Reef, Dive and other Marine related Tours etc.



Project Objectives

Overall Objective:• To improve the competitiveness of pilot island destinations and

specific tourism activity clusters in The Bahamas towards positioning the country as a Sustainable Tourism Destination

Specific Objective:• To diversify the current tourism product by organising and selling new

integrated and sustainable tourism packages offered by a Network of SMEs that focus on specific market segment, such as, heritage, culture, marine, eco and nature

Key Words:• Sustainable Tourism Packages• SME Network• Pilot Destinations• Product Specific Cluster



Selected Pilot Destinations

7 Pilot Destinations

Pilot Destinations selected based on:•Level of Entrepreneurial Activities•Existing level of hotel and tourism capacities and critical mass that can be built upon

Product Specific Clusters

Product Clusters based on:

1. Marina & Sailing Circuit (Abaco, Exuma, Grand Bahama & Bimini)

2. Heritage Tourism (Historic Nassau, Eleuthera, Cat Island, Long Island, San Salvador & Abaco Cays)

3. Eco-Tourism & Bone-Fishing Lodges of Andros

7 Pilot Destinations

3 Product Clusters

Five ComponentsComponent 1: Awareness and Network Conformation• This component will support the establishment of the SME tourism network,

which will become the tool for promoting sustainable tourism in The Bahamas.

Component 2: Product Development• This component will facilitate the improvement and diversification of the present

tourism product supplied by the tourism SMEs in the pilot destinations.

Component 3: Training• In this component local consultants will be trained to provide technical assistance

to the SME network members.

Component 4: Matching Grant Funds for Pilot Network SMEs• This component seeks to enhance the practices and performance related to

operational and managerial capacities, environmental management and service quality of a group of Network members to facilitate their access to international tourism markets.

Component 5: Branding & Marketing of Pilot Destinations• The aim of this component is to make the network’s tourism packages offered in

the pilot destinations known in commercial sales channels and to potential markets and to generate demand.



COMPONENT Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Component 1: Awareness & Network Conformation √ √ √ √

Component 2: Product Development√ √

Component 3: Training √Component 4: Matching Grant Funds

√ √ √Component 5: Branding & Marketing

√ √ √

PROJECT TIME FRAME(April 2006 – March 2010)



Year One Activities

General Goal for 2006/2007• to put in place the support needed to successfully develop the SME

tourism Network and sustainable tourism products in The Bahamas

Year One Component focus• Component 1: Awareness Building & Network Conformation• Component 3: Training

• These Components are critical to putting in place the necessary structure and operations for the successful development of the project in general and the competitiveness of the SMEs in the Network in particular

Component 3: Product Development• Work would also begin on elements of Component 2 as some of its

activities are also relevant in laying the foundation and support needed in the project’s development



STEMM YEAR ONE ACTIVITIES & TIME ALLOCATIONS

Start Yr. 1 2006 2007

End Yr. 1

KEY COMPONENTS/ACTIVITIES Apr. May Jun July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar.

Component 1: Awareness & Network Conformation

1.1 Design of the Operating Manual

Criteria for Membership

Activities of the Network

1.2 Awareness Events for Stakeholders:

7 Launching/Introduction Forum (Each Selected Destination)

SME Network Meetings in 5 destinations: (5 times in each of the 5 destination groupings in year 1)

Component 2: Product Development

2.1 Develop a Resource Persons & Tourist Asset & Resource: Consultants, Tourism SMEs including Hotels, Marinas, Activities & Sites (heritage/historic/cultural/natural)

2.2 EWT/Audit Assessment: SMEs- Hotels, Marinas, Other Services

Component 3: Training

3.1 Environmental Management System Course for Consultants (Standard for all STEMM Project Consultants)

3.2 Networking Management and Marketing course for Consultants

A Most Important Need

Project Shapers or Visionaries:• Interested in the development of tourism in The

Bahamas on a sustained basis

• Would like to participate in shaping the STEMM project to successfully suit the needs of the country

• Would like to be involved as leaders in the cooperative effort of positioning The Bahamas as a Sustainable Tourism Destination




STEMM… A Cooperative Effort

to improve the competitiveness of tourism enterprises and activities in The Bahamas

towards positioning the country as:

A Sustainable Tourism Destination


STEMM… The Bahamas

Sustainable Tourism Entrepreneurial Management & Marketing Project

A project conducted by

The Bahamas Hotel Associationin cooperation with

The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, The Bahamas Antiquities Monuments & Museums Corporation and the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism

with support fromThe InterAmerican Development Bank, Multilateral Investment Fund

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STEMM… The Bahamas Sustainable Tourism Entrepreneurial Management & Marketing Project A project...

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