Meet Solimar International's Fall 2021 sustainable tourism and destination marketing interns graphic

Solimar’s Fall 2021 Sustainable Tourism Interns

Written by Jenny Lundt on November 2, 2021. Posted in Uncategorized.

Meet the future of the Sustainable Tourism Industry

Solimar currently has a record number of projects – 22 – spanning the world from Armenia to Guyana to Timor-Leste. Three times per year, we run a virtual internship program, connecting with talented young professionals with a passion for sustainable tourism, conservation, and international development. This program is designed to give young professionals real-world experience to give them insight in our industry. Through blog writing, translation, research and graphic design, they meaningfully contribute to our work. Each semester, we receive dozens of applications. Through a rigorous selection process analyzing each individual’s unique talents and passions, we finalize a cohort. Eighteen diverse interns living in seven countries were selected to join Solimar’s Fall 2021 sustainable tourism internship cohort.

Meet our fall 2021 sustainable tourism interns:

Jonathan Atari has traveled and lived in different countries around the globe for several years, occasionally in not yet-well-known locations, experiencing them in unique ways. Through traveling, he believes, one learns to appreciate the diversity within our society, and discovers meaningful connections to people and landscapes alike. He recently graduated from Ben Gurion university, Israel, with a bachelor in Sociology-Anthropology and African Studies, awarded with several excellence prizes. Currently, he lives in Austria with his partner and 2 kids. Alongside his studies he worked as a research assistant in Birthright groups, responsible for gathering empirical data from the participants and evaluating the tour operators, as well as a photographer. Previously he worked in hospitality at Refuge de l’Oule, located amid the French Pyrenees. He sees in-depth context-aware research crucial to creating sustainable solutions in the tourism industry. Next year he aims to start a European master’s degree in tourism development and culture on his path to becoming a responsible tourism practitioner.

Cate Enrooth is a first year graduate student at the Truman School of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Missouri where she is focusing on environmental policy. She graduated from the University of Missouri last Spring with her B.A. in Journalism with an emphasis in Strategic Communication and a minor in Business. Cate is passionate about the environment and is excited to learn more about the sustainable tourism industry through Solimar International.

Yassmine Esteitie graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture and later went on to pursue her MBA at the American University of Beirut. She worked on a joint venture with UNDP and ENPI on a Landscape Character and Risk Assessment project, where she engaged with stakeholders and held training seminars in sustainable land assessment. Later on, she joined Dar Al Handasah, a global engineering consultancy firm, as a landscape architect. At the firm, she was involved in developing concepts, implementing sustainable strategies, and enforcing landscape architecture principles through place-making. She is heavily involved in the conceptual side of projects as she is the Creative Lead for infographics and story-telling. As she is passionate about the environment and sustainability, Yassmine is certified as a LEED GA (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Associate) and SITES AP (Sustainable Sites Accredited Professional) by USGBC. Yassmine serves as our graphic design intern, assisting all of our projects with quality design.

Originally from Southern California, Stephanie Gerson loved the sun but not the smog so left for college to beautiful Monterey. She received her Bachelors in Global Studies and a minor in Business as well as studied abroad in Rome, Italy. After college she stayed in Monterey to work in the hospitality industry, eventually becoming assistant manager at the local hostel. This experience led her to partner with the local DMO and city tourism office and where she learned the importance of community based tourism and sustainable tourism. At this time, she married a Marine who took her to Sierra Vista, AZ where her career path was put on pause but travels began. During this time she traveled to more than 20 states, 9 countries, and extensively over the SouthWest over a 3 year period. In addition to her travels, she still found time to sit on the spouse’s club board, as well as get a Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Grant Writing. From the desert, she went to North Carolina where she worked for AAA as a Travel Agent, giving her a different look at tourism sales. Presently, she is in Stuttgart, Germany with her husband and two young children where she is on the board of a military non-profit and volunteers for the Military Spouses Chamber of Commerce. She also recently received a Certificate of Sustainable Tourism Management through GWU, with the intent to move into the tourism planning and consulting field.

Daniel Segura is an undergraduate student at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University studying Environmental Policy and Planning, and working towards a master’s in Urban and Regional Planning. Traveling the world and experiencing new cultures was something that was greatly emphasized to him as a child since his parents were first-generation immigrants, and weren’t afforded those same opportunities growing up. He hopes that this experience will add to his team-oriented abilities and show him a different aspect of creating a sustainable life. Eventually, he hopes to use the specialized knowledge he gains here in an urban land planning/management career.

Zane Hartog is currently a first-year graduate student at University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy focusing on International Security and Economic Policy. Originally from Vero Beach, Florida, Zane has accumulated a wealth of experience studying and working with NGO development and sustainability in Central America and the Caucasus region. He served as a TEFL teacher and Community Development liaison with the United States Peace Corps in Vanadzor, Armenia. There, Zane assisted local agencies in promoting international tourism, stakeholder empowerment, and product expansion. He believes sustainable tourism practices and management have the ability to transform communities and visitors alike. In his free time, Zane enjoys hiking, blending teas, and playing disc golf.

Kevin Lewicki is a master’s student in the Sustainable Tourism program at Arizona State University. He grew up in Phoenix, Arizona in a family that greatly emphasized the importance of travel and discovering the United States and the rest of the world. This passion has led him to study tourism in his undergrad where he gained the opportunity to speak at the UNWTO Conference in Montego Bay discussing security concerns with North Korean tourism. Kevin has worked at Walt Disney World, event technology companies, and for the biggest franchise-based hospitality company in the United States. Kevin utilizes his knowledge of instructional design to help facilitate learning in the technology field and hopes that his passion for travel and his passion for teaching can one day combine to help provide solutions in sustainable development for destinations across the world. In his free time you can find Kevin playing music, hiking and rock climbing, or enjoying a relaxing evening of tea and The Sopranos with his wife Caroline.

Cameron Hawthorn recently graduated from the University of Aberdeen with a MA in Geography. As part of the degree, he carried out research into sustainability and the implementation of sustainable forms of transport in Scottish cities. He has a passion for travel, alongside learning and experiencing new cultures and has travelled across mainland Europe as well as within Australia and New Zealand. Cameron also spent a semester abroad studying in Wisconsin and has travelled down the East and West coast of America. His strong interest in sustainability and travel drew him to Solimar International and he believes it is the perfect place to learn and develop real-world experience in sustainable tourism.

Lelie is originally from Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. She is specifically described as hard-working and passionate about Sustainable Tourism Development, both for the technical strategic planning and implementation. Long time before graduating with her master’s from Tourism Studies-Gadjah Mada University in 2018, she joined the tourism industry in 2013. Over the past 8 years, her experiences working with various international companies gained her technical skill to be able to work in various cases, especially in Inter Island Development, Community Empowerment, Local Product Development, Vocational School, Sustainable Tourism Observatory, and industry partnership, and Policy Framework for Sustainable Tourism Development. Lelie is used to work in a supply-demand approach which also covers each level of planning design, including assessment for the existing condition of destination, key-stakeholder mapping, travel pattern, potential private partnership assessment, destination assessment, demand survey, key-stakeholder engagement. Also, the most important one is monitoring evaluation for the implementation.

Justin Waller, also known as Ano, currently attends North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, studying Sustainable Land and Food Systems with a concentration in Urban and Community Horticulture. They had the privilege of studying abroad in Central America with CIEE. In Mérida, Mexico he studied Spanish and the Mayan language. They also studied native bonatics at CICY. Their favorite pastimes when staying in Mérida are visiting ancient ruins and swimming in the abundant cénotes. In Monteverde, Costa Rica he spent time researching soil ecology and enjoyed many ventures in the biodiverse Rainforest. Other endeavors include interning with a local urban farm facilitated by OFTGP, Greensboro’s largest nonprofit organization. In the summer of 2021, he interned as a research assistant for North Carolina A&T’s Extension Program. There they cultivated over a dozen varieties of summer crops in high tunnels. As well as conducted extensive Ginger and Black Cohosh cultivar trials. He has a passion for botany, mediation, and herbalism. Pura Vida!

Damian Hanshew is an undergrad at American University that is currently studying International Business. With a patriotic Polish upbringing spearheaded by his mother, cultural and social values were embedded into him at a very young age. As Damian goes through his undergrad, he is attempting to bring as much experience as possible within the growing and competitive field of business. Finding a way to fit himself into any workspace and do the job accordingly, Damian is also attempting to become as well-rounded of a member of Solimar International and to use the knowledge garnered here to further develop his Jack-Of-All-Trades skill set. As long as Damian understands what to do, it will be done!

Hayden Hamilton is an undergrad student at the University of North Texas. With a major in Integrative Studies, he ties together the disciplines of geography, communications, and marketing to try and marry his people-oriented skills with geospatial information. Growing up in Houston, and later moving to Dallas, he understands the pitfalls of suburban living and overdevelopment. He hopes in working with Solimar, he can help more people escape the norm and discover health and wellness in natural places. Outside of his classes, he enjoys hiking, reading, and making music. Of course all these can easily fall by the wayside when he’s challenged to a game of pickleball.

My name is Zikret Hatić, I was born on November 25, 2000. in Sarajevo, where I still live today. I am currently a third year student at the Faculty of Natural Science and Mathematich in Sarajevo, Department of Geography, direction of Tourism and Environmental Protection. The high school that I finished is Gazi Husrev-beg’s medresa, elementary school is Hamdija Kreševljaković. I have been working part-time for 5 years as an Imam, where I gained a lot of experience in working with people. I am a very communicative person, I love teamwork and I have very good expressed organizational skills. I like to fulfill all my obligations before the deadline. I really like nature, meeting new people, reading books.

Lana Novalić is a third year student at the Faculty of Sciences at the Tourism and Protection of the Environment Department, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She developed passion for travel from a very young age, since her parents are also passionate world explorers. Because of her love and interest in exploring the world, different cultures and people she decided to turn her academic and professional path in that direction. Along side her studies, she previously worked as a tourism and environment journalist on a website called ”BH putovanja” where she wrote articles mostly about interesting touristic places in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Currently, she is attending the UNWTO Quest training program serving as an intern who is helping DMO development together with Solimar and USAID.

My name is Almaida Mizić. I am currently on a second year of studying modern tourism practices at the Faculty of Tourism in Brežice, Slovenia. I went to a professionally oriented high school for tourism in Bosnia & Herzegovina, and decided to continue my journey down that path. I am very glad I did because tourism is connected to so many things that I enjoy, such as geography, history, culture, heritage and languages. By studying in another country, I was able to get another perspective on the tourism situation in my country and I hope one day I will get to bring all that knowledge back to my people and country. I am very glad that I got this internship opportunity and I would love to get as many experiences I can, because in my opinion, that is the best payment one could get.

My name is Sara Breko and I am currently attending my last year of Business and Management at the University of Sarajevo. During my high school studies at IB Middle Years and Diploma Program, I went on a trimester cultural exchange in Italy, organized by the American Field Service (AFS). I recognize this experience as fundamental to the construction of my wellbeing as an open-minded, pro-active, and curious person, as well as fostering a deep appreciation of cross-cultural cooperation. I am very passionate about culture, natural resources, my home country, Bosnia and Herzegovina. I also have a high interest in my academic field. While a part of Solimar’s internship cohort, I look forward to networking which can open doors and allow me to combine two areas of study I am interested in. I consider myself to be a fast learner as well as a very organized person able to execute critical thinking skills.

My name is Majra Hasanic. I am 22 years old. I am in the third year of Management and Information Technology at International Burch University. Recently, I finished two internships. The first was with the company Storsen. There, I worked as a data entry intern. The second internship was at the Addiko Bank. My hobbies include listening to music and partaking in sport, especially volleyball. In my free time, I like to learn new languages, read books, or learn something new (IT courses). Today, I am working on the USAID project in tourism with Solimar International.

Armin is from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is a geographer and aspiring tourism specialist. He is a master’s student in Tourism and Environmental Protection at the Faculty of Science, University of Sarajevo. Armin’s desire to expand his knowledge, polish existing and gain new skills, and apply theoretical background in practice resulted in him taking part in several valuable internships. In the future, through his work, he would like to contribute to the tourism industry in achieving resilience, responsibility, and sustainability. His main areas of interest are tourism impacts, product development, tourism planning and policies, sustainable tourism development, destination management and marketing. Armin is also passionate about history, heritage conservation, and the implementation of renewable energy sources in urban and rural development. One of his goals is to pursue a second master’s degree, as well as to become proficient in at least four languages.

Please join us in welcoming our Fall 2021 sustainable tourism interns!

We are currently accepting internship applications for the next cohort. Find out how you can join our next group of talented interns.

Tatras Mountains Polad - Sustainable tourism poland

Efforts to Boost Sustainable Tourism in Poland

Written by Damian Hanshew on October 28, 2021. Posted in Uncategorized.

Red, White, and New: Efforts to Boost Sustainable Tourism in Poland

Here at Solimar International, we work to increase and promote sustainable and regenerative tourism around the world. We know that every country has its own unique challenges in implementing effective sustainable tourism. Poland has had difficulties creating and maintaining long-term plans for prioritizing eco-friendly tourism. The Eastern European country ranked number 112 on the World Economic Forum regarding sustainable tourism and development in 2015. Despite this low ranking, Poland’s potential for sustainable tourism is endless. With several UNESCO-listed heritage sites and biospheres available, most limitations to Poland’s potential are created from failure by local governments to communicate and educate citizens about sustainable development. In this blog, we will cover what has changed in terms of new efforts to help shift this lagging sector, and the immese tourism potential Poland has to transform itself into a leading global destination.

Why Poland is Lagging in Sustainable Tourism

Before analyzing Poland’s direct control over its sustainability development, we must fully recognize the drawbacks of Poland’s history and tribulations caused by foreign control and influence over the region. One of the massive influences over Poland’s difficulty to regenerate to a healthier environment and tourism industry is the decades of Communist regime over the region that followed it’s Nazi occupation counterpart. Since the Communist regime and Nazi Occupation of Poland gave no breathing room for the country to have its own independence and development, the Communist regime squeezed out what little resources Poland had left. The communist regime heavily focused on shipbuilding and steel production, which ravaged nature within the region and destroyed much of the wildlife present, specifically within regions such as Katowice and Silesia. Poland’s GDP only started seeing consistent uptakes around 1995, which, given the timeline that several other non-communist-controlled economies and countries had to develop mutual plans for sustainable development, is a minuscule amount of time. Additionally, given the sheer amount of poviats (Polish counties), it is difficult to process communication and collaboration for sustainable development efforts, with several of them holding other respective interests. When retrospectively looking at a countries’ development and what their major concerns are, we must also be considerate towards their drawbacks and their need to rapidly recover and industrialize due to the major temporal sink they’ve experienced. Although Poland has much to improve upon and change within their priorities, constant decade-long occupation shifts the countries’ collective priority and desires until those are met, which is why sustainable tourism was lower on the proverbial ladder.

Gdańsk, 1988. Strike at the Lenin shipyard, photo: Chris Niedenthal / promotional materials

Poland’s New Efforts in Sustainable Tourism

Poland’s previously mentioned drawbacks do not, however, fully define its current attempts for change and a future outlook. As commonly known, Poland is part of the gargantuan EU, which grants its capabilities to focus on sustainable development on a larger and more assisted scale. Local and regional authorities across Europe have been pledging to work together to improve waste management and to make tourism more sustainable within their towns, with the city of Krakow being signed on the official charter. In specificity, this document will require these cities to “commit to reduce waste generation and improve waste management from tourists and tourism providers, including by promoting sustainable consumption”, with serious oversight by related authorities.

Part of a better path towards sustainable tourism is also a clear recognition of the faults made by that region, and current active changes towards those faults. Poland’s CO2 emissions are notoriously high, with its 2015 emissions equaling almost 9% of the EU’s total emissions. A large aggressor contributing to this statistic is Poland’s large use of coal and lignite still present in its electricity making. But, with new proposed technology and policy solutions entering the frame, such as the Polish National Energy Conservation Agency and the Poland Energy Policy Simulator, these policies will help pull Poland out of its costly energy sinkhole. When progression within the reduction of unhealthy energy consumption is made, the sustainable tourism sector will be exponentially easier to maintain and create. Waste reduced and cleaner tourist attractions will help create a better traveling cycle in the first place!

Poland’s Vast Sustainable Tourism Potential

Image Provided by the Polish Tourism Organisation. These are Wooden Tserkvas that could be a hope for growth in Poland's sustainable tourism — Wooden Tserkvas

How is it possible to consider the possibilities of tourism without envisioning what the country has to offer? Poland has a large variety of UNESCO sites that are listed on the Polish Tourism Organization website, including the multiple cultural attractions such as the Wooden Tserkvas (shown above) to the Malbork Castle! Poland also houses arguably the most important piece of history remaining from the second World War, with Auschwitz-Birkenau being built on Polish land by the Nazis. Poland also has a large amount of biosphere reserves to complement, with the famous Tatras, Babia Gora and Tuchola forest as popular tourist choices. Common sense dictates how tourist potential is actualized when people realize and highly anticipate going to that location, and Poland’s locations do just that. For everyone who values nature, history, and significant cultural locations, Poland is exactly the place.

Babia Gora, photo taken by Dawid Bernard showing beautiful mountains and potential for Poland's sustainable tourism — Babia Gora, photo taken by Dawid Bernard

Tuchola Forest, taken by Unique Poland-Discover Beauty

How Tourism can make Communities More Climate Resilient

Written by Amélie Keller on October 28, 2021. Posted in Uncategorized.

Climate change is not a future projection anymore. It belongs to the present, and tourism can be part of the solution. Learn about how tourism can make communities more climate resilient.

Rising sea levels, floods, biodiversity loss, tropical storms, and droughts are extreme weather events the world is experiencing nearly every day. Earth’s climate is undeniably changing and putting communities around the world at high risk. The past decade set a tragic record of being the warmest measured, and the average temperature increased by 1.2 degrees compared to pre-industrial levels. The effects of this change are becoming more visible as glaciers are melting causing sea levels to increase and natural catastrophes to take place more frequently. Although more efforts and investments are being done to decarbonize, global greenhouse gas emissions have continued to increase over the past few years, requiring more drastic and urgent actions for nations to become climate resilient. However, tourism can make communities more climate resilient

The effects of the changing climate can be observed worldwide, including in many popular tourism destinations. Some examples are Caribbean islands are increasingly in danger because of higher sea levels and tropical storms, horrible droughts in Africa are intensifying, and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is losing its precious coral reefs thus risking its status as a UNESCO World Heritage SIte.

The tourism industry depends on the quality of clear beaches, cities and nature to attract visitors. The tourism industry is at high risk from climate change. Unfortunately, the countries that are most dependent on tourism as a means for economic development are facing the greatest threats and challenges, with Small Island Development States (SIDS) being one of the most endangered regions.

Nevertheless, the relationship between tourism and climate change is complex. Research shows tourism is responsible for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, mostly due to transportation. With the massive growth in tourism arrivals, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and increasing long-distance trips, this development has persisted and is expected to increase even further. Thus, tourism is at risk due to the changing climate, but also contributes to the negative impacts on the environment, natural habitats and biodiversity.

The communities dependent on tourism incomes conversely need the money for their survival while living with the negative impacts caused by the tourism industry. Thus, with climate change worsening, the need to become more climate resilient must be the ultimate goal for destinations to secure their precious environment and communities’ livelihood for the future.

How tourism can make communities more climate resilient

The tourism sector has immense potential to be a role model in carrying out climate resilient initiatives. Fortunately, tourism is more than a mere industry – it is a dense network of interrelated stakeholders always open to collaborating to solve complex issues, such as climate change. By joining together and working side-by-side, tourism actors can mitigate their environmental footprints and help local communities and their respective natural areas. Ultimately, performing sustainable practices and spreading responsible knowledge will not only safeguard biodiversity, regulate the climate, and ensure life on Earth, but will also help communities – shaping them to be more climate resilient.

At Solimar International, we have always acknowledged that, when done properly, tourism can be a force for good. Sustainable tourism contributes to economically sustainable growth, while also sharing knowledge to empower communities and preserve their natural resources. After all, by striving to improve the destination and bringing it closer to its pure and untouched state, our conception of tourism goes beyond “sustainability” i.e. merely keeping the status quo. At Solimar, we are moving towards the regenerative tourism movement, recognizing that tourism should adopt an active role in making destinations better than they were found. Undeniably, climate change must be tackled now if we wish to guarantee the continuance of the tourism sector, attain the Sustainable Development Goals in 2030, and replenish the Earth.

How can tourism stakeholders increase climate change resilience?

Integrating climate resilient initiatives into development strategies is necessary to prepare destinations and communities to brace for future disasters and climate change. There are plenty of ways to regenerate destinations, from investments for innovation and research, to design and planning. The World Bank Resilient Tourism Framework is a great guiding method to do so, illustrating five steps to build effective industry resilience.

Source: World Bank. 2020. Resilient Tourism: Competitiveness in the Face of Disasters. Washington, DC: World Bank.

More specifically, there are numerous industry-led and destination management examples of measures that prove that many in our sector have already been doing great work. Here are examples of regenerative tourism actions, which any tourism stakeholder can take inspiration:

1. Coral reconstruction and mangrove restoration efforts to regenerative destinations

These actions, as well as beach and oceans clean-up actions, are perfect examples of how the lodging sector, tour operators, DMOs, and local businesses can increase the protection of natural resources through conservation initiatives. Coral reefs and mangroves form part of our biodiversity, attract tourists, and most importantly, protect us against waves and storm surges. Check out how the Hilton Hotel is working towards environmental sustainability in Seychelles here.

How can tourism make communities more climate resilient? Source: Coral Restoration Foundation. Coral Reconstruction initiatives. — Source- Coral Restoration Foundation. Coral Reconstruction initiatives.

2. Investing in more resistant materials or shifting to more inland construction

Recent hurricanes in the Caribbean have demonstrated how higher sea levels and storms are increasingly threatening these delicate island ecosystems. Instead of building and designing the usual seaside infrastructures, it is time to rethink the business models and take into consideration damaging hazards and sea-level rise.

Source: Johnny Milano, The New York Times. The ‘Sand Palace’ in Mexico Beach, FL.

3. Decarbonize to level zero

Tourism must decarbonize to level zero to meet pledges made in the Paris Agreement, and reducing carbon emissions needs to become a strategic priority in the whole sector. With increasing technological advances and social innovation, alternative energy-efficient systems have become a reality and integrated into ecotourism and reduce ecological footprint. The Future of Tourism Coalition has recently held an interesting webinar about preparing a climate action plan and measuring your carbon footprints.

4. Local sourcing, local sourcing, local sourcing.

Thinking local is key to increasing climate resilience. Not only tourists will find more authenticity in their experiences, but communities will also be brought to the forefront through the supply chain of any business (food, workers, products, traditions, and heritage). Moreover, this inevitably reduces carbon footprint and gives more opportunities to embrace the sustainable circle economy, provide support, training, and education.

5. Eliminate seasonality dependence

As tourism jobs are usually low-paid, efforts to get rid of seasonality dependence is one example to sustain the economy and empower the communities by providing long-lasting jobs instead of the usual limited seasonal contracts.

Do not forget that tourism would not exist without the extremely rich biodiversity we live in and depend upon. Climate change is everyone’s problem – and tourism can also be part of the solution.

Solimar International has led several similar projects that are designed to help tourism businesses and institutions lower their environmental footprints and meet sustainability standards. In the project of the Sustainable Island Platform our goal is supporting innovative development for island territories with a focus on the blue economy and circular economy. Making those threatened communities less vulnerable to climate change is the aim that we follow while increasing the visibility of innovative business strategies that can help communities secure their livelihoods. If you think your business or destination also needs such support, contact us to find out how our expert team can help you.

Written by Lena Eckert and Amélie Keller

What is a Destination Management Organization (DMO) and Why Should Destinations Care?

Written by Zane Hartog on October 15, 2021. Posted in Uncategorized.

Why do some destinations thrive, while others do not? All global destinations compete for visitors and money. They need the support of destination management organizations (DMOs) to help market, manage, succeed. But how and why? This article answers the question: what is a DMO and why the tourism industry should care about them.

So, what is a DMO?

DMO stands for destination management organization, though these are often referred to as destination marketing organizations. Ever wondered what a DMO is and what do they do? It is important to know about destination management first. The tourism industry is a trillion-dollar global business. Over 1.2 billion people travel abroad every year to experience the world’s diverse cultures and physical environments. Serious logistics are in play with this.

According to the UNWTO, destination management is the coordinated and thoughtful planning of all elements that make up a tourism destination. This can involve anything from attracting visitors to providing amenities for them to enjoy during their stay in town – whether it’s free Wi-Fi or a stocked convenience store.

What a destination management organization (DMO) does is represent the voice of its destination to potential visitors. It works with travel trade partners to provide travelers with information about the destination before they decide where to go on vacation.

DMOs also bring together organizations that serve all aspects of the visitor experience – from lodging providers, attractions operators, restaurants, and retailers – so that they can share insights into what makes their community stand out as a tourist destination. Destinations with a strong DMO will be more competitive, have increased visibility, and have better economic performance than those without one. This careful planning ensures strategic, long term success of a tourism destination. This in-depth coordination moves beyond marketing, and is the reason why the M in DMO has been more recently referred to as management instead of marketing.

What Are the Responsibilities of a Destination Management Organization?

Successful DMOs and destination managers play an essential role in managing tourism at the local level to help attract tourists and support businesses within its boundaries. They’re also responsible for promoting it through positioning statements, branding campaigns, high-quality product development, effective communication with stakeholders (e.g., residents), and maximizing financial resources available from both public and private sources, while ensuring value for money spent on projects that meet overall objectives.

Contrary to popular belief, the overall objective for a DMO isn’t only to bring more tourists to the destination. It is to make tourism more sustainable and thus enjoyable for visitors for years to come. Hence, in a nutshell, DMOs engage in a variety of activities that will help promote and develop sustainable travel practices, including:

Educating travelers about the destination’s attractions and offerings
Marketing through targeted campaigns
Working with other organizations on issues related to sustainability to achieve common goals
Addressing resident concerns related to tourism

Why Should All Destinations Have a DMO?

Destinations are always looking for ways to stand out from the competition, but to do so, they need both short and long-term strategies. And that’s what all popular DMOs have. A destination management organization works with tourism boards and convention and visitors bureaus. It has a proven track record for generating awareness of destinations among tourists and travelers, which is why all destinations should care about DMOs.

Destinations don’t always receive their fair share of attention, funding, and investment from governments and corporations which can lead to a lack of tourism and growth opportunities.

However, destinations are an essential part of the world’s economy. Destination management organizations (DMOs) exist for this reason: to create economic prosperity in communities through promotion, strategic planning, and marketing efforts that attract tourists while ensuring that these visitors have a memorable experience.

The Importance of Destination Management Organizations

DMOs are committed to sustainable tourism and are of critical importance because they:

1. Take Advantage Of Their Destination’s Unique Potential

Every destination has something different and unique to offer. DMOs bring out that exclusivity to the front to portray the destination as a better attraction than other ones.

2. Conduct Market Research

Knowing what to do, how to do, and when to do it is an art. And DMOs are the masters at it. These organizations are able to conduct market research through their short and long-term strategies to further elevate the destination’s status for years to come.

3. Implement Destination Marketing Strategies

For destinations, it is especially important to be visible online to guide potential visitors. Destination management organizations focus on marketing strategies to promote a destination’s events, products, services, landmarks, and attractions.

DMOs are responsible for promoting their city’s tourism industry through strategic advertising campaigns that reach target audiences with specific messages or information. This strategic destination content takes the form of social media, print collateral, co-sponsoring events, hosting influencers, working with the local chamber of commerce, and more! Look into the ways your local DMO promotes visitors coming to your home.

4. Drive Economic Growth in a Sustainable Way

In the 21st century, a sustainable economy is more important than ever. As travel becomes accessible to a wider range of people across all income brackets and cultures, destinations must promote tourism in a way that their economic growth remains sustainable. And that’s what DMOs do.

5. Attract Investment

Every destination needs to be the best it can be, and that includes marketing its own community to attract investors. Hence, DMOs are one of the most effective ways for destinations to market themselves in exactly the right way to draw more investment feasibly! This requires a collaborative approach from both public and private stakeholders.

6. Engage With Stakeholders To Develop More Favorable Conditions

DMOs take everyone on the path to sustainable and successful tourism. They not only cater to travelers, but also serve as an interface between visitors and local businesses; they can help develop new products or improve existing ones to meet the needs of both tourists and locals.

Conclusion

Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) are the backbone of tourism destinations. They exist to promote destinations, attract visitors, and develop a regional economy. DMOs are responsible for everything from attracting major sporting events to promoting local festivals. They work with businesses to help them understand what travelers need to have an enjoyable experience. Read more about why a DMO is important to a destination.

Interested in how we can help you develop a DMO for your destination? Contact us to learn more, and check out ATKOMA, the DMO we helped develop in Atauro Island, Timor-Leste

Written by Daniel Segura and Zane Hartog

A reveller performs during a "pow-wow" celebrating the Indigenous Peoples' Day Festival in Randalls Island, in New York indigenous peoples' day

Honoring Indigenous Peoples’ Day – a Look at Three Native American Lands

Written by Hayden Hamilton on October 9, 2021. Posted in Uncategorized.

Native Americans have been the stewards of land conservation for millenniums. Today on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we celebrate them.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day is here! Today is a day to pause and honor the rich history of native groups that have called the present-day land of America home for millenniums before European colonizers. How long exactly is currently up for debate. Historically, it was believed that the Americas have been lived on for the past 13,000 years, after the retreat of massive path-blocking glaciers, but recently that time frame has been shattered. With the discovery of a 23,000 year old footprint in White Sand National Park, scientists are now at a new dawn of archaeology. To celebrate the important history of Native Americans, we present three groups and the practices they established to utilize and honor the natural systems that sustained them.

Reclaiming and Renaming Columbus Day

Interestingly, Columbus Day itself was founded due to discrimination. In the early to mid-19th century, Italian immigrants became more and more prominent in the United States of America. With that, came a wave of Catholic culture and groups. These groups were met with much adversity by the protestant groups that settled in America before them. Longing for relief and acceptance, Italian immigrants began to cling to the legacy of Christopher Columbus – a figure who was not widely known at the time. Books padded the story of Columbus’ arrival and glorified his character. And in 1906, Colorado was the first state to officially recognize Columbus Day.

Origins of Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Pushed for decades informally, but first recognized by the state of South Dakota in 1989, “Native American Day” became a much better counter to the previous glorification of Columbus. In 1992, marking the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ first voyage, American Indians in Berkeley, California, organized the first “Indigenous Peoples’ Day”. Now, Indigenous Peoples’ Day has replaced Columbus Day in many states, and acts as a national holiday to celebrate those native cultures and pay respect to the history of indigenous America.

Three Indigenous Groups and their Sustainable Practices

Nomadic Grazing in the Great Plains

What comes to mind when you think of the American Great Plains? Grand? Majestic? Rich-beyond-belief? No, it’s probably the thought of a vast corn field, or maybe a long flat stretch of land with a few cows and a windmill. The Great Plains weren’t always like this. In fact, when first observed by European settlers, most were in disbelief at the beauty and biodiversity of the land. Now, it’s a different story. The Great Plains aren’t appreciated as majestic or rich, because colonizers have changed the landscape with homogenized farming.

Years ago, the land was inhabited by a list of native groups, some of which include the Cheyenne, Pawnee, and Blackfoot tribes. Most of these groups were nomadic or semi-nomadic. Instead of settling and working land permanently, they often followed herds and pleasant weather. Following herds allowed previously grazed land an opportunity to recover and regrow, while providing the herds and humans a survey of fresh wild plant growth. Also, in following agreeable weather, these groups were able to escape harsh conditions like drought, flooding, or early freezes, all problems that modern farmers loathe.

Native people used the Great Plains in the way they naturally evolved to be used. And contrary to what we may believe today, the land should not be closed up, locked down, and homogenized. Today, regenerative ranching techniques are being studied and practiced, and they all are based around the natural, native way the land used to produce. As this change occurs, attention needs to be paid, not only to the practices and techniques, but to the tribes themselves that originated. Tribal tourism is an excellent way to bring much needed funding to the tribes that still work in the Great Plains, and with any luck, our nation’s majestic center may one day return to it’s natural, extra-productive beauty.

Preserved Beauty in Sierra Nevada

Starting in the middle of the 19th century, some of America’s most beautiful regions were swarmed with entrepreneurs dead-set on taking their “fair share” of the natural bounty of the gold rush. Rivers were filled, mountains were blasted, and violence invaded a once serene place.

Before the area became a magnet, many native tribes lived in the area. Among them, the Maidu Tribe was a prominent group in the area around Lassen Volcanic National Park. They traveled in the summer, existing in temporary teepees and hunting big game, and stayed stationary in the winter, living in pit houses and surviving off stored food. Salmon, trout, and deer were some of the main proteins in their diet. And all these could be found at a plentiful rate. It wasn’t until the influx of 49’ers, that the food supplies started to be crippled. Oak trees were cut ruthlessly, game populations were hunted to dwindling levels, and mining runoff interfered with river health. It didn’t take long before the activity in the area forced the Maidu off their land, and into the Round Valley Reservation.

After the mining boom started to die, the wildlife slowly returned. Rivers regained health, and native growth took back the once bustling operations. Conservation groups stepped in and aided regrowth of the area, and worked to rebuild some of the natural systems that sustained tribes like the Maidu. As more attention and development is brought to these mountains, discretion is needed to manage what gets heavily trafficked. For this cause, National Geographic partnered with Solimar and the Sierra Nevada Business Council to address this specific issue. An interactive website was created to point out and promote the lesser known points of interest, right next to the biggest names. In this work, an avenue was created to lift up and protect the points of natural and cultural importance in the area.

Thriving in the Southwest United States

In the south western region of the United States, water is a scarcity. Just ask any city planner in Las Vegas or Phoenix, and they’ll start to describe the logistical problems with trying to supply potable water to millions of people in America’s driest states. So you can only imagine how much harder it was before the modern marvels of today’s reservoir and transportation systems. Much like the perception of the Great Plains mentioned above, this is a bit of a fallacy. To get a look at “easy living” in the sunbelt, we need to take a look, once again, at the indigenous groups from the area.

Tribes like the Ute, Hopi, and the Navajo Nation thrived in the area around the present Four Corners Monument. As one can assume when looking at abandoned mass-dwellings like those of Mesa Verde National Park, large civilizations were logistically challenging in this area. As the climate became more and more arid, tribes opted for smaller, better placed communities. Labeled by Spanish explorers as “pueblitos,” small villages dominated the area. These villages were chosen with a keen eye to water supply, tactical placement, and proximity to resources. Thousands of acres of surveyed land were passed up and left by native groups seeking settlement points, and only the best areas were chosen. With these smaller, spread out groups, life was easier to sustain in harsh conditions. Water supplies were less likely to be depleted, and food was better distributed among the land.

Much like the work in Sierra Nevada, another Mapguide was established for the Four Corners region. With this work, more money can be brought to smaller communities and attractions that stand outside of the huge pulls like Moab and the Grand Canyon. So when looking at the issues of huge desert urban areas, the idea of a network of smaller communities looks a whole lot more sustainable and attractive.

On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor this land’s first inhabitants and the Tribal Nations that continue to thrive today. Solimar urges all to consider and honor the many Indigenous communities and cultures that make up this country, both today and every day.

Check out our Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail project to learn how Solimar has worked with Native American tribes across the United States.

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