Tourism Product Development & Execution
Based on the research, data, market assessments and the destinations’ tourism assets, and with a roadmap developed under the Sustainable Tourism Development Plan a tourism master-plan is forged.
However, it is the individual facilities, hotels, tourism products and activities that form the commercial backbone of a tourist industry. The crucial part of the process is then identifying and prioritizing these businesses as and when they are required.
Aligning all stakeholders to an agreed, robust and goal-driven strategy will ensure an efficient and well monitored development plan, integrated, phased and prioritized to ensure developments are rolled out along a defined schedule.
1.Project Management Charters
An effective Project Management Charter defining each Product Cluster, District or Masterplan is a key to establishing the principles, terms and conditions, development concepts, feasibility studies, and investment and financial criteria.
In precise terms it lays out what is expected from each stakeholder in the destinations’ development strategy. Once agreed, it sets in motion the responsibilities and commitments from start to finish. This long-term investment into the tourist economy should be based in common goals, and initiate the tourism development strategy, ultimately moving into the future and becoming more sophisticated and service driven as it matures.
2.Commercial Viability
Commercial viability is not just a factor of a single business, nor a function of a balance sheet; rather the result of a clear vision, with sustainability principles at the core, and a strong, focused and consolidated plan which covers 5- & 10-year plans, not just annual budgetary cycles.
Some of the world’s greatest, enduring and sustainable tourism products and destinations were deemed “dreams” at inception. However the better integrated and coordinated the approach of a destination towards the whole of the tourism value chain, the more likely is the ultimate success of attracting the target markets to the sectors under development.
Destination development is about integration and the parallel development of infrastructure, services and attractive, demanded products.
3. Project Feasibility and Benchmarking:
Benchmarking in itself is of little value unless true comparisons can be made. With over 250 destinations, properties, hotels and tourism services assessed over the past decade, few others have the ability and knowledge to make these comparisons and understand the trajectory of trends in this economic sector.
From a sustainable destination point of view, it must be borne in mind: While hotels and resorts may be built, renovated and then replaced, and hotel management companies may come and go, with activities and services evolving over time, it must be the aim of the destination to ensure the environment and national assets to which the traveler is attracted is preserved. Stability, and not just growth for growths’ sake, is the primary guiding aim and principle.
4.Management and Operations:
A reoccurring need within any project development is specific expertise provided by professional management and operators to ensure developments are ‘fit-for-purpose’. Our approach is more personal and committed, driven by personal passion for tourism, hospitality, the environment and recognition that a sustainable future means we find a better way to do things. The right ‘mix’ and the right ‘fit’ of the professionals involved means that each development and destination is gets the expertise it needs.
From luxury hospitality to ecotourism operators, from boutique hotels to cruise terminal operators to spa design experts and operators: There is a world of expertise available to take up the role of operating key destination tourism assets.
5.Schedules and Timelines:
Every strategy needs adherence and measurement of progress via a proposed a timeline and a set of performance criteria. Monitoring the evolution of demand and maturation of the markets within the destination is essential to maintaining a responsive and proactive approach to trends and via data capture and monitoring over time.
Project Management Office
The structure of the PMO can take many forms: Varying from being the ‘department’ responsible for transformation, in other cases being the coordination body between tourism sectors, or being responsible for the execution of specific products and services, a ‘Product Cluster’ or an overarching destination development strategy.
• Experience shown that PMO’s are highly effective if armed with clear goals, and a mandate to execute the program they are responsible for. With a mandate contained within an approved Project Charter underwritten by the destination at City, State, Cabinet or National level they are capable of driving successful projects.
• The PMO is equally effective if deployed within the Tourism Authority or National Tourism Office where the organization can go about its routine business without interruption, with the PMO focusing on strategy development, change management or new operational processes.
