Developing CommunityBased Niche Tourism Products Presented by the

Developing Community-Based Niche Tourism Products Presented by the Countrystyle Community Tourism Network/Villages as Businesses JAMAICA By Diana Mc. Intyre-Pike President/Founder

Today we will EXPLORE The Concept Role Benefits The Market Linkage Opportunities The Experiences Best Practices Way Forward- Group Activity

THE CONCEPT Authentic Community-based experiences targeted to the international and local market, developed and directly driven by and for the sustainable development of the host community and its residents.

THE CONCEPT: Core Principles Cultural Authenticity Community Participation & Benefit Protection of Environment Integrated with local industries & businesses

THE ROLE Building Participation in Tourism Products & Experiences Developed by and for the Community Direct Foreign Exchange Earning Opportunity Enables Direct Access to International Market Builds Community BRAND and Civic PRIDE

THE BENEFITS Access To International Markets Boosts Local Businesses through Access to Market Direct Foreign Exchange Earnings Local Employment & Entrepreneurship Potential Development of Export Market for local goods Building of Community Pride Unveiling Research and Knowledge of Community Sustaining Heritage & Culture Limits Rural Push Funds and Volunteers for Social Development Cross-Cultural Sharing Sustaining Natural Environment The Benefits Lie not only in the OUTCOME but also in the PROCESS

THE MARKET Based on a Special Interest Educated Seeking Escape from Mass/Traditional Tours Need for Authenticity and Enriched Experience Responsible Travelers: Socially & Environmentally Conscious Non-Traditional Channels: Book Direct

LINKAGES Agriculture Manufacturing • Farm to Table Cuisine Experiences • Utilization of produce in all experiences • Agro-progressing of local produce for sale • Furniture and gift items in community accommodation and sale Creative Industry Community Projects • Local Performers and storytellers utilized in experiences • Visual art available for sale or on display • Volun. Tourism • Schools and projects as experiences

Experiences- Based on Special Interest Cultural tourism Heritage Tourism Nature Tourism Eco-Tourism Church Tourism Spiritual Tourism Health & Wellness Tourism Adventure Tourism Graveyard Tourism Ghost Hunting Tourism Senior Citizen Tourism Educational Tourism Post Office Tourism Cuisine Tourism Rasta Tourism Sports Tourism Caribbean Diaspora Tourism or ROOTS TOURISM Agrotourism Volunteer and Outreach Tourism

BEST PRACTICES * Case Studies

JAMAICA – HOME OF COMMUNITY TOURISM • JAMAICA – HOME OF COMMUNITY TOURISM – ENDORSED BY THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR PEACE THROUGH TOURISM (IIPT) • The Countrystyle ‘Community Lifestyle Experience’ is offered to local and international tour operators, travel agents and the accommodation sector as required by their clients which will enhance their vacation

SUPPORT FROM THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM • Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism, through Permanent Secretary Mrs. Jennifer Griffith, has endorsed the Villages as Businesses Programme, stating that • • "It will complement the Government of Jamaica’s emerging thrust towards community-based tourism and encouraging provision of assistance to Countrystyle Community Tourism Network. "

COUNTRYSTYLE VILLAGES AS BUSINESSES • VILLAGE COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES • THE COUNTRYSTYLE COMMUNITY TOURISM VILLAGES AS BUSINESSES HOLISTIC NICHE MARKETING PROGRAMME JAMAICA • The Countrystyle Community Tourism Network Villages as Businesses programme which focuses on the development of community tourism entrepreneurs especially the youth within their own environment. • Tourism Entrepreneurship – Sustaining and Transforming Communities

COUNTRYSTYLE VILLAGES AS BUSINESSES • The Countrystyle Community Tourism Network (CCTN) is a community-based membership organization working in partnership with the Villages As Businesses organization (VAB) which is focusing on developing local communities as sustainable business enterprises offering a range of products and services which will enable communities to earn income from these businesses that can include offering community experience tours where local and international visitors can experience the lifestyle of the villages, the people, the heritage, the culture, the cuisine and so much more

COUNTRYSTYLE VILLAGES AS BUSINESSES • CCTN/VAB provides training in basic hospitality skills, small business management, product development, marketing and community governance and facilitates funding support for community project. CCTN has established an independent for profit community tourism training arm for the CCTN/VAB programme – called the Academy for Community Tourism (ACT) which will network with local and international educational partners for community tourism entrepreneurship training with the main partner being UWI OPEN CAMPUS.

COMMUNITY TOURISM HOSPITALITY ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING The Community Hospitality Entrepreneurship Programme is accredited by the UWI Open Campus and will introduce participants to the concept of Community Tourism, and the practical steps required to build hospitality products & services within their community, utilizing the community destination brand, geared to both domestic and international visitors. During the programme, participants will identify unique community assets (heritage, culture, attractions), and through a highly interactive approach build the starting components for setting up their community-based brand business, by utilizing the business model canvas. Community participants agree on next steps and begin steps to implement their project.

COMMUNITY TOURISM STUDY TOUR PACKAGE – 10 DAYS • THE UWI OPEN CAMPUS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTRYSTYLE COMMUNITY TOURISM NETWORK ARE PLANNING TO LAUNCH 10 DAY COMMUNITY TOURISM STUDY TOURS TO JAMAICA HOME OF COMMUNITY TOURISM based in MANCHESTER AND ITS ENVIRONS – 5 days entrepreneurship training and 5 days visiting communities involved with the VAB programme

BEST PRACTICES CONTD -Case Studies 1. Marvelous Mandeville Tour 2. Beeston Spring Community 3. Medical/Health Tourism- Sharon Parris Chambers 4. Resource Village: Heritage Experience 5. Sandals Foundation: Volun. Tourism 6. Rastafarian Village: Montego Bay, Jamaica 7. Manchester Peace Coalition Mandeville, Jamaica 8. BREDS Treasure Beach

FRAMEWORK for Starting AUDIT: Identify Community Assets & Resources • Community Participation • Research critical • Identify unique elements of culture, heritage, natural environment that can build an experience or product TARGET: Identify Target Markets • Identify best-fit target market that demands experiences potentially on offer DEVELOP Experience Package based on community assets • Ensure Carrying Capacity Is Set • Establish Customer Service, Health & Safety Standards • Ensure full community Buy In • Implement necessary training & development in preparation MARKET: Build Marketing Channels • Conduct Pilot Experience Runs (SAMPLING) • Establish Marketing Partnerships (Tour Operators, Local Tourism Agencies) • Establish Electronic Presence to facilitate Direct Bookings

AWARDS FOR COUNTRYSTYLE COMMUNITY TOURISM NETWORK • Islands Magazine Responsible Tourism 100 Blue List Award 2007 • Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) (Ministry of Tourism) Award for Community Tourism June 23 2008 • Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Award– chosen from 10, 000 nominees as the Best Personal Contribution in the world together with Jane Ashton of TUI Travel UK 2008

AWARDS FOR COUNTRYSTYLE COMMUNITY TOURISM NETWORK • Inducted into the Hamilton Knight Associates Career Hall of Fame in October 2009 • Islands Magazine Responsible Tourism Leadership 20 Blue List Award 2009 • Hamilton Knight Associates Career Hall of Fame Award 2009 • National Order of Distinction (OD) in Tourism & Community Service 2009 • Selected as one of the 50 World Experts in Sustainable Tourism to attend the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Sustainable Tourism Experts meeting in Switzerland in October 2011.

AWARDS FOR COUNTRYSTYLE COMMUNITY TOURISM NETWORK • National Association of Jamaicans and Supportive Organizations (NAJASO) President’s Distinguished Service Award USA July 2012 • IIPT Lifetime Award for Community Tourism November 2013 • Southwest TVET Institute/Global Entrepreneurship week ENTREPRENEUR AWARD November 2014

AWARDS FOR COUNTRYSTYLE COMMUNITY TOURISM NETWORK • Community Tourism Activist Award by the African Diaspora Tourism Network Atlanta and inducted into their Hall of Fame. 2016 • • Appointed Pan African Cultural Heritage Tourism Ambassador for Jamaica and the Caribbean 2016 • • Global Tourism Award from the Wheatle Peart Branding Organization in Chicago on August 11 2018.

TODAYS AWARD IN THE UK • IIPT TOURISM RESILENCE CHAMPIONSHIP AWARD WHICH WAS RECEIVED BY OUR DIASPORA PARTNER RUDI PAGE, CEO MAKING CONNECTIONS WORK 2022 AND THE MINISTER OF TOURISM FOR JAMAICA , HON EDMUND BARTLETT

GLOBAL RESILIENCE CHAMPIONSHIP AWARD 2019

REZA SOLTANI NEW COUNTRYSTYLE MARKETING PARTNER • Dr. Reza Soltani is a marketing psychologist (Belgium) , and speaks fluently 6 languages. • He has been working in 3 continents and visited more than 110 countries. • Reza is Specialist in branding, destination marketing and digital tourism.

REZA SOLTANI • He is editor in chief of Chinese Tourist research center in Guangzhou China www. Chinese. Tourist. News. com • Editor in chief of Travel Tourism News in The Netherlands : www. Travel. Tourism. News • Director, Int’l Marketing and Int’l Relations IIPT USA www. IIPT. org • Board of directors Tourism Forum Italy • Branding and international relations t-Forum Tourism Conferences Spain www. tforum. today • Branding Specialist of Vietnam and Laos Tourism (ministry of tourism head consultant) www. vietnam. travel • Founder of Ukraine Chernobyl Peace Tours • Co-founder of The Course Networking , University learning management application, Indianapolis USA www. The. CN. com

NEW WEBSITE VISIT COMMUNITIES. COM • REZA SOLTANI HAS CREATED A NEW WEBSITE FOR COMMUNITY TOURISM WORLDWIDE www. visitcommunities. com and for us in Jamaica www. visitcommunities. com/jamaica

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM REZA • • we need to do Branding and marketing : 1. create an active and updated website. 2. social media platforms 3. mailing list and newsletters 4. finding new partners 5. keeping in touch with old contacts 6. connecting with international organizations 7. commercializing and try to get revenue

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THANK YOU! • Diana Mc. Intyre-Pike, O. D. BSc • President/Founder, Countrystyle Community Tourism Network/Villages as Businesses (CCTN/VAB) • President International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) Caribbean • Coordinator, IIPT International Community Tourism Network • President Academy for Community Tourism (ACT) • Community Tourism partner, UWI Open Campus Caribbean • Community Tourism Consultant/Trainer • 876 -507 -6326 • iiptcaribbean@yahoo. com • www. villagesasbusinesses. com • www. accesscommunitytourism. com • www. peacetourism. org/car • www. peacetourism. org/caribbeantours