|
|
| Home Page | Hubs and multidestination packages could dynamize ALC tourism |
|
TURISM |
Hubs and multidestination packages could dynamize ALC tourism
The tourist sector is vital for the economies in the region. Even though it receives regular support from development banking, it is necessary to focus efforts and undertake actions for developing new tourist destinations with potential and to support entrepreneur projects in this industry.
These are some experiences and comments shared by representatives of development banks in the ALIDE Technical Committee meeting for the Financing of Tourism.
In the 2008-2010 period, world recession has negatively impacted ALC tourism in different extents. For this reason, our countries were told to analyze tourist market behavior (demand) in the region and to examine what could be offered to tourists, how to do it and which markets to address. An immediate way to determine our priorities in this industry was to achieve greater tourist efficiency in order to reduce the operational cost of activities. This would enable to have more resources for the sector, instead of making new investments in assets.
Equally, it was recommended to examine how to market Latin America and the Caribbean region (ALC) as a joint tourist destination. The committee’s vice-president, Donald Charles, mentioned that tourism is already established in the major ALC cities, such as Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, in Brazil, and it is necessary to promote other destinations such as Manaus, in Brazil, or Montevideo, in Uruguay, as they would have a potential expansion in the tourist industry.
“If we are able to create multidestination packages to these cities, what ALC is capable to offer to foreign visitors could be shown fully. By having more safety and less violence in these cities, the inflow and stay of tourists would be larger of what it is now, and so incomes would also increase. Therefore, it is necessary to expand tourism towards other cities in Latin America, from traditional destinations”, pointed out Donald. At the same time, he wondered: How can we achieve this? How to show all the tourist attractions in the region and benefit collectively by promoting the region as a whole?.
Another way to promote ALC is by through tourist attractions based on its culture, art, and diversification, which can favor the development of local artisans making souvenirs that can be sold in different destinations in the region. This would be a way to export and expand the potential market that is to be achieved by the ALC regarding tourism.With regard to tourist offer, it was highlighted that ALC can offer a wide variety of theme areas, patrimony, and tourist attractions. Among them we have: the cultural history and heritage, architecture, colorful dance festivals, handicrafts, nightlife, passion for soccer, hotels and restaurants, coffee, wines, biological diversity, flora and fauna, wildlife preservation, quietness, Amazon forest, tropical swamps, palm trees and sunshine, farmhouses, famous lakes, water activities (swimming, fishing, sailing, canoeing), biking, hiking, active volcanoes, waterfalls, grottoes, lakes, and XIII century churches. This and more is what ALC can offer the world.
The big question is how we can define strategies and undertake actions to promote and offer all these attractions to the world and place ALC as a Premium tourist destination. So, it is necessary that DFIs establish agreements to define research to determine the market demand, and how ALC countries will take advantage of these combined destinations to supplement existing resources in major cities. All this can be achieved, while expanding and diversifying tourism towards less developed areas to increase their economic activity.
HUBS AND MULTIDESTINATION PACKAGES.
In the Tourism Committee meeting, it was proposed to develop Hubs in ALC in order to facilitate visitors’ trips, more effectively and widely, within this region.
It was observed that it would be of a great interest to create a hub in Brazil in order to facilitate the transit of passengers and the development of multidestination packages from Europe for 10 or 15 days to ALC. If so, stay programs could be established (with tours along the Amazon) and from there travelling to Southern cities (Santiago, Asuncion, Buenos Aires, and Montevideo) would be easy.
These accesses can be created without requiring much equipment, by taking advantage of existing routes. By developing these hubs, tourism can begin to be expanded, multidestination packages offered, and the ALC region placed as a Premium location and an educational destination. Multidestination packages can include multiair tickets and multilodges.
This implies carrying out a marketing plan and specially to prepare a study to identify needs and the size of the tourist market. Once achieved, the promotion plan can be designed to attract visitors to ALC, and then each country individually can prepare its marketing to attract visitors and develop its national tourism.
A good opportunity to put these ideas into practice is the World Games in Brazil (the Soccer Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016). The whole world is focusing in Brazil because of these two events, and if we can promote tourism in the region as a whole to supplement what Brazil will offer in these two events, we will contribute to the development of sustainable tourism while working for the region to become a Premium tourist destination. DFI support and initiatives
To develop tourist industry we need to:
Offer quality services and tourist assistance, and to promote the best practices in hotel resorts. |
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
E_learning 
