Information Systems and standards for the sustainable development of Rocha
The initiative want to reach a shared vision for the Rocha Tourism Cluster: “Rocha, committed with the balance of its diversity, organized and participative, generates opportunities of competitive development. Rocha… World tourist destination.” The strategic process is based on the redefinition of an innovative offer that incorporate the territory as a whole, with a tourist offer during the year. In this way it would be possible a stable labor offer for the community.
New projects on tourism are supported with small businesses that fulfill the criteria, that incorporate good environmental practices and that are targeted to people interested on the local natural, cultural and historic ...
Sobre ti
Información de contacto
Title
Titulo
First name
Ms. Magdalena
Last name
Narbondo
Your job title
Consultora en Turismo
Name of your organization
Corporacion Rochense de Turismo (CRT)
Organization type
Tipo de organización
Annual budget/currency
Presupuesto anual
Mailing address
Dirección
Telephone number
Número de teléfono
Postal/Zip Code
Código Postal
Country
Uruguay
Website
http://Sitio web
Email address
Alternative email address
Otro e-mail
tu idea
Esta será la dirección usada para marcar tu participación en el mapa.
Street Address
Ruta 9 y ruta 15
City
Rocha
Estado/Provincia
Rocha
Postal/Zip Code
Código Pos
Country
Uruguay
Geotourism Challenge Addressed by Entrant
Quality of tourist experience and educational benefit to tourists , Quality of benefit to residents for the destination , Quality of tourism management by destination leadership , Quality of stewardship of the destination.
Organization size
Small (1 to 100 employees)
Indicate sector in which you principally work
Destination-stewardship business
Year innovation began
2007
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Indicate sector in which you principally work
General tourism, General destination stewardship/management.
Nombre de tu proyecto
Information Systems and standards for the sustainable development of Rocha
Describe Your Idea
The initiative want to reach a shared vision for the Rocha Tourism Cluster: “Rocha, committed with the balance of its diversity, organized and participative, generates opportunities of competitive development. Rocha… World tourist destination.” The strategic process is based on the redefinition of an innovative offer that incorporate the territory as a whole, with a tourist offer during the year. In this way it would be possible a stable labor offer for the community.
New projects on tourism are supported with small businesses that fulfill the criteria, that incorporate good environmental practices and that are targeted to people interested on the local natural, cultural and historic ...
BID/FOMIN
Si perteneces a un pais de Latinoamerica y el Caribe tienes la oportunidad de presentar tu iniciativa para acceder a fondos para innovaciones en turismo sostenible del BID/FOMIN (para mayor informacion leer la seccion sobre la oportunidad BID/FOMIN en la pagina principal del Desafio).
Deseo postularme.
Si perteneces a un pais de Latinoamerica y el Caribe tienes la oportunidad de presentar tu iniciativa para acceder a fondos para innovaciones en turismo sostenible del BID/FOMIN (para mayor informacion leer la seccion sobre la oportunidad BID/FOMIN en la pagina principal del Desafio).
Consumidores (viajeros), Mayoristas, Agentes detallistas, Operadores de Turismo, Prestatarios de servicios turísticos, Prestatarios de servicios no turísticos (proveedores), Grupos comunitarios autóctonos, Atractivos naturales y culturales.
Indica cuales de estas tematicas cubre tu innovacion (elige todas aquellas opciones que apliquen)
Cartografía, Planificación y Gestión de destinos, Innovación y diversificación en el desarrollo de productos turísticos, Profesionalización, buenas prácticas y certificación de servicios turísticos sostenibles, Estrategias y herramientas innovadoras para la promoción y puesta en mercado de destinos y productos en turismo sostenible y geoturismo..
Innovación
What is the goal of your innovation? Please describe in one sentence the kind of impact, change, or reform your approach is intended to achieve.
To achieve a sustainable development of the tourism in the area of Rocha (Uruguay) with innovation and responsible management of its resources.
Please write an overview of your project. Include how your approach supports or embodies geotourism or destination stewardship. This text will appear when people scroll over the icon for your entry on the map located on the competition homepage.
The initiative want to reach a shared vision for the Rocha Tourism Cluster: “Rocha, committed with the balance of its diversity, organized and participative, generates opportunities of competitive development. Rocha… World tourist destination.” The strategic process is based on the redefinition of an innovative offer that incorporate the territory as a whole, with a tourist offer during the year. In this way it would be possible a stable labor offer for the community.
New projects on tourism are supported with small businesses that fulfill the criteria, that incorporate good environmental practices and that are targeted to people interested on the local natural, cultural and historic value. We work with students of primary and high school and campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of tourism as a activity and professional development sector, the appreciation of the heritage, culture and history of the region.
For the continuity of the initiative it is added the necessity of quality certifications on Sustainable Tourism (Green Globe), the identification of sustainable tourism indicators (WTO/UNEP) and the incorporation of new information and communication technologies (TIC’s). It is added an Internet service of geo-referenced information (cartography) that helps in the spreading of the offer and as a tool for sustainable management of the involved resources.
Explain in detail why your approach is innovative
The approach is innovative because of the participative method of work, based on the strategic definition of the tourist destination. The community as a whole is incorporated with representative of all the towns sharing a common vision. That vision promotes the development of the local tourism preserving its own identity and ensuring a responsible management of the natural richness of the Atlantic Ocean, its lagoons, hills, and production related to tourism. In the same way it is promoted the appreciation of the culture and its history reflected on the gastronomy, art, forts and fortresses (colony times) and hills of the indigenous people, fulfilling the principles of geotourism.
Another innovative aspect is the implementation of a Geo-referenced Information System that can be check online. It would incorporate an element of international positioning, to let the world know the tourist offer of the Department. This system will be used as a tool for sustainable management of the tourist resources and in the recovery of the historical heritage. The international certification of the sustainable destination would make Rocha a unique destination in Uruguay, focused on the preservation of the resources and well-being of the community both socially and economically.
Impacto
Describe the degree of success you have had to date. How do you measure, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the impact on sustainability or enhancement of local culture, environment, heritage, or aesthetics? How has it transformed or contributed to the power of place or demonstrated the sustainability of tourism? How does your approach minimize negative impacts?
The project is centered on the decentralization, supporting projects during the low season. This is generator of stable labor offer, a focus on local businessmen that keep their offer/product the whole year and in the community as responsible of the development. Quantitatively, it is measured in the increase of open tourist entrepreneurships during the year and in the number of employment generated. Qualitatively it can be measured in the different offer of sun and beach. The offer integrates history, culture, gastronomy and the territory with a responsible use of the resources.
The impact of the project it is measured with the number of people that have access to specialized training on tourism and their development in the region. A number of young people choose Tourism for their education and specialization. The impact is also measured with the number of tourists that arrive to Rocha during the low season.
With the identification of critical indicators for the success of the project it can be measured the impact from a social, economic and environmental point of view. The certifications will have a component that measures the progress of the destination since the sustainability point of view.
In what ways are local residents actively involved in your work, including participation and community input? How has the community responded to or benefited from your approach?
Since the beginning the methodology of work has been participative with a strong leadership of the CRT. The vision and the strategy were defined by the local actors and the actions were specified by themselves.
The CRT together with the technical team of PACMYMES has periodical meetings with representatives of all the towns. During the selection processes of the Cluster initiative the CRT is part of the selection committee. Each strategic line has a referent that acts as intermediary between the program and the community. The program also offer support with a facilitator that coordinates and articulates.
How does your program promote traveler enthusiasm, satisfaction, and engagement with the locale?
The program incorporate tools of the GIS to prepare a series of maps on the Internet that allows to measure distances, to place points of interest and services, and to define circuits. The maps are dynamic so the user can interact with them and to look up information about the destination from any part of the world, sharing and knowing other people’s experiences.
We want to set a comprehensive offer that invite the visitors to participate in the local production (agrotourism, gastronomy, craft fishing), to live the nature (by experiencing dunes, hills, flora and fauna, fortresses, activities in the lagoons, etc.), and to know the history and culture (horse rides, visits to fortresses and forts) by having an experience together the tourist and the community.
Describe how your work helps travelers and local residents better understand the value of the area's cultural and natural heritage, and educates them on local environmental issues.
The complete initiative promotes the appreciation of the local cultural, social and natural resources. It promotes the visitor eye witness local production and activities. The use of the geo-referenced cartography available on Internet through a system of dynamic maps is not just an element of tourist support but a tool to take decisions related to sustainable management of tourist products and destinations.
Esta presentación se trata de
Sostenibilidad
How is your initiative currently financed? If available, provide information on your finances and organization that could help others. Please list: Annual budget, annual revenue generated, size of part-time, full-time and volunteer staff.
(no más de 150 palaThe financing is from PACPYMES (support from the European Unions), public funds (Ministry of Tourism, local government of Rocha and DINOT and ANEP, and funds from the private sector (beneficiaries of approved projects).
The CRT has programmed a reactivation campaign of members as a source of financing. There is also a commitment from the private operators to co-finance every project (individual or collective) that is in the same direction of the vision of Rocha. The financing of PACPYMES is 75% and it does not include investment on infrastructure or fixed actives.
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Is your initiative financially and organizationally sustainable? If not, what is required to make it so? Is there a potential demand for your innovation?
The initiative also needs external financing for the implementation of all the actions planned. The CRT as an organization that gathers tourism groups has planned its sustainability with its own activity and the commitment of the members. However, external support is necessary to add technology or for the certification process on sustainable tourism.
What are the main barriers you encounter in managing, implementing, or replicating your innovation? What barriers keep your program from having greater impact?
The main barriers are related to financing, technical consultancy, training of human resources and technical capacity in the territory. At a local level is limited. It’s also necessary a social commitment in the whole Department. The government changes are challenges for the implementation of this kind of approach. The success is directly related to the ability of private/public articulation that can change from one administration to another. The development of the infrastructure is necessary and insufficient.
What is your plan to expand or further develop your approach? Please indicate where/how you would like to grow or enhance your innovation, or have others do so.
The project has a long term focus. Each line of action is focused on rising people awareness about sustainable tourism development and on training human resources. It is possible to appreciate tourism as an activity and professional development sector. The society is involved in the project. Visitors are satisfied. The innovation on information technologies for marketing and management of the destination will be constant. We expect to incorporate the implemented innovations in Rocha in other neighboring departments (Maldonado, Treinta y Tres, Lavalleja) to expand, improve and complement the offer.
La historia
Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers' marketing material.
The CRT is formed by organizations related to tourism (commissions, NGOs, tourism leagues), ADEATUR (rural tourism association), Ministry of Tourism and the local government of Rocha. During 2003 and 2007 the Corporation wasn’t working and it resumed its activities at the end of May 2008. The main goals of the CRT are:
1. To represent the member organizations.
2. To link and promote public and private cooperation.
3. To promote the development of the tourism in all its expressions in the Department of Rocha.
4. To support and to stimulate research and tourist information systems.
5. To promote and to make feasible training on tourism.
What is the origin of your innovation? Tell the Changemakers and media communities what prompted you to start this initiative.
The CRT is a non-profit civil association created in 1993 by a group of tourist operators worried about the importance of association to achieve and boost actions that contribute to the tourist development of Rocha. The CRT together with the town council, represented by the community, applied in September 2007 to the support of the program PACPYMES, its methodology, technical consultancy and co-financing from the European Union. In November 2007 the Rocha Tourism Cluster is selected and begins a strategic definition process for the development of the tourism in the region.
Between February and May 2008 it was made a participative diagnosis of the tourism situation of Rocha, in which actors of the Cluster participated with the technical support of experts on sustainable tourism. People of each town were interviewed to understand the situation of each region, its needs, values and own identity. After the diagnosis it is defined a vision of the tourism of Rocha that will guide actions to support the program. In this strategic process are defined four strategic lines:
1. To promote the creation and profesionalization of tourist services and products to ensure an innovative, diverse and attractive offer that involves the whole territory.
2. To conceive and articulate a group of actions to position Rocha as a tourist destination in the world market.
3. To build a collective culture of tourism.
4. To strengthen and/or to create participation spaces and public/private interorganizational coordination mechanisms.
We work on specific actions inside each strategic line not only in the redefinition level of the offer, identification of new markets but in positioning, training and rising awareness of the society and strengthening of the CRT.
Up to now, the Cluster has assigned funds for actions during 2009. The PACPYMES program ends in December 2009. After this date the Cluster will continue with a leadership centered on the CRT and local actors that guided this process. There is an extra need of financing to continue the strategic process.
Describe some unique tourist experiences that your approach provides. Be specific; give illustrative examples.
Rocha is a region that has a diverse tourist offer. More than 200 km of seashores are combined with a territory that is different for its biodiversity, its unique ombu woodland and the biggest palm grove, lagoons and dunes. In the region it can be watched right whales and seals. It’s possible to fish shrimps. Rocha has more than 51% of the protected surface inside the only Reserve of Biosphere approved by UNESCO in Uruguay in June of 1976.
Rocha maintains its natural spirit of a region almost unexplored, giving the tourist a unique experience. The organization and appreciation of the offer through tools of the Geographic Information System (GIS) and other innovative elements helps the caring and satisfaction of the visitor.
What types of partnerships or professional development would be most beneficial in spreading your innovation?
Because it is a development program for a wide and heterogeneous territory as Rocha, it is essential the public/private integration and the alliances between organizations. The certifications on sustainable tourism need both community and environmental representatives’ involvement, planning of the destination, and territorial order among other things. The CRT would be link between parties to achieve the goals. At all stages it is necessary the technical consultancy both in the development and use of new information and communication technologies and the process of quality certification.
 | 204 weeks ago Patricia Breuer Moreno submitted this idea. |