Tourism Experience

Blackstone has longstanding experience in tourism planning in Canada and in a number of countries around the world. We are particularly strong in the area of alternative tourism, including nature-based, cultural heritage and community-based development. Our work has included preparation of a number of comprehensive national tourism development strategies, among them, a very well-received National Ecotourism Strategy for Belize that continues to be implemented, alternative/eco tourism strategies for Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and areas of Poland and Siberia, and others. We have worked in over 15 countries of the Caribbean, giving us a comprehensive understanding of tourism's effects on island and coastal environments. In recent years we have been commissioned to undertake several assignments related to cultural heritage conservation and development for tourism, including a management strategy for the Republic of Georgia and a major project for two cities in China. We have also developed a cultural tourism strategy for Canada's newest Territory, Nunavut, where we undertook an extensive stakeholder consultation process and market study to match local interests/assets with potential demand. In Jamaica, we assisted the Parish of Portland, a largely "forgotten" tourism destination in the country, to identify its key priorities, and then prepared applications and solicited the support of various funding sources to develop some "early actions" for community-based initiatives.

We have also become known for our innovative work related to assessments of the various "linkages" between tourism and other sectors. For example, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation retained us to examine the linkages between tourism and transportation in the province. The Government of the Bahamas has retained our services on several occasions, including a project to develop a strategy for strengthening the linkages between the country's tourism industry and the other sectors of the economy. In Bolivia, we carried out a project to evaluate the linkages between the tourism industry and infrastructural needs, such as transportation, power, water and sanitation.

Blackstone is very strong in both tourism product development and analysis of global markets. As a result of years of on-going primary market research, we have leading edge knowledge of global alternative tourism market trends and their importance for destinations trying to promote their product. In a time where “competitive displacement” occurs at a frantic pace as elite/advanced travelers seek new and ever more exotic locales to visit, a clear understanding, and targeting, of markets is crucial to a destination’s success.

Project Examples:

• Republic of Georgia: Community-Based Tourism and Cultural Asset Management Strategy (World Bank) Assignment to assess cultural heritage resources, identify tourism linkages and design options for improving the sustainability of the “Fund for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage of Georgia”;

• Ningbo and Shaoxing, China Tourism and Cultural Heritage Management Project: Funded through CIDA INC. and supported by the World Bank and the two municipalities, this project involved the preservation of historically important areas and structures, and the development of tourism strategies that will link these two areas and strengthen their ability to attract responsible tourism development;

• Parish of Portland, Jamaica - "Early Actions" for Tourism: Through support of CIDA's Environmental Action Programme (ENACT), priorities for community-based tourism were identified with stakeholders, and funding solicited through various sources.

• Alternative/Cultural Tourism Strategy for Nunavut, Canada: A project for Nunavut Tourism and the Territory's Department of Sustainable Development to identify needs and interests, assess assets and resources, determine markets and generate consensus regarding a practical strategy to attract adventure and cultural tourism to the eastern arctic of Canada in a way that benefits the Inuit people.

• Assessment of Tourism Issues and Priorities in St. Lucia: A mission with World Bank staff was undertaken to identify the key issues that need to be addressed to ensure a sustainable future for tourism.

• Best Management Practices for Responsible Tourism for Trinidad and Tobago: Through Inter-American Development Bank funding, guidelines were produced following a consultation process. In addition, lessons learned from other destinations and an assessment of market potential were included;

• National Development Plan for Belize: Retained by the Inter-American Development Bank to carry out this major tourism development project for Belize over a one-year period. The highly acclaimed action plan had broad support, having been prepared through an iterative and extensive stakeholder development and consultation programme throughout the country. The "Blackstone Plan" has been formally adopted by the Government of Belize and is being implemented through a major loan through the IADB and via several other funding sources;

• National Ecotourism Strategies for Brazil and Argentina: Retained by the Inter-American Development Bank to prepare national-level strategic plans for these two large South America countries, to assist the governments in supporting and developing ecotourism development in a sustainable way;

• Ecotourism and the Inter-American Development Bank: A Strategy Paper: Retained to develop a strategy paper, or "think piece" to assist the Bank in examining how it might develop its future programming with respect to ecotourism throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

• Ecotourism Strategy for the Pantanal Region of Bolivia: Funded through CIDA, this project provided detailed ecotourism planning for a tourism region of the country, including detailed market segment analyses, tour operator interviews, resource planning, community consultations, etc.

• Ecotourism Strategy for Peru, World Bank: Blackstone was engaged by the Government of Peru, through the World Bank, to develop a comprehensive strategy for the development of the ecotourism industry in the country.

• Urban Ecotourism Strategy, City of Toronto: Retained to develop a strategy to capitalize on "green tourism" opportunities throughout the urban area, with a view to encouraging sound environmental practices and strengthened community economic development.

• Tourism/Economic Development Linkages Study, The Bahamas: Retained by the Inter-American Development Bank to help strengthen the linkages between the tourism sector and other productive sectors of the economy.

• Evaluation of CIDA-Sponsored Ecotourism Projects in Four Caribbean Countries: An analysis was undertaken of community-based efforts to establish their own tourism attractions, in order to learn what works and doesn't work in animating community participation and obtaining real results.

• Tourism and Socio-Economic Assessments, Lake Malawi National Park, Malawi: Carried out tourism and socio-economic analyses as part of a project to evaluate development potential in and around the park, which contains 5 enclave villages and has been designated as a World Heritage Site due to the area's aquatic biodiversity.

• Tourism and Transportation Linkages Study, Ontario Ministry of Transportation: Study to examine the linkages between all transport modes and establish the role of passenger transportation in promoting and supporting Ontario's tourism sector.

• Tourism Strategy Assistance - Olsztyn, Poland: This project, through the Canadian Urban Institute, entailed assistance to the city of Olsztyn to determine its tourism potential, and institutional, infrastructural and marketing requirements.

• Tourism Study, Siberia, Russia: A mission to Gorno-Altaisk and Krasnoyarsk in central Siberia, to identify ecotourism opportunities and design a programme for action for a private sector consortium;

• Winter Tourism Strategy for Turkey: S. Davidson and B. Lamb directed this project for a large engineering firm. Working with a ski resort facility planner, we developed a Master Plan for winter tourism as well as detailed financial and market feasibility analyses and physical plans for a major resort and established a plan for winter tourism throughout the country at several other ski destinations;

• Caribbean Tourism Study: Barbara Lamb directed this study for a large management consulting company. The project involved preparation of national tourism development strategies for eight countries along with an assessment of the net economic and social costs and benefits of an investment in tourism infrastructure.