Experience

Tourism with purpose, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand

Frank Cuypers' work with the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand resulted in a courageous destination management plan that centered around principles of regenerative tourism. In behalf of Destination Think he has led a highly collaborative process in the Bay of Plenty, including leading workshops with residents and the Māori community, engaging residents, visitors (past and potential) and with the local government, and working closely with key industry stakeholders. As an outcome of the process, Bay of Plenty owns a very progressive destination management plan that is taking responsible tourism to a new level and aims at regeneration.

Reference: Kristin Dunne, former CEO Tourism Bay of Plenty.

Similar work our team members did in Bali, Cyprus, Meetjesland, Sri Lanka, Taos,(New Mexico), Ketchikan (Alaska), Lake Tahoe (Nevada), Maine, Tampere. Cases and references can be provided.

Restorative Strategy Mulanje, Malawi

Remaining true to our principles, the conception of this plan was achieved through a process of co-creation with the local population, obtaining approval from tribal chiefs, and maintaining constant communication with all stakeholders. The MLESI plan is a qualitative growth strategy that demonstrates that regeneration in this area serves two important goals: educating visitors by providing them with information and involving tourism in community development.

Reference: Carl Brueslow, CEO MMCT and Moffat Kayembe,Programs Officer Responsible Forest Co-Management and Sustainable Livelihoods MMCT

Similar work our team members did in New Zealand, Belgium and Australia. Cases and references can be provided.

Narrative and Brand Development, Auckland, New Zealand

There is no such thing as a tourism brand, an economic brand, and a citizen brand. They cannot be considered separately. A place has only one brand, one reputation. A brand is an ecosystem, and understood this well. That's why ATEED (now Auckland Unlimited), collaborated with Frank Cuypers as senior strategist of Destination Think to uncover Tāmaki Maukara's identities. The process involved extensive research and collaboration with residents and stakeholders to develop a brand that is not only co-created with, but also supported by the community. In Tāmaki Maukara's case, this co-creation involved collaborative workshops, focus groups, and engagement with Māori community members. In-depth research with Auckland stakeholders and residents, international sentiment analysis and a review of Auckland's social media and online communications, led to the final development of a self-service digital brand home, brand-aligned campaigns and a brand recovery strategy when COVID-19 struck.

Reference: Shelley Watson, Director, Clair Barker, Head of Brand

Similar work our team members did in Munich, Grand Junction, Launceston, Colorado, Aruba, Ottawa, Saskatchewan, Calgary, Dublin, California. Cases and references can be provided.

Destination Development Plan, Aspen, Colorado

When still working with Destination Think, one of our founders crafted a comprehensive destination management plan for Aspen, Colorado, spanning from 2022 to 2027. This plan established a structured framework encompassing three strategic priorities: tackling visitor pressure, enriching the Aspen experience, and safeguarding the town's small-town character. These strategic priorities provided valuable guidance to the Aspen Chamber Resort Association, enabling them to effectively confront the challenges identified by the community. As a direct outcome of this plan, the first priority led to the development of the 3 C model of visitor management: Capacity, Compression, and Comfort. This model was expertly facilitated by Fair Place, enabling the effective management of visitors in Aspen.

Reference: Eliza Voss, VP destination management ACRA

Similar work our team members did in Western Australia, Flanders, New Zealand, Denmark. Cases and references can be provided.