The concept is based on the participation of all actors involved in tourism development, local government leader- ship and coordination through this management technique advocacy sector.

Article provided by EUROCHILE

Pica, a non conventional tourist destination, Dinosaur footprints on its valleys, or its lemon “of pica” production in the zone, which is known and used to prepare the Chilean typical cocktail called Pisco Sour. Its main project and tourism attraction is concentrated on its administration, technically known as the “manager”, who leads a Board of directors represented by both the Public and Private sector. The model is named “gestion de destino” which means destination management.

The Stegosaurus dinosaur that lived in the agriculture oasis, is an example of one pilot project. The concept of this project is in charge of the promotion of the local tourism and it’s handled by the different agents, headed by the local governments in coordination with the technical managing boards of this area.

This project lined up by SERNATUR (Public National Tourism Promotion Service of Chile) and EuroChile, supported by InnovaChile of CORFO, (www.innovacion.cl ) a model transferred from the Italian Region of Friuli Venezia Guilia (Trieste).

This is a worldwide tendency which is applied successfully as a model in lots of places around the world, such as the Baleares Islands, the Canary Islands, Heidelberg, Queensland, Townsville, Anatolia and Florianopolis Brazil are some of the examples of it. For Veronica Barrera, Territorial Specialist and Manager of the destination Pica, says that the main credits are for the team work developed creating a management group headed by SERNATUR and of course of the Municipality authorities and its Mayor. “On June 2006, starting from a strategic diagnosis, we started to build information identifying local actors. Later, we organized workshops for development, where the farmers and local commerce were the main ac- tors. This way was how we managed to create a public and private board”.

The creation of business plans allow the indigenous com- munities enroll for public funds through bids and help them to promote and consolidate their products for tourism, is an example of one of the duties that the managing board is in charge as the facilitator Veronica Barrera says, and in general, the board is strongly promoting training programs.

Destination management:
The key for National Tourism Business
Competitiveness
According to the World Economic Forum Ranking, in terms of tourism competition, Chile is located behind Costa Rica in the 46th position. Only Torres Del Paine and Easter Is- land are in the list of the most attractive places of the world for tourists of special interests on the 115th place in the rank, published by the Traveler Magazine of National Geographic.

The Country’s challenge, is to “work all these destinations as Companies” states Sebastian Iglesias, Managing Director of Development, SERNATUR. He explains that this project model for Destination Management is the key for a project co financed by the Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo
(BID) Bank, with the total amount of 40 million USD. The idea has 3 working areas: Develop a new tourism destination offer of Chile and support the private Business Competitiveness and strengthen the Public Office. This last statement highlights the promotion of the Destination Management. In Chile there are 13 local cities that have been declared as Areas of Tourism Interest by the (ZOIT) and other 19 are in the process of obtaining this credit. Iglesias, says that “The challenge today in that in a short period of time, ZOIT becomes more than just a territory area of interest statement.

Also make plans of coordination for tourism were this project model will be applied. Joseph Ejarque, is an expert academic of marketing and tourism management. He has written many publications about the topic, management for the Friuli Venezia Giulia Destination in Italy and has leaded processes to transfer this work process. As he states, “small cities and towns, have to develop competitive tourism products, and that will be at the market level demand. Its evident that to do marketing and advertising to be head of a tourism market isn’t enough, but the solution is to design and create innovating touristic products, outstanding all the natural territory resources such as gastronomy, natural environment, monuments, story and even social and local traditions.”