Solimar International - Solimar Team

Europe

• Tourism Information and Promotion Program, Brasov County, Romania

Project Partner: Chemonics International and USAID
Project Description: Assisted the Brasov County Tourism Association in the design and implementation of a county tourism information and promotion program. Assessed needs for the visitor information centers and destination tourism portal. Developed specifications and budgets for implementation. Conducted a series of Geotourism workshops with National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations. Provided training to the staff of the Tourism Information Centers. Worked with tourism stakeholders in a small agriculture community to enhance the visitor’s experience, help guesthouses improve their product and register their business with the government, created marketing materials for the destination, and developed a destination management company to implement a marketing and sales program. (March – Present, 2006)

• Tourism Trade and Investment Plan Implementation, Bosnia & Herzegovina

Project Partner: JE Austin and USAID
Project Description: Created a plan for tourism-related market development and investment promotion. Initiated the implementation of those plans, including the design of visitor intercept and exit surveys, a market outreach strategy, development of a targeted tour operator database, interviews with those operators, a strategy and database for participation at targeted trade fairs, development of a scope of work for cluster website development, creation of a partnership between government and other development agencies for tourism-relate investment promotion, and an assessment of potential investment promotion targets. (November-December 2005)

•Tourism Competitive Cluster Activity (CCA), Bosnia & Herzegovina

Project Partner: JE Austin and USAID
Project Description: Defined and will assist in implementing a one-year work plan to promote tourism cluster development in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Activities will include travel trade product assessments, market research, design and execution of special events, and tourism-related investment promotion.

•Agro-Tourism Study, Agro-biodiversity Conservation Project, Serbia

Project Partner: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Resources, World Bank GEF
(February 2006– present)

•Rural and Mountain Tourism Technical Assistance, Montenegro

Project Partner: Montenegro Business Alliance and United States Department of State
Project Description: Worked with local NGOs, business owners, government officials, and individuals in northern Montenegro to assess the tourism products of the region, benchmark against similar areas around the world that are successfully attracting tourists and work with individuals on product improvement, market access, and linkages with other tourism businesses and regions. (October 2006)

• Cultural and Heritage Workshop Series, Montenegro

Project Partner: Montenegro Business Alliance and United States Department of State
Project Description: Worked with the U.S. Consulate in Montenegro and the Montenegro Business Alliance to conduct a series of workshops on cultural and heritage tourism and rural mountain tourism. Worked with business owners, government officials, and local residents to determine how they could enhance their tourism products. (May 2006)

•Western Balkan Region Conference Design “Our Common Sustainable Future in Europe”

Project Partner: UNDP
(February – March 2006)

• Tourism Workshop Development, Norway

Project Partner: National Geographic Society Center for Sustainable Destinations and Innovation Norway
Project Description: Designed a 2-day Geotourism Workshop to educate participants about geotourism (sustainable tourism) and help community leaders develop strategic plans for tourism in their regions. This flexible workshop will be conducted throughout Norway and is designed for use around the world.

• Ecotourism Development and Planning, Bulgaria Biodiversity Conservation and Economic Growth Project

Project Partner: ARD and USAID
Project Description: Principle Investigator for planning and development strategy. Supervised an MBA Consulting Practicum which conducted rapid assessments of tourism potential in the surrounding communities near the Rila and Central Balkan National Parks in Bulgaria. (May – June, 2001)