Last week I visited a local rural community called Brasso Seco. It is a beautiful village in the northern range. I went with the intention of assessing what way I can assist them in their community tourism endeavours. It was basically a small introduction where I met the members of their tourism action committee to discuss how I can assist them. They have an excellent raw product with large expanses of land, a number of endemic species, and gorgeous hiking trails. After the discussion we concluded that the reason for the inconsistent level of tourism arrivals was a lack of marketing. A number of other issues were also raised, one being the lack of regulation when it comes to outside access to the environment. One of the issues that arose was that locals would come and drive straight through the community and utilize the trails that are maintained by the community members.
I have offered my assistance on the business side of the project. I am preparing a document for them that would entail product development and helping them with a branding and a marketing strategy. Its my first real project in working with a community and trying to tie business with sustainable development, so I’m very excited. I would be working through The Cropper Foundation on this project and I’m confident we can put together a good plan.
