RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AWARD – BEST PERSONAL CONTRBUTION CATEGORY – FOR Nominee Diana McIntyre-Pike, Countrystyle Community Tourism Network, Jamaica
Achievements in Responsible Tourism
- Within the last 5 years
Over the last 5 years I have started the process of establishing my personal initiative the Community Tourism Village programme through my company Countrystyle Community Tourism Network in association with the International Institute for Peace through Tourism Caribbean chapter which includes community experience tours, village stays and developing a close relationship with Sandals Resorts International Ltd whose Chairman, Mr. Gordon Butch Stewart visited one of the communities and endorsed the village tour programme as a potential attraction for Sandals guests. I created a marketing approach to offer visitors tailor made tours and packages depending on their interest and budget which had an outreach programme of ‘pick a project’ and ‘adopt a village’ for visitors who wanted to assist communities while on vacation. This was embraced by many groups (example Alverno College USA) which motivated them to stay an average of 10 days where 11 communities were able to earn money directly and at the same time give them an opportunity to enjoy the lifestyle of the people and created ongoing relationships which has resulted in repeat visits and referrals
In addition to the marketing of the communities, I also established the Countrystyle Institute for Sustainable Tourism (CIST) to provide training to communities in basic hospitality skills, entrepreneurship and environmental awareness based at my small hotel The Astra Country Inn Mandeville. This has resulted in many community persons being gainfully employed in Jamaica and overseas in hotels, attractions etc who otherwise would have been unemployed.
I designed (in association with my company) and proposed the Jamaica Community Tourism Project as Consultants of the Sustainable Communities Foundation (SCF – the community tourism organization established by communities in the central and south area of Jamaica) and invited the St. Elizabeth Homecoming Foundation to be the co-ordinating agency (see highlights of the project attached for further information) and was the Lead Consultant for this one year project for the entire country of Jamaica
The key outputs included:
- International Community Tourism symposium organized and stage
- Community Tourism website and resource centre completed
- Draft Community tourism standards and handbook developed
- Training in community tourism awareness (including food safety & environmental awareness) product development, marketing, and entrepreneurship and successfully got HEART Trust/NTA to offer accreditation with community guides and community cooks
- Training of trainers from communities for community tourism
My company Countrystyle under my leadership was chosen as one of the 100 organizations in the world to receive an Award for Responsible Tourism in December 2007. Also my company Countrystyle and I are featured in the recent Ethical Travel Guide publication from Tourism Concern UK where visitor testimonials were featured with me as their host in Jamaica.
Founding member of the Best Community Competition and programme in Jamaica involving 180 communities.
I designed and co-ordinated the 1st IIPT International Community Tourism Retreat in Jamaica in June 2008 with funding support from the Ministry of Tourism’s Tourism Enhancement Fund for community persons to attend and also to implement a research of 13 communities throughout Jamaica to gather data information with the assistance of Interns from universities in Jamaica for the planned two Year Community Tourism programme. The Community Tourism Village programme was endorsed by all who attended and the IIPT Founder/President Mr. Lou D’Amore as an international programme for community tourism through the IIPT Community Tourism Network. In addition to this, the creation of a specific community tourism entrepreneurship fund and the IIPT Caribbean Youth Community Tourism Network.
- Within the last 5 – 20 years
Over the last 20 years, the brand name of community tourism was established as the sustainable approach for the development of tourism in Jamaica and the Caribbean region through many sensitization programmes especially in the central and south area of Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Dominica, Trinidad and Grenada.
As Chairman of the Caribbean Hotel Association’s Small Hotels Committee for 8 years, I created the Caribbean Hotel Association’s Small Hotels Retreat as a major event, Small Hotel Study tour programme and Small Hotels Forum as part of the annual Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference (CHIC) which was very successful and well received.
I created a company Countrystyle International with a Community Tourism Network ( know as the Countrystyle Community Tourism Network) and co-founded a community tourism non-governmental organization for the communities called the Sustainable Communities Foundation (SCF).
Created the first community tourism overseas study tour in Jamaica with Penn State University USA with Tourism & Environment students where I designed a 10 day study programme throughout Jamaica linking them to several communities and business professionals. This was done for a period of four years.
Comments from one of the students Ethan Hawkes from Cornell University USA :
Diana McIntyre-Pike deserves great thanks for making this experience a reality at every step – starting from when she pioneered the concept and began tours before I was born. Occasionally you meet people in life who completely redefine what the human relationship can look like after a relatively short encounter, and the experience leaves you hoping one day to impart the same feeling and connection with others. In all ways – from including me in all activities to sharing many personal stories that reflect a purpose driven life passionate for Jamaica – Diana has been such a person to me.
As Diana has said, and I now feel, Jamaica will hold a special place in my being, and I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been part of the Countrystyle Tourism experience and family.
Pioneered and implemented the Fly-drive Great Escape Programme with Vacation Network Chicago for over 46 small hotels in Jamaica which included a tour book, car and coupons to stay at small hotels throughout Jamaica without reservations.
Trained representatives of over 30 communities in Trinidad through TIDCO in Community Tourism in 1999 which has resulted in the formation of a Foundation for Community Tourism in Trinidad.
Founded the Rebecca Pike Foundation for Sick Children in 1991 and committed US$1.00 per room per day from the Astra Country Inn towards the fund-raising drive.
Assisted the Sustainable Communities Foundation to design the Jamaica Community Tourism Project which was approved as a 12 month project for Jamaica including the hosting of a Jamaica Community Tourism Symposium/1st IIPT Caribbean Community Tourism Conference May 2003, Community Tourism Website, training of Communities Island-wide in product development, marketing, entrepreneurship and trainers in community tourism.
Spearheaded and coordinated the Caribbean Heritage Tourism Project in association with the Coalition Celebrating African Musics of the Americas, Inc Baltimore, Maryland (in developing the Afro-American market) the University of the West Indies (UWI) Institute of Hospitality & Tourism Research from April 26 – May 2 2005 including a Unique Jamaica Countrystyle Community Tourism Workshop & Expo for Community Tourism Entrepreneurs at the Mandeville Hotel on May 1 2005
Awarded City & Guilds, London Institute Fellowship (Masters Equivalent) in Tourism Management in 2006 in recognition of my many years of work in sustainable community tourism.
- Vision for the next 5 – 10 years
My vision for the next 5 – 10 years is to further develop and implement the IIPT Community Tourism Village programme( which is my personal initiative for sustaining communities through tourism) first throughout Jamaica and the Caribbean as a community tourism model for the world. I also would like to establish a Central Community Tourism Office/Secretariat to network with community-based organizations, non-governmental organizations, community persons, funding agencies, government bodies to provide training, marketing, business development and funding support for community projects which enables citizens to become entrepreneurs in their own environment especially the yotth.
In addition to this, I would like to have wireless communities, conflict resolution centres, visitor/community information centres, community theatres, homestay, farm vacations and recreational centres in every village.
I would like to see the further development of training programmes in community tourism and the establishment of certificate and degree programmes from Jamaican and international universities in community tourism. I have already started the process of getting interest in this programme from local and international universities.
Finally, I would like to see every citizen being able to be a partner and entrepreneur in the hospitality business within their own environment and be trained in the business of community tourism to enable them to work together with existing large and small hotels to offer an exciting and diverse community experience to their guests.