Country : Brazil

Organization: Associação 3IN

Year the initiative began: 2010

Project Website: www.3in.org.br

If your organization is located in a country in Latin America or the Caribbean you can apply for funding provided by IDB/MIF (please see the IDB/Fomin section on the competition home page for more information):
Deseo postularme

Geotourism Challenge Addressed by Entrant:

Quality of tourist experience and educational benefit to tourists, Quality of benefit to residents for the destination, Quality of tourism management by destination leadership, Quality of stewardship of the destination

Organization size:

Small (1 to 100 employees)

Indicate sector in which you principally work:
Community Organization

Considering the value chain behind sustainable tourism projects, at which level does your work have considerable impact (please choose all the categories that apply):

• Consumers (travelers)
• Wholesalers
• Agents
• Indigenous community groups

Primary field of activity:

• General destination stewardship/management

Does your innovation focus on these fields (select all that apply):

• Planning and destination management
• Innovation and product development
• Professionalization, best practices and sustainable tourism project certification
• Innovative marketing strategies for sustainable tourism and geotourism

What is the goal of your innovation? Please describe in one sentence the kind of impact, change, or reform your approach is intended to achieve.

The project is based on respect for human diversity as a means to achieve sustainable economic and social development.

Please write an overview of your project. Include how your approach supports or embodies geotourism or destination stewardship. This text will appear when people scroll over the icon for your entry on the map located on the competition homepage.

This project was developed by InterAmerican Institute on Disability and Inclusive Development - IIDI and its partners, to offer solutions to the huge repressed demand of tourists, especially the U.S., Europe and Asia, that seek sea cruises on the assumption of accessibility advantages in relation to others.These factors are, primarily, to retired people and older, who have time, money and want to travel, but are in limited mobility, usually by physical limitations, visual and hearing impairments, among others. This population has increased its life expectancy, to a certain market, growing and long term. The project is based on respect for human diversity as a means to achieve economic and social development, especially local people excluded and low income. Thus we will apply the principles of sustainability and social inclusion in tourist destinations in an integrated way, aiming to promote infrastructural, socioeconomic and cultural transformation that raises the quality of life and welfare of those who visit or live

Explain in detail why your approach is innovative.

The strategy of the project is taking advantage of a large and existing untapped market in the area of tourism and generate communities socially and environmentally responsible, economically more balanced and more inclusive for all - within the criterion of sustainable development. The proposal is to identify areas of high tourist appeal in key ports to be selected in the South American coast, between those that serve national and international maritime cruises. The idea then is to raise the resources and opportunities taking into account the natural vocation of the site and get support for an inclusive approach to the facilities and everything that is already being done there. The scope of work covers policies, services and public works, private sector initiatives and the Third Sector / Cooperation.It is also the creation of different experimental modules, according to the characteristics of each locality, which can function as a "laboratory" for the improvement of skills and approaches that can be multiplied throughout the region. In the case of Uruguay and Argentina, having followed the development of specific initiatives for the promotion of tourism for all, especially taking into account the great potential of development of social tourism in the South Cone

What is the origin of your innovation? Tell the Changemakers and media communities what prompted you to start this initiative.

This proposed approach emerged while working with the World Bank, in Santa Lucia, the Caribbean. I was seeking to integrate the theme of social inclusion to the main (and only) local industry - tourism. We use an approach of local, sustainable and inclusive development, working for the inclusion of persons with disabilities and other functional limitations. An accessible destination for visitors is necessarily accessible to those live there. Because of this experience, I was invited to coordinate a roundtable on Tourism for All Destinations in 2006, in Porto Alegre, where I came to know experiences in the Southern Cone that could be enhanced by a comprehensive proposal of Tourism, Development and Inclusion. We formed the Network of Tourism for All and began to articulate it in Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, involving different stakeholders, from government, funding agencies, specialized civil society such as Ashoka fellows. Disseminating information on the network and today there are several parts that came together to build this process

Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers' marketing material.

Rosangela Berman Bieler, Brazilian journalist and editor, is activist for the rights of people with disabilities and Master of Social Inclusion, with over 30 years experience in the area.
Her most recent work was for the World Bank, UNICEF, UNDP and several other international agencies. Rosangela is known for her expertise in issues related to disability, especially development and inclusive public policies and human rights.
Belongs to prestigious organizations of social entrepreneurship such as Ashoka and Synergos and was recognized for her work through the Kessler Rehabilitation International Prize (2004) and the Human Rights Award from International Services (2007).

Describe some unique tourist experiences that your approach provides. Be specific; give illustrative examples.

The completion of the Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean in 2005, has identified the opportunity to launch the initiative for Inclusive Tourism in St.Lucia. The expectation of the arrival of a large number of tourists from North America and Europe, many of advanced age and lack of access to port facilities in the country, concerned government and the hospitality sector in general. With funding provided by the World Bank (Trust Funds of Japan and Austria), we did a survey and technical recommendations for make accessible major tourist attractions and activities in the country. It also conducted a survey of hotels and restaurants with accessibility and training sessions for establishments to better serve elderly customers, disabled or other functional limitations. The local representative body of people with disabilities received training and developed a project, referred to Japanese Cooperation (JICA) for the donation of two adapted vans to the incoming tourists with functional diversity, opening new prospects for income generation and sustainability. By involving different stakeholders, this approach benefits those who visit and those who live in the location. Based on a lucrative market, there is a real cross-sector and interdisciplinary commitment to maintain, balance and sustain the process

What types of partnerships or professional development would be most beneficial in spreading your innovation?

The proposed approach is comprehensively "macro" and should be implemented in a context of sustainable and inclusive development. The idea is that players of various levels get involved, each one doing his part to ensure a successful approach. (See attached proposal). Agents such as IDB, World Bank, BNDES, and government agencies related to tourism, ports and urban infrastructure, service providers (taxi drivers, hotel network, food and entertainment, etc). Civil society organizations in different sectors (fair trade, training of young people against violence, environmental organizations, and tour operators, among others).

Describe the degree of success you have had to date. How do you measure, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the impact on sustainability or enhancement of local culture, environment, heritage, or aesthetics? How has it transformed or contributed to the power of place or demonstrated the sustainability of tourism? How does your approach minimize negative impacts?

The Network of Tourism for All is a combination of recent projects and activities that are already underway for many years. Others are developing their "niche" and seeing how to add their expertise to the area. Projects such as the one developed in the city of Socorro, São Paulo, show that accessible tourism is profitable. Talk with seaport managers on the coast of the Southern Cone shows the great demand for ports accessibility, which today no longer receive literally thousands of elderly tourists, disabled and other functional limitations, sometimes minimal, because the current situation is precarious and even risky for the common tourist, who has to carry a small bag for example. Historical centers, markets, tourist sites can only benefit from a large increase in visitors, due to changes in accessibility. The project uses this to expand this mentality and the Network itself in a cooperative perspective, using community and local development

In what ways are local residents actively involved in your work, including participation and community input? How has the community responded to or benefited from your approach?

The project aims to create a pilot network of destinations, through which we will establish management plans that involve the whole community, particularly aimed at addressing some problems. As each city has its own vocation and interests, any project that is in line with the approach of inclusive and sustainable development can be integrated at any time.As one of the axes of the project, the line with the Millennium Development Goals, the proposal provides for the implementation of social and economic development with the local population less favored, through partnerships

How does your program promote traveler enthusiasm, satisfaction, and engagement with the locale?

Recent studies in the U.S. (see project) show that North American adults with disabilities / reduced mobility spend on average U.S. $ 13.6 billion in tourism in 2002 These numbers tend to multiply given the current repressed demand, if the destinations move forward to offer accessibility and inclusive environment for all. We see this as a great opportunity to promote national and international tourism in the countries of South America, generating opportunities for citizen education, poverty reduction and socioeconomic development.
The idea is to create ecologically sustainable environments, socially adjusted (no violence), cultural and tourist attractions

Describe how your work helps travelers and local residents better understand the value of the area's cultural and natural heritage, and educates them on local environmental issues.

The initiative is to work with existing structures and programs, avoiding doubling work, creating occasional subprojects, or even generating unnecessary costs. The idea is that each partner that joins the network is committed to an inclusive approach to be adopted within its area of operation, using its own resources or seek funding to meet any needs of your specific area, if any. For example:
A municipality is repairing some urban infrastructure. It will incorporate elements of accessibility and universal design in the project, using its available budget allocation.

How is your initiative currently financed? If available, provide information on your finances and organization that could help others. Please list: Annual budget, annual revenue generated, size of part-time, full-time and volunteer staff.

The project is interested in applying for co-financing of FOMIN / IDB. Currently we are seeking partnerships to the end of 2009, other sources of funding for the project. As the initiative is to work with existing structures and programs, avoid doubling or create subprojects and occasional special, or even generate unnecessary costs, the idea is that each partner that incorporates the Network, is committed to an inclusive approach to be adopted within of its area of operation, using its own resources or seek funding to meet any needs of your specific area, if any

Is your initiative financially and organizationally sustainable? If not, what is required to make it so? Is there a potential demand for your innovation?

the biggest challenge is, in fact, the maintenance – in the long run – of the commitment to inclusive development approach. For the project to be sustainable, it is essential to invest in change in their culture and empowerment (ownership) by the local community. And for this, it is necessary to maintain an ongoing support, monitoring and evaluation, and that each sector will absorb the responsibilities and costs of that investment.

What are the main barriers you encounter in managing, implementing, or replicating your innovation? What barriers keep your program from having greater impact?

The activities will draw a baseline, monitor, evaluate and continuously measure the impact and results, both in the evolution of the market, as the local environmental and socioeconomic development, through programs with the tourism sector and the communities involved .
In order to set a interdisciplinary and cross-sector consortium that will manage the project in each locality, it is key to partner with national governments, state and municipal and the private sector such as cooperatives of taxi, the networks of restaurants and hotels, markets, seaport docks and the main operators of cruise shipping in the region, among others. These are the first beneficiaries of the initiative, and they will gain access to a growing market, that was not exploited before due to a lack of adequate services provision. This market already exists and is only waiting for an opportunity to expand exponentially. It is important to consider that all the above requires a large mobilization and cooperation of parts involved in the process so that all steps are successfully completed

What is your plan to expand or further develop your approach? Please indicate where/how you would like to grow or enhance your innovation, or have others do so.

The network of Tourist Destinations for All will be composed by key destinations in different countries, which will identify criteria, guidelines and common standards of quality and fit to support a future global application, regardless of specific features that can be found in different local cultures.

The transformation of international destinations that are part of the route of South American cruises will be the core of the project. This strategy not only ensures immediate demand generation and the possibility of measuring indicators for reviewing and developing statistical survey of the market, but also enables monitoring and evaluating project results

Contact Information
Mrs Tatiana Sartori
Diretora de Comunicação e Marketing
Associação 3IN
Rua Urussuí, 92 Cj 74
Tatiana@3in.org.br