In February 2017, Foundation for Puerto Rico published a research paper on Destination Management that analyzed the different elements that comprise a destination and the different governing structures to manage it. Most importantly, the paper made some critical observations about the challenges within each element in Puerto Rico and recommended a management framework to develop the destination. During that time, FPR urged national stakeholders to begin a destination planning exercise using the framework suggested by FPR. As a result of these efforts, several key stakeholders joined a coalition with FPR to work on a national destination plan for Puerto Rico.
As it relates to the Bottom Up Destination Recovery Initiative, FPR wanted to apply the recommended national framework at a community level. Thus, the FPR program design team adopted concepts from various traditional destination planning models, community-based planning initiatives in Puerto Rico, and asset-based development programs around the world. The result was a customized proprietary framework that could work in communities in Puerto Rico. First, FPR managed the co-creation of a local destination plan with the community of Orocovis as a pilot project before moving on to work with the community of Punta Santiago, Humacao.
This Local Destination Management Plan for Punta Santiago conveys a statement of purpose shared and agreed upon by a group of key stakeholders in the community. The Plan seeks to define the ways to develop the destination over a given period. It also describes the roles and concrete actions to be carried out by the local key stakeholders in the short term to increase tourism activity sustainably, in line with the vision adopted by community residents themselves.
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