At the end of this unit, participants will be able to understand:
• What clusters are and how to identify potential cluster partnerships
• How to unite existing tourism stakeholders to form an effective cluster
• How to organize clusters into sustainable business practices
T OURISM C LUSTERS AS A C OMPETITIVE E DGE
Armed with a vision and long-term goals formulated in Unit 2, a destination can now unify stakeholders in a cluster in order to gain a competitive edge over other destinations.
A cluster is a working group focused on increasing destination competitiveness. It is composed of participants from throughout the tourism value chain, including government agencies, tourism promotion authorities, private sector associations and individual firms, tourism and hospitality training bodies, and NGOs (conservation organizations, cultural heritage promotion groups).
The cluster can accomplish more than its member groups can do alone. With a cluster, more resources become available to develop and market tourism products more effectively.
The cluster approach is increasingly being employed for tourism development in developing and transitional economies. A cluster can facilitate that SMEs compete globally because of better access to information and specialized resources, flexibility, and rapid adoption of innovations. Product quality, international competitiveness and hence sustainability, consequently, increase as linkages in a local economy grow stronger.
USAID D ISCOVERED C LUSTER C OMPETITIVE I NITIATIVES
Touri
H OW TO U NITE E XISTING T OURISM S TAKEHOLDERS TO
F ORM AN E FFECTIVE C LUSTER
If an organized tourism cluster does not exist, it takes time to develop. Organizers might start with meetings of tourism stakeholders. Every person involved in tourism, directly or indirectly, is welcomed and should participate in these meetings. An outside facilitator should facilitate strategy development to jump-start a sustainable tourism cluster. Existing tourism firms are often too focused on their own business to consider the larger tourism industry.
As clusters develop trust, awareness, and cohesiveness grows. One way to build trust is work together in trade shows, study tours, product development, and if possible, policy development with the government.
H OW TO O RGANIZE C LUSTERS INTO S USTAINABLE
B USINESS P RACTICES
Based on the experience of existing clusters, it may take at least 2–3 years to fortify collaboration enough for it to begin to yield benefits such as increased competitiveness.
The key to longevity is quality leadership. These champions remove barriers to collaboration and traditional distrust. Clusters are more collaborative and confidence grows through continued work together and successful experiences.
Monitoring the cohesion and effectiveness within the cluster is beneficial for progress. An assessment tool is provided below in Table 4.1.
Table 4.1 Cluster Assessment Tool
AGREE UNSURE DISAGREE
The cluster has a clear purpose and direction The cluster has a realistic time table for delivery The cluster members understand and are
among cluster members
Cluster members share their learning with others Cluster members ask each other for support and receive it
The cluster delivers success and demonstrates it.
Adapted from Network Assessment Tool, Building Networks of Practice by Olivier Serrat, 2009
BOX 4.1
C LUSTER D EVELOPMENT IN B OSNIA AND H ERZEGOVINA (B I H)
AND S RI L ANKA
A comparative study of USAID tourism cluster initiatives in the developing economies of BiH and Sri Lanka illustrate a Top 10 for tourism cluster development.
1. An external, objective facilitator to help convene a cluster and facilitate strategy development and implementation is important to jump-start the creation of a sustainable tourism cluster.
2. Tourism cluster development must include all key stakeholders and connect to all points in the industry value chain.
3. The presence of cluster champions is critical to energize and mobilize broader cluster participation.
4. Building cluster cooperation around cross-industry initiatives is critical to building confidence, trust, and experience benefits of industry-wide collaboration.
5. Contribution of cluster members to activities is essential to strengthen commitment and a sense of ownership in an industry-wide strategy.
6. Improving public awareness of local populations about tourism’s potential benefits is central to achieving cluster goals.
7. Destination management capacity at the local level needs priority.
8. Integrating the public sector into the cluster is important to reform policy essential to tourism growth.
9. Tourism clusters need to develop performance measuring systems.
10. Developing a sustainable tourism cluster takes time.
Hawkins & Calnan, 2009
R OUTE FOR T HE A BRAHAM P ATH
Figure 4.2. The Abraham Path.
The Abraham Path is a non-profit, non-political, non-sectarian organization founded in 2005.
Abraham’s Path is a cultural tourism route that threads together the stops that Abraham made on his way to Jerusalem, many of which are the world’s most fabled historic sites, beautiful landscapes, and revered holy places. Many people now walk the path, a network of local and national trails, of Abraham’s travels. Retracing this journey provides an opportunity to connect people of all faiths and cultures and recognize a shared humanity.
Interestingly this thematic route also connects various tourism clusters that span across regions and
Not only does the initiative have offices in Ankara, Amman, Beirut, Bethlehem, Boulder (US), Cambridge (US), Jerusalem, and Sao Paolo, but people around the world have created other spin-off paths (Ury, 2010).
S UMMARY
• A cluster is a working group that increases destination competitiveness composed of participants from all points of the tourism value chain, including government agencies, tourism promotion authorities, private sector associations and individual firms, tourism and hospitality training bodies, and NGOs.
• Clusters can mobilize many more resources than its members can alone.
• Cluster longevity depends on quality leadership.
• Communication and collaboration between all members can lead to a successful cluster.
F OR M ORE I NFORMATION
• The Abraham Path www.abrahampath.org