This document discusses using a Destination Management Organization (DMO) model of local governance for sustainable community-based tourism in Kemaliye, Turkey. It proposes establishing a cooperative DMO run by the community and private sector as a non-political entity to facilitate strategic collaboration and marketing. Key considerations include developing business plans, strategic visions, data collection systems, and providing training to build capacity while gaining community trust over time.

1. DMOS AS A MODE OF LOCAL
GOVERNANCE IN SUSTAINABLE
COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM
Julie Scott
Touch TD Ltd

3. Responsible Travel: working definition of
Sustainable Community Based Tourism (SCBT)
• Mode of sustainable development – with
collective benefits to community
• Kind of tourism product
• Mode of governance – ‘community’ playing a
defining role. Community = ‘individuals with
some kind of collective responsibility, and
the ability to make decisions by
representative bodies.’

4. Kemaliye/Eğin N-E Turkey

5. The town's wealth depended … on the fact that the
men of the town were granted the right, by imperial
edict, to supply the Ottoman capital of Istanbul with
wood and coal, and were by tradition bankers to the
court and ruling classes. From a young age the men
therefore worked in Istanbul, where they became
acquainted with the culture of this large city, and later
in life used the money they had earned to build fine
homes in Kemaliye. The women, who remained
behind, poured their yearning for their menfolk into
beautiful needlework and other handcrafts
(Prof. Dr. Berrin Alper)

6. Cultural heritage – vernacular
architecture, crafts, poetry and
songs …

7. Adventure tourism & extreme sports

8. Arrivals – uneven and sporadic

9. Situation analysis shows:
On the plus side:
• Stunning natural assets and
landscape
• Rich tangible and intangible
cultural heritage
• Strong social capital
• Investment in product
development
(outdoor/adventure tourism
equipment, training)
Challenges:
• Location
• Perception of security
situation
• Lack of strategic follow
through
• Lack of targeted marketing
• Fragmented on-line
presence
• Governance deficit

10. DMOs
• Traditionally public sector led or owned
institutions
• This has changed in many places with the
rolling back of public spending
• Variety of organisational & business models
possible
• Common model in UK now that of community
enterprise

11. Community Enterprise Model
Possible partners:
• private sector representative
bodies and key tourism
enterprises
• key relevant local authority
departments
• civil society and voluntary
interests
• cultural and heritage partners
• wider economic stakeholders
• university/academic tourism
partners
Possible sources of income:
• membership subscriptions
• hotel taxes
• income from sales
• commission from on-line
bookings
• advertising in DMO
publications or website
• selling DMO services to
other destinations

12. Suffolk Coast Ltd – formed 2012

13. Community DMOs
• Non-political entities –
offer continuity
• Combine business, public
sector & local community
• Destination focus
facilitates strategic
clustering strategies &
joint marketing
partnerships
• Provide a forum for
collaboration between
businesses, and between
public and private sector
and community
• Offer efficiencies of cost
and operation through
the pooling of resources –
such as information,
marketing/branding and
internet presence

14. A community DMO for Kemaliye
• Proposal adopted at stakeholder meeting
• Organisational form adopted: cooperative
– Well established & familiar in Turkey
– Combines entrepreneurial flexibility with inclusive,
collaborative management structure, accountable to
public sector, private sector and community
stakeholders
– has the capacity to enter into joint venture
arrangements with other companies and investors –
e.g. to create a community run outdoor adventure
centre

15. Considerations
• Local governance through enterprise – avoids
potential for conflicts of authority/legitimacy
(treading on government toes)
• Long term sustainability requires:
– development of DMO business plan
– 5 year strategic plan & 2 year work plan, including:
– marketing strategy
– establishment of systems for collection and
storage of data, and monitoring of sustainability
indicators

16. Considerations (cont.)
• Buying in professional expertise?
• Capacity building, training and knowledge
transfer
• Need to build confidence and trust
• Previous good – and bad – experience of
cooperative working
• Time scales – and institutional support

17. Thank you!