PERU

Trainingcentre for  “Sustainable Tourism and Intercultural Entrepreneurship ‘& development of regional strategy in the field of tourism 

LOCATION Ayachucho, Peru
PERIOD 2007 – 2010
OBJECTIVE • Development of a local training center where complementary training programs and participatory learning for intercultural entrepreneurship and sustainable tourism are offered to strengthen the existing range of tourist programs in Ayacucho (Peru)• Support a strategic think tank related to tourism development in the region of Ayacucho (stakeholder consultation)
PARTNERS DIRCETUR Ayacucho ( Direccíon regional de Comercio Exterior y Turismo)
WITH THE SUPPORT OF • Living Stone centrum Intercultureel Ondernemen (Leuven)
• ViaVia Ayacucho (Peru)
• Solid Peru ( support for SME’s)
BUDGET • Total budget: 89.850 €
• VIA- Vlaanderen: 31450 €
• Solid Peru: 60.000€
FINANCES • Solid International , for the training centre
• Flemish Government supporting VIA (Vlaanderen in Actie), for the manual
DESCRIPTION 2007: Initial needs analysis and an Appreciative Enquiry together with the stakeholders.2008: First pilot training in customer service, hygiene and self-confidence for tourism workers in a local cafeteria, “La Miel”.2009:
• Renewed appreciative inquiry by Prof. Dr.. Anne-Marie Van Broeck and partnership agreement with DIRCETUR.

• In September 2009, the first Formación de la capacidad Empresarial y el Desarrollo del Sector and Competitividad Turismo successfully implemented. 19 operators from Ayacucho were trained by experts in the preparation and monitoring of a successful business.
• Organisation and capacity of a regional think tank composed of representatives of institutions at the strategic level with tourism are engaged in Ayacucho regional and municipal authorities, associations, agencies, with a view to better cooperation and greater confidence between relevant stakeholders. As a result of the years of terrorism of the Shining Path, there is a great distrust of each other.
• Strengthening the capacity of the knowledge and capabilities of the group on the basis of very practical workshops, case studies and groupdiscussions related to the development of cultural tourism in Ayacucho. “Turismo y Cultura, El Impacto de Turismo”. (Prof. Dr. Anne-Marie Van Broeck, Professor of Social & cultural anthropology KUL).

2010:

• First training for guides organized. For two weeks 15 to 20 already licensed guides of the city of Ayacucho received a complementary formation in which the emphasis was on strengthening the intercultural skills, as well as gaining a deeper insight into the complexity of sustainable tourism and the role that guides herein may play.

• A basic course in customer service / customer (“Are You Being Served?”) For frontline service providers in the Ayacuchan tourism sector, including basic concepts in marketing, worldview and psychology of the customer, dealing with customers (complaints), intercultural skills, etc. , in an interactive way to being marketed. This for 3 weeks for the Semana Santa (the busiest tourist period) and 1 week evaluation and debriefing just after this week.

• Organisation of practical English lessons in the ViaVia Travel Café in Ayacucho for people active in the tourism sector (guides, receptionists, waitresses, travel agents, etc.), in small groups up to 15 persons, 4 hours per week, with hands-on approach. (15/04 – 15 / 10.2010).
RESULTS 5 manual ara available:

  1. Formación de la Capacidad Empresarial y la Competitividad en el Desarrollo del Sector Turismo (“Small and Medium Enterprise Development and Empowerment for the Tourism Sector”)
  2. Formación de Guias (“Come Touring, Be Happy”)
  3. Formación en Hospitalidad (“Are you being Served?”)
  4. Turismo Sostenible, Desarrollo de Empresas y Empoderamiento (“Sustainable Tourism Product Development”)
  5. Inglés para los agentes en el sector del turismo (“English for actors in the tourism sector”)
CURRENT SITUATION Project finished.