Tourism organizations including Destination Queenstown, Los Angeles Tourism and 4 Vancouver Island (4VI) have teamed up.
They plan to advance stewardship commitments as prototype destinations for the newly released Wayfinder.
Powered by Miles Partnership, it is the first, industry-led, evidence-based framework for destination stewardship.
It is launching at Destinations International’s 2024 Annual Convention in Tampa, FL.
The Wayfinder is built within a SaaS platform for destinations to create and advance stewardship strategies.
The software will help transform destination management, allowing organizations to streamline operations and allocate resources to the areas that matter most.
The Wayfinder’s strategic partnership with Destinations International will advance industry-wide efforts for a unified destination stewardship approach.
“Currently, there is no common or shared definition of what destination stewardship is, where to start, or what best practices look like,” says Karin Mast, SVP of Miles Partnership.
“The Wayfinder will change that. It was created by the industry, for the industry.”
The Wayfinder enables organizations to self-assess against a framework based on the Global Sustainable Tourism Council Destination Criteria.
The Wayfinder offers four stewardship outcomes, namely Economic Prosperity, Environmental Preservation and Ecological Balance, Social Well-Being and Preservation of Culture and Heritage
Once destinations are using the Wayfinder, the first sector-wide data will show trends, gaps and opportunities.
