Adopted by EarthCheck in June 2023, a Destination Management Plan (DMP) – also known as a Tourism Action Plan or Stewardship Plan, provides the essential strategic foundation for sustainable tourism destinations.
What Is a Destination Management Plan?
A DMP is a shared declaration of intent. It lays out the strategic priorities and development vision for a destination over a defined time span. This collaborative tool brings together government bodies, Destination Management Organizations (DMOs), local businesses, and communities to coordinate roles, responsibilities, and actions.
Why It Matters: Balancing People, Planet & Prosperity
A well-constructed DMP helps destinations balance environmental care, community needs, and economic growth. By harmonizing stakeholder priorities, it supports sustainable visitor flows, infrastructure development, and long-term viability.
- Planet: Minimizes environmental degradation and protects distinctive natural and cultural features.
- People: Ensures tourism benefits local residents while respecting their aspirations.
- Prosperity: Clarifies funding needs and maximizes tourism’s economic.
Core Elements of a Successful DMP
1. Comprehensive Situation Analysis
Understand the destination’s current demographics, community attitudes, tourism history, strengths/weaknesses, and local demand. Comparing supply and visitor demand helps pinpoint gaps and potential opportunities.
2. Collaborative Visioning
Co-create a clear vision that reflects community values and unifies stakeholders—DMOs, residents, private sector, NGOs—in a shared direction.
3. Strategy & Prioritized Actions
From the analysis and vision emerge key strategies—ranging from infrastructure improvements to marketing—and a clear action timeline for.
4. Stakeholder Roles & Accountability
Define responsibilities with timelines and formalize them through partnership agreements. This approach ensures sustained involvement and transparency.
5. Performance Monitoring
Track environmental, social, cultural, and economic indicators over time. Continuous performance measurement builds trust and highlights areas for adjustment.
Who Benefits and Why It Works
- Destinations gain a unified roadmap and funding leverage, enhancing infrastructure and visitor planning.
- Communities benefit when tourism aligns with their values and fosters long-term coexistence.
- Businesses find clarity, organized priorities, and improved stakeholder coordination.
- Governments & DMOs can communicate a transparent sustainability strategy supported by measurable actions and vetted funding.
Beyond Planning: Linking to Certification & Impact
EarthCheck’s Sustainable Destinations Standard offers tools to implement DMPs, including benchmarking, performance tracking, management systems, and external certification aligned with international standards.
EarthCheck’s Leading Destinations of the World™ program leverages DMPs to support global destination networks committed to regenerative tourism, community engagement, and triple-bottom-line performance.
In Summary
A Destination Management Plan is essential for ensuring tourism supports—not undermines—environmental integrity, community well-being, and economic resilience. By grounding development in thorough analysis, shared vision, joint accountability, and measurable outcomes, a DMP helps destinations thrive sustainably for the long term.
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