Experience has taught us, that the closer to traditional practices a model is, the easier it is to implement by the user. As a company, we are committed to use these tried and tested local models to improve the livelihoods of indigenous communities and their stake holders.
Global Tourism Consultants was founded in 1999, by experienced tourism executives, specifically to provide destinations with marketing and promotion expertise. After more than 20 years of working with established destinations we have expanded our customer base to also include emerging markets. Our company noticed that our expertise was needed in developing markets and we started offering services to Non Profit organizations and NGOs. We recently were active in Tajikistan (Pamirs, Central Asia) and Guyana (Caribbean/South America). Working with indigenous communities in both countries, we have built a wealth of experience in community and ecotourism and we still advice the local tourist Boards (which we helped set up in both regions) from afar. Working with well respected NGOs such as the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) and Conservation International (CI) we have learnt how to combine the sometimes idealistic (but always well meant) goals of development agencies with the tourism realities on the ground.
Over the past 10 years, the world of travel has evolved from conventional tourism activities to now include experiential, nature and community based tourism. This puts great pressure on local and indigenous communities, their cultures and way of life. Our belief is, that in order to sustain and save our incredible planet and its diversity, we need to develop and nurture this new tourism experience to ensure equitable benefits for all players.
With our extensive experience and wide network, Global Tourism Consultants is in an ideal position to help our clients achieve these goals…
Christine Braganza
Christine’s extensive tourism career includes working with VisitBritain in the UK, Italy and the USA. Her numerous roles included country responsibility for tourism promotion in the areas of leisure, MICE and niche segments in Asia, Europe and North America. Latterly, she teamed up with Global Tourism Consultants and provided North America focused clients advice and support on maximizing their tourism potential in this very lucrative and valuable market-place.
“With over 25 years’ experience in destination promotion and marketing in both developed and emerging destinations, my more recent focus has concentrated on experiental, nature-based and eco-tourism promotion. Together with my partner, Jelte Bakker, I have spent extensive periods in Central Asia and Guyana, working with large NGO partners and local community stakeholders to support the development of sustainable tourism projects to improve livelihoods of the local communities. Our time spent in these developing countries makes me all the more committed to the cause of an equal and just world for all of us to share.”
Jelte Bakker
With a long experience, history and background in tourism, specifically destination marketing and promotion, Jelte Bakker almost ten years ago, ventured into community based and eco-tourism.
He now uses the lessons learned in his earlier, more commercial career in a different NGO environment, which often sets different targets than the commercial world, but, of course ultimately tries to achieve the same goals as any tourism enterprise. A sustainable model for all stakeholders involved, be it owners, communities, operators or destinations.
Working as Director the Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions first, he learned how to promote a destination on a shoe string budget. Based out of Los Angeles, CA he developed extensive networks in the United States and mainly on the West Coast. Realizing that destination sales and marketing is a much wanted expertise, he started his own company in 1999. Global Tourism Consultants serves and served many different destinations on many different levels. Clients included Switzerland Tourism, MeetAruba, South Africa Tourism, Tourism New South Wales, Visit Britain, Visit London and others.
Mady Keup
A practitioner with 20 years of professional experience in business events and leisure tourism, Mady was also Senior Lecturer and Course Director for the Master of Science in Strategic Event Management & Tourism Management at SKEMA Business School, the largest of France’s Grandes Ecoles in student numbers,
Mady worked for over 12 years with the British Tourist Authority (now VisitBritain) in management positions in London, Madrid, Lisbon and Berlin. Mady was also Head of London Convention Bureau (now London & Partners) for 5 years.
Mady’s training, teaching and consultancy engagements have taken her all around Europe and to Dubai, Tajikistan, China and the USA. She is an MPI (Meeting Professionals International) accredited trainer and an instructor for Destination Sales Training in Europe & the Middle East on behalf of Destinations International. She presented at numerous academic and professional events, including ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association), MPI and SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence) conferences as well as ITB and the Arabian Travel Market.
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