USAID El Salvador

Sustainable Destinations Consultant

(October 2021 - July 2022)

Leveraging surf tourism for economic empowerment in El Salvador.

In alignment with the nation’s Surf City campaign, USAID identified surf tourism’s massive economic potential to create jobs in El Salvador and reduce immigration pressures at the border. STOKE won a long-term contract from the USAID Economic Competitiveness Project (ECP) to help two regions in El Salvador create sustainable surf tourism destination plans: El Zonte and Oriente Salvaje (Playa Las Flores to Agua Fría).

Created short-, medium-, and long-term sustainable destination strategies for two regions in El Salvador. Authored two 50+ page reports in English and Spanish.
Wrote, designed, and delivered two Destination Management Organization (DMO) workshops in each destination (4 workshops in total) which covered DMO governance, Destination Management Systems, surf tourism DMO case studies, and DMO vision- and goal-setting exercises with over 50 public, private, and NGO stakeholders. Designed promotional flyers and RSVP forms.
Collaborated with over 60 local, regional, and national public and private stakeholders to evaluate each destination’s tourism inventory, community development needs, basic infrastructure services, cultural heritage assets, surf resources, and environmental conservation initiatives. Facilitated in-country and remote interviews and surveys.
- Agencies involved: USAID El Salvador, MITUR (Minister of Tourism), CORSATUR (branch of Tourism Ministry), MARN (Ministry for the Environment), Chiltiupán Municipality, Chirilagua Municipality, Jucuarán Municipality, Asociación Zonte Lindo (El Zonte tourism association), ADETCO (Oriente Salvaje tourism association), and Paso Pacifico (conservation NGO).

Conducted a benchmark analysis and report of each destination against the STOKE Surf Destinations standard, which is based on the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s destination criteria.
Oversaw the deployment of a Limits of Acceptable Change study (i.e. carrying capacity methodology) utilizing qualitative and quantitative data analysis for nearly 120 residents, business owners, and domestic and international visitors.
Wrote the proposal, secured the government contract, managed the budget, and led a team of four through three on-site visits and nine deliverables. Coordinated travel, workshop venues/catering, accommodations, stakeholder interviews, and tourism experiences.