Hotel and Spa Awards 2019

Page 26 www.lux-review.com LUX 2019 Hotel & Spa Awards Stevens & Associates: Best Destination Management Development Expert 2019 Established in 1986, S&A was designed to support a wide array of clients with their destination management. Since its inception, the company has worked on over five hundred tourism development projects in fifty-six countries around the world - from New Zealand to Ireland and from Iceland to the Western Cape - winning numerous awards for clients and for the company itself. Over the years S&A has been honoured to have clients have included the leading international development organisations such as the European Bank of Reconstruction, USAID, the United Nations Development Program, UNESCO and the United Nations World Tourism Organisation. In addition, S&A have been privileged to have worked for many national, regional and local tourism organisations as well as both international blue-chip companies and many family-run SMEs. Founder Terry Stevens has worked in the tourism industry since the late 1960’s serving an apprenticeship working in bars, at festivals and in organising music events whilst at University. After university he spent time working on private estate recreation management, then had experience in national parks in the USA, Canada and in Wales and running tourist attractions including some World Heritage Sites. Thanks to this expertise he is now regarded throughout the industry as an innovative thinker and a person who challenges conventions often pushing clients to think bravely, with innovation and creativity, about the opportunities to capture the interests of the visitors and the involvement of their community to deliver sustainable destination development or individual projects. Led by renowned hospitably industry expert Terry Stevens, Stevens & Associates (S&A) provides innovative consultancy services to clients around the world. We profile the firm and Terry to find out more about how he has driven the firm to the success it now enjoys. This challenging approach is based upon a sound understanding not only of tourism trends and their implications but upon a rigorous approach to identifying and learning from international best practice. As a result, his clients are exposed to in-depth information about the approach taken by the world’s leading tourism destinations and how they are managed. Terry has developed a number of unique destination benchmarking tools which have now been deployed in the analysis of over one hundred of the world’s leading destinations. This has not only given him insight and in-depth understanding of the critical success factors it has also resulted in a data bank of information which is readily shared throughout the extensive global network that has been created amongst all those he has worked with. Indeed, it is his ability to connect these networks and to bring people from different destinations and disciplines together that creates the added-value so desired of the tourism industry today. His particular area of interest and expertise is in the dynamics of destination management and helping to create effective, competent and efficient destination management organisations. He is a strong advocate that the future of tourism will be about the destination - those relatively compact, well-run places, where tourism actually takes place and experiences are delivered. Driving S&A towards constant excellence, Terry’s work demonstrates that great tourism experiences and products tend to be located in great destinations. He works tirelessly with a wide range of managers and leaders to drive them to create a space where their business can flourish. Since establishing S&A, sharing knowledge and connecting people is the underlying goal of the company and Terry’s work. His expertise is openly shared with anyone with the curiosity to want to know more through conference presentations, workshops and seminars; by publishing in a wide range of sources including books, magazines, journals, the S&A in-house journal, ‘Fields of Vision’ and being involved with the development of young talent through a close involvement with a large number of universities throughout the world. Terry has regularly spoken at Global Summits including those organised by the UNWTO, The Global Wellness Institute, Stadium Business and others as well as many international conferences on all aspects of tourism development. This dedication to sharing his knowledge proves that he is committed to ensuring that there are appropriate policies and actions in place to ensure that there is a steady supply of talented, enthusiastic and culturally intelligent people being prepared to meet the challenges and opportunities of tourism in the volatile, turbulent and unpredictable world in which tourism remains a growth industry and important force for peace and global understanding. Looking to the future, over the coming two years, Terry will be focusing upon knowledge sharing and the dissemination of a lifetime’s work in the assessment and identification of international best practice. This will further enhance his international reputation for excellence in the industry. Overall, whilst Terry is proud of his own success, he believes that this award is the testimony to the excellence and commitment of the highly professional destination managers who have inspired him, and as such he dedicates this success to them. Company: Stevens & Associates Name: Professor Terry Stevens Address: The Studio, 10 Bwrw Road, Loughor, Swansea, Wales, SA4 6TX Telephone Number: 00447850885262