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Community Meeting in Rural St Lucia (Photo: Kirk Elliott) -
Cox Travel Adventures donate back to school supplies to a kindergarten class in St. Lucia. (Photo: Kirk Elliott) -
Tourists Posing with Grade 5 Students of the Dugard Combined School in Choiseul, Saint Lucia. (Photo: Kirk Elliott)
Ramping up community-based tourism in rural St Lucia starting with elementary school students and visitor engagement and then building outwards from there.
CASTRIES, LC, SAINT LUCIA – Renowned St. Lucia photographer Kirk Elliott, distinguished by his TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, recently embarked on an initiative to revolutionize rural community tourism in Saint Lucia. Recognizing the latent potential of these communities, Elliott crafted the concept of “Caring Entrepreneurship” as a conduit to manifest this vision.
“While this notion of caring entrepreneurship is a counter-intuitive approach to success it was clear to me that this novel idea was a powerful pathway to success in community-based sustainable tourism”
— Kirk Elliott
Defining The Model
At the heart of Caring Entrepreneurship lies the intersection of business acumen and community benefit. Elliott defines this entrepreneur as one who, beyond driving their own enterprise, collaborates with the community to elevate tourism standards. This relationship, he emphasizes, must be anchored in mutual respect, understanding, and trust. “This synergy is the foundation for an outcome that yields results that far exceed the sum of the community’s and the entrepreneur’s individual efforts,” Elliott asserts.
However, this paradigm may sound unconventional to many. “I will be the first to state that this notion of caring entrepreneurship is a counter-intuitive approach to success. But it has emerged as an effective model for sustainable community-based tourism,” Elliott reveals.
The Real-World Application
Elliott’s theory gained traction when @CoxTravelAdventures equipped the Dugard Combined School in Choiseul, Saint Lucia with school supplies. Despite its remote location, the school pulses with dedication and commitment from its community.
Mrs. Tessa Charles-Calderon, the school principal, articulates her gratitude: “From my initial telephone conversation with Mr. Elliott, it felt as though our prayers had been answered. And then there he was, eager to foster a long-term relationship with our school.”
Further integrating this model, Elliott has been introducing his ‘Private St Lucia Experiences’ patrons to the Dugard students. Tourists, in turn, contribute school supplies, culminating in enriching interactions that redefine the tourist-student dynamic.
The Path Forward
The school has expressed its aspiration for a playground. Elliott, tapping into his network, has rallied professionals to contribute to this project. This initiative took form with the inauguration of the Playground Project’s Phase 1, where educational games were painted in the schoolyard. Ingeniously, this project was incorporated into the students’ School-Based Assessment (SBA), a requisite for their graduation.
Elliott expresses his fervor: “The overwhelming support… has emboldened me to invite both the teachers and the students to dream big… and together let’s bring those dreams to fruition!”
Envisioning the Future
Elliott’s endeavors with the Dugard Combined School encapsulate his ambition for community engagement. “I am super excited about Caring Entrepreneurship. My aspiration is for this initiative to become an International Benchmark of Sustainable Community-based Tourism in Small Island Developing States,” he remarks.
Given the trajectory of Elliott’s intervention, it seems he is carving a path that might change the course of community-based tourism.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
