A plan for transformation through tourism

Harnessing tourism for growth and improved livelihood

CHALLENGE

After two years of intensive research and data compilation, the World Bank’s Africa Region Finance and Private Sector Development Unit had devised a strategy for tourism development in Sub-Sahara Africa in an effort to: formalize its involvement in tourism in Africa, create a framework for future interventions, and prioritize tourism-related activities. To garner support and funding from the World Bank’s key internal and external stakeholders, the research team needed to succinctly explain their findings and recommendations in a format easily accessible to The World Bank’s Africa-based staff and partners.

INSIGHT

Through a series of work sessions with the research team, Blue Marble helped to identify the project’s key messages and explored various ways to present them. After several iterations of data visualizations and story sequencing, we developed a shared understanding of the story and how best to tell it. A strong visual identity for the project and a series of graphics to represent core findings were critical components for building awareness of the work and explaining complex ideas that might otherwise be lost in cultural translation.

RESULTS

Confidently building stakeholder engagement

The body of work that the research team produced was packaged into a compelling story from which a presentation, printed brochure and one-sheet were produced. These materials have made the research and resulting strategy accessible to a large number of people that would not otherwise be exposed to or understand the lengthy report.
The research team is able to share their recommendations in a universal format with multiple audiences who have different cultural perspectives.
A visual articulation of the strategy has made core concepts tangible and enabled the research team to gain support for the implementation of their plan.

FORGING AHEAD

For the last several years, the Africa Tourism Strategy team has continued to promote its work and publish updated recommendations and findings as the project evolves. As part of a promotional campaign for AFTFP Tourism's recently released book entitled "Tourism in Africa: Harnessing Tourism for Growth and Improved Livelihoods," we created an informational booklet and one-pager which was shared at the United Nations World Tourism Organization's 2013 General Assembly.