HAPPINESS COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISTIC EXPERIENCE IN NORTHERN UGANDA

INNOVATIVE EXPERIENTIAL CONCEPT FOR

COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM IN NOTHERN UGANDA

MTM TEAMAlessia Simula, Anzhela Tanas, Aries Criscione,

Bohdana Bukatar, Carolina Mardegan, Giuseppe Pistone, Ilaria Battistella, Iulia Davydova, Marco Lancellotti, Mariana Masotti, Martina Marcucci,

Matteo Taller, Myriam Granozio, Ritwik Patil, Sara Lucarini, Stefania Rampini, Stefania Tedesco

Valeriia Maltseva, Yulia Shinkareva

TUTORSAndrea Rossi

Maurizio Goetz

IN COLLABORATIONS WITH

OBJECTIVE

TO DEVELOP AN INNOVATIVE

AND SUSTAINABLE CONCEPT

ABLE TO ATTRACT TOURISTIC

FLOWS IN NORTHERN UGANDA

How did we get there?

In which we performed a research in different

FIELDS OF ANALYSIS

RESEARCH PHASE CREATIVITY PHASE

By which we came out with our experiential concept after

the implementation of EFFICIENT CREATIVITY

METHODS

Research Phase

Methodologies of the Research

Interview to: Dario Ferroni (Viaggi Solidali)Francesca Oliva (AVSI)Cristina Toscano (Fondazione Cariplo)Enrico (Trekking Italia)

PRIMARY RESEARCH

Blogs analysisLiterature analysis Statistics analysis

SECONDARY RESEARCH

• What is the actual and the potential touristic demand?

• Where do tourists come from?

• How long do they stay? And how much do they spend?

• Why do they go?

• Who are our main competitors?

• What do they offer?• What is the actual

situation in Northern Uganda?

• How can we be different?

• Where is Northern Uganda?

• What is its Political Situation?

• What are the main attractions?

• Which are its main problems?

Fields of Analysis

DESTINATON ANALYSIS

ANALYSISOF DEMAND

COMPETITOR ANALYSIS

Fields of Analysis

• Community Based Tourism Studies

• Definitions• Our definition

Literature analysis

• Identification of potential segments

• Development of a Segmentation Model

• Definition of target segment

Segmentation Model

CREATIVITY

PHASE

Destination Analysis Results

What do we know about Northern Uganda?

• Leader• War

Political Situation

• Position• Population• Infrastracture

Geographical Location

• National parks• wildlife• Local community

Main Attractions

See Appendix I for further details

Surface: 236.040 km²

Population:34.590.205

kWh per capita: UGANDA 12 USA: 14.000

Capital : Kampala

ROADS:30,000 kilometers, of roads; 2,800 kilometers are paved

RAILWAYS: about 1,350 km

AIRPORTS: Entebbe, 32 km from Kampala

The geographical mobile phone coverage is about 65%



Geographical Location


Political situation Government: Presidential republic

President: Yoweri Museveni (since 1986 )Vice President: Edward SsekandiPrime Minister: Amama Mbabazi

Currency: Ugandan shilling

Official Language : English and Swahili

WAR: The president has struggled for years in the civil war against the Lord's Resistance Army , which has been guilty of numerous crimes against humanity, including child slavery and mass murder. Conflict in northern Uganda has killed thousands and displaced millions. For years people from Northern Uganda have been gathered in small spaces for their own safety, and only recently they could go back home.

VAT : since july there is this nex tax on the tourist product that is the 20%




1. Murchison Falls National Park

2. Kidepo National Park

3. Very interesting for the bird watching

4. Breathless scenary 5. Amazing wild animals

Main Attractions

Demand Analysis Results

What is the actual and potential demand?

1. What is the actual turistic demand?2. Where do tourists come from?3. How long do they stay?4. How much do they spend?5. Why do they go?

See Appendix II for further details2011

2011

COMPETITORS ANALYSED

Competitors Analysis Results

Who are our competitors?

See Appendix III for further details

30 TOs in Uganda

25 TOs in Africa

10 TOs Worldwide

WHAT DO THEY OFFFER?

The most common offers are Safaris and/or Nature based activities.

ACTUAL SITUATION IN NORTHEN UGANDAWildlife trekking is the main activity provided in the region. Northern Uganda is known for kind and colourful communities.There is a vague evidence of community-based tourism in the region characterized by one/half day visit to local villages.

TO BE DIFFERENT WE HAVE TO LEVERAGE ON LOCAL COMMUNITIES AS A VIBRANT UGANDAN RICHNESS

OBJECTIVEHow can we be different?

SOLUTION :

COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM

Literature Analysis Results

What did authors say about Sustainable and Community Based tourism?

See Appendix IV for further details

After the analysis of the literature, we identified which points are the most important for us to develop our own experiential concept of Community Based experience.

Mos

t re

leva

nt li

tera

ture -WTO

-COMCEC-KISS-APEC-DIXEY-MAKUMBA-SIMMONS-PEARCE-BOONRATANA

Our community based experience should..

Increase local economy and diversity

Promote partnership between national and international

tourism stakeholders

Increase Self reliance

Reduction in the use of energy

Take care of social and economic needs of residents

Protection of biological diversity and natural resources

Segmentation ModelWhich segments can be identified? Which one is our target?

See Appendix IV for further details

ECO TOURIST

Adventure

Independent

Animalist Culture

Research

Customised Adoption

Voluntary

VFR

We developped our segmentation model, identifying 10 different types of segments

whose description can be found in the appendix IV . We decided to focus on the

ECO TOURIST

Creative PhaseHow did we get to an innovative experiential concept?

See Appendix VI for further details

To use, transform and improve the information and the ideas we gathered in Phase 1 in order to design an Innovative Experiential Concept for Northern Uganda Tourism Goal

We applied an Accurate creative methodologu developed by Professor Andrea Rossi and Professor Maurizio Goetz called

TOURIST EXPERIENCE DESIGN®Method

We came out with a brand new concept, described in a Manifesto, exemplified by a Storytelling and described in any aspect from the Tourist Profile to the Experiential Results: theHAPPINESS COMMUNITY BASED TORUST EXPERIENCE

Output

Creative PhaseWhich creative tools did we use?

See Appendix II for further details

The classic technique has been applied to every aspect of the concept as a starting point for further selection and improvement

BRAIN STORMING

A technique to improve our previous ideas by Substitute Combine Adapt, Magnify, Put to other uses, Eliminate or Rearrange some of the elements

SCAMPER

A story created to give life to our concept. It exemplifies the experience we conceived and it is useful both for the tour operators and the tourists.

STORYTELLING

TOURIST EXPERIENCE

DESIGN®

Creativity Phase OutputWhat did we define in the Creative Phase?

Our

Tou

rist P

rofil

e

• Who he/she is

• How we want

him/her to feel

• What are his/her

need s and

motivations

• Dreams and Fears

• Main Constraints Exp

erie

ntial

Con

cept • Definitions of

Community and Happiness

• Our broad Concept• Experiential Points• Value and meaning • Differential and

Innovative aspects• WOW elements• Behaviour and

Interaction• Experiential Results

Ext

ende

d Ex

perie

nce

Cycl

e

• Pre- experience Phase

• In-Experience Phase

• Post-Experience Phase

Eco-Tourist ProfileWho is he/she? How do we want him/her to feel?

He/She wants to escape from ordinary lifeHe/She wants to see breathless scenary

He/She respects the environmentHe/She is interested in local people and their tradition

• ENTHUSIASTIC to partecipate to the local life• MOTIVATED to be involved in the environment • EXCITED about the community-based experience


Tourist ProfileWhat are his/her needs, motivations, dreams and fears?

Needs

Relax in nature

Feel Free

Observing Wildlifee

Learning about local

communities

Motivations

Escape from ordinary life

Discover new places and

feelings

Be involved in environment

al projecs

Participating in outdoor activities

Dreams

Self actualization

Economic Stability

Being appreciated

by others

Environmental Stability

Fears

Feel useless

Job loss

Diseases

Bad igenic conditions


Experiential Concept

Main Definitions

“RELATIONSHIP AND INTERACTION OF PEOPLE WITH SPECIFIC NEED BELIEVES AND DIALECTS WHO SHARE COMMON VALUES AND COOPERATE TO REACH THEIR HAPPINESS”

COMMUNITY

“HAPPINESS IS A POSITIVE STATE OF MIND THAT INCLUDES EXCITEMENT, EUDAMONIA, OPTIMISM AD PEACE OF MIND CAUSED BY EXTERNAL FACTORS THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR

APPROACH TO LIFE AND MAY LEAD TO ELATION ”

HAPPINESS



What is our Experiential Concept?

• Our concept has been conceived as a great opportunity to escape from the stress of ordinary life and recharge the batteries.

• Northern Uganda and its local population attitude, are perfect to experience a deep sense of happiness

• We hope it will make the travellers become conscious of their own identity through many different experiences

• We would like the travellers to leave back their western mental habits and to remind the essential values of life such as family, friendship, sense of community.

• We wish it will help travellers to find a new sense of life so that they will never be the same.

The Happiness Community Based Experience in Northen Uganda



What are the main Experiential Points?


Sharing lifestyle and collaboration with locals will be the core of the experience. The interaction will be based on Respect and the tourists will feel themselves part of the community.

Tourists will perform all the everyday activities of the communities like fishing, planting, building traditional musical instruments and handcraft necklaces

In our wishes, the experience should bring tourists to meditate on the true values of life and on what is truly important.

The tourists will hopefully experience a sense of peace with themselves and the universe, and will feel the happiness the locals are able to transmit

The experience will stimulate also sthe senses: breathtaking landscapes, local music, traditional dishes, contact with nature and no trace of smog when breathing!SENSE

RELATE

ACT

THINK

FEEL

Experiential ConceptWhat are the Value and the Meanings of the Experience?

IN ORDER TO BETTER EXPLAIN OUR CONCEPT AND ITS VALUES

AND MEANINGS, WE ALSO REALISED A MANIFESTO AND A

STORYTELLING!


The meaning of the trip is the QUEST FOR HAPPINESS

Western people, often used to think that they have everything, will have the chance to understand that these people, despite having much less than us, are still able to feel really happy.

The values transimitted are solidality, friendship and fraternity as well as respect for differences


What is innovative and different?

IT IS THE FIRST COMMUNITY BASED EXPERIENCE FOCUSING ON THE

QUEST FOR HAPPINESS!


IT IS THE TOURIST THAT RECEIVES HELP FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

,NOT THE CONTRARY!

and collaboration are the core of the experienceINTERACTION

for traditions, ways of living and for diversitiesRESPECT

of cultural differences in behaviours andperceptions: tourist should be aware

of what is consideredacceptable and what is not.

KNOWLEDGE


Behaviour and InteractionBehaviour and interaction play a decisive role for the success of the Experience.

Therefore, they should be defined very clearly:


Trust

Interest

Respect

Tolerance

HAPPINESS


What Experiential Results do we expect?


In our expectations, tourists will hopefully

learn that modern commodities, as well as food and water are not to be taken for granted will hopefully resize their problems comparing them with the essential ones faced by Northern Uganda people

develop a deep sense of gratitude for what they have instead of focusing on what they have not

resize their problems comparing them with the essential ones faced by Northern Uganda people

learn how to be happy everyday


Extended Experience Cycle

So far we have focused on the aspects of our Experiential Concept

related to the experience itself. However, it is also important to

remember that the experience is not limited to the duration of the holiday.

It begins before (Pre-experience Phase) and it continues after (Post-

Experience Phase) and even if the In-Experience is vital for Post-

Experience phase, this is crucial for the Pre-Experience Phase. This is why

we talk about EXTENDED EXPERIENCE CYCLE


IN-EXPERIENCE PHASE

POST-EXPERIENCE PHASE

PRE-EXPERIENCE PHASE


Extended Experience Cycle: Pre-Exp Phase

During the Pre-Experience Phase, potential customers search the web to find information about some tourist offer that can be interesting for

them. It is then crucial to adapt a web strategy to make our project visible and appealing to customers.


In this phase they:• Gather information on our offer• Gather information on other offers• Compare• Create an image of the experience and shape their expectations


Extended Experience Cycle: Pre-Exp Phase

WE HAVE TO BE ACTIVELY PRESENT AND PROMOTE OUR EXPERIENCE

ON EVERY MEDIA, PROVIDING ACCURATE AND IMMEDIATE

INFORMATION ABOUT THE OFFER


WEBSITE

MAGAZINES

VIDEO CHANNELS

Extended Experience Cycle:Post-Exp Phase



During the Post-Experience Phase, customers that have lived the experience will go home and share their comments and feelings with

friends and relatives as well as on the web. This is why during the experience we must ensure that everything is wonderfoul.

In this phase they:• Compare with what expected• Communicate and share the experience• Express positive or negative opinions• Remember the experience (hopefully in a positive way!)

Extended Experience Cycle:Post-Exp Phase



In this phase we perform an active listening and try to catch valuable feedback from our customers! Our aim is to improve as much as possible the experience. We have to monitor blogs, social media

conversation and rating websites such as Trip Advisor!

Thanks to the information Gathered we ask ourselves: Have we reached the expected goals?If there is a problem, we use web tools ans listen.

Tourist Experience Measure

Once defined the problem, we should take note the comments of our customers and take notes of our weaknesses. Then,we must work on re-design the experience to improve it.

Tourist Experience RE-Design

Plot & Characters

Story Telling


Our protagonist is Bob, a 40-year old guy. He works for a company 12 hours per day and he is really stressed.

In order to recover himself, he decides to plan a particular vacation in Northern Uganda.

Bob will discover a new sense of life thank to the experiences, and he will go back home with his pockets plenty of human treasures…

.

He StoryTelling is the exemplification of our Experiential Concept

Other characters are:

• Girl in the library

• Irumba, Northern Uganda guide and cultural

mediator, who explains Bob the sense of all the

experiences he lives

• Nala (Irumba’s wife) and the children

• Northern Uganda community

Values and Meanings in the Storytelling


There are a lot of things in the story that carry particular meanings:


• Legends of animals: the ancient stories that Irumba tells Bob make him think about his place in the world.

• The sunset that is shaping all the surroundings with a breathtaking blending of colours: this gives Bob a great sensation of freedom

• The smiles and hugs of Irumba’s family: thank to them he doesn’t feel a stranger but part of that family

• Special dinner: in this occasion Bob is able to absorbe and understand the values of family and hospitality

• The necklace given by the chief of the tribe: this is a symbol of belonging to the local community, now Bob is not a tourist anymore

• The traditional clothes that the guest wears to feel part of the HAPPINESS community

Storytelling

Which are the WOW Elements?

The first WOW Element is the moment in which Bob arrives in Northern Uganda and is shocked by the breathtaking landscape. He cannot explain this feeling but he feels immediately better


He stands in front of the mirror, watching himself wearing again the western clothes makes him feel a strange emotion. A part of him is afraid to lose the happiness gained so far. Right in that moment, Irumba enters the room. He stares at him, smiles kindly and says: “Don’t you see? It’s not what you wear, or where you are. It’s just you…happiness is in your heart.

Conclusions

TO DEVELOP AN

INNOVATIVE AND

SUSTAINABLE CONCEPT ABLE TO ATTRACT

TOURISTIC FLOWS IN

NORTHERN UGANDA

OUR OBJECTIVE OUR EXPERIENCE

It’s INNOATIVE because it’s the first quest for happiness, where people go to be helped and not the contrary.

It is both innovative and SUSTAINABLE, because it respects people, traditions and environment.

It is able to ATTRACT touristic flows because its unique offer,combines the interest for environment and local tradition with spiritual benefits!

INNOVATIVE EXPERIENTIAL CONCEPT FOR

COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM IN NOTHERN UGANDA

THANK YOU

HAPPINESS COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISTIC EXPERIENCE IN NORTHERN UGANDA

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