Destination pilot · In development

Help shape a travel pilot that creates more opportunity at local destinations.

Tourism brings activity to destinations, but its benefits do not automatically reach local businesses and workers. TravelRTA is exploring how Resident Travel Advisors, destination organizations, and referral partners could connect travelers with the people, local businesses, and enterprises that make each place special.

Join the partner waiting list Explore the partner model

Why local connections matter

Collecting pilot project interest.

Travel booking is not open.

Illustration of a local guide, visitors, and independent businesses in an imagined coastal community. — Illustration of an imagined destination community.

Research context

Why local connections matter

Tourism can create work and income, but its economic benefits do not automatically reach local businesses and workers.

Research describes how tourism's contribution depends in part on links with local suppliers and other parts of the economy. When those links are weak, more tourism value can flow out of a destination economy.

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) · 2013
Sustainable tourism: Contribution to economic growth and sustainable development
Explains that tourism's economic contribution depends partly on local economic linkages and discusses financial leakage in developing economies.
UN Tourism · Current overview
Tourism in Small Island Developing States
Describes leakage and local value addition in Small Island Developing States; this context is specific to SIDS, not every destination.

These sources discuss broad economic conditions and specific regions. Estimates vary by definition, place, and year; they do not measure a selected pilot destination or TravelRTA's effects.

A LOCALLY ROOTED PILOT

Help shape tourism opportunity around local strengths.

Local business opportunity

Help us understand how TravelRTA could connect visitor demand with the independent businesses and experiences in your destination.

Resident expertise

Explore a model where people who know the destination help travelers discover and coordinate local experiences.

A pilot informed by you

Share the needs, gaps, and opportunities that should inform a possible destination pilot.

See where your organization could fit.

Imagine a small group visiting a destination to celebrate a milestone. This illustrative example shows how local participants could contribute if a pilot moves forward.

Illustration of local tourism professionals discussing plans at a cafe table. — Illustrative collaboration scene.

Illustrative scenario · Proposed collaboration model

Destination organization

Your possible contribution

Introduce local strengths, businesses that may be interested, and destination priorities.

What the pilot would explore

How destination coordination could help local businesses respond to suitable travel opportunities.

Join as a destination partner

JavaScript is unavailable, so the role selector cannot change. These are the three illustrative partner roles; each link still takes you to the same interest form.

Destination organization: Introduce local strengths, businesses that may be interested, and destination priorities. How destination coordination could help local businesses respond to suitable travel opportunities.
Local supplier: Share the accommodation, dining, activities, or services your business could contribute. How relevant requests and clear coordination could help independent businesses participate.
Resident Travel Advisor: Bring destination knowledge and help shape a coherent local experience. How resident expertise could support travelers and collaboration among local suppliers.

DESTINATION PILOT · IN DEVELOPMENT

Share your interest in the destination pilot.

Tell us your role and how to reach you. After you register, you can add optional context to help us understand your interest.

Share only the email and interest needed for a follow-up.

What happens next

Three steps from interest to review

Share your interest
Choose the closest role, enter your email, and give permission for TravelRTA to contact you about the destination pilot.
Add optional context
After registration, you can share optional details about your organization or business. You may skip this step.
We review for a possible fit
TravelRTA reviews submitted interest and may follow up when there is a potential fit. There is no guaranteed response date or pilot place.

A FEW USEFUL DETAILS

Questions about the destination pilot

Who should join?

We welcome destination organizations, tourism boards and DMOs, local suppliers, Resident Travel Advisors, and other destination partners. Chambers, trade associations, and referral partners interested in helping shape the pilot are welcome too.

Is TravelRTA open for bookings?

No. Travel booking is not open, and this interest form does not accept bookings or payments.

Does joining guarantee participation?

No. Registering expresses interest; it does not reserve a place or establish a partnership. TravelRTA may contact people whose role, destination, and needs suggest a possible fit.

Which destinations are included?

We are gathering interest to inform where a pilot could be explored. No destination is confirmed for the pilot.

What happens after I register?

Your interest is recorded for review, and you can add optional context. TravelRTA may follow up if there is a potential fit; there is no promised response date.

YOUR INFORMATION

How we use your information

We use the information you provide to record your interest, assess a possible pilot fit, and contact you about that interest. Providing extra profile details is optional. This form does not subscribe you to a separate newsletter. Our initial reviewer is Steven George. Contact [email protected] to request a correction, ask us to stop contacting you, or request deletion.

We stop follow-up immediately after we verify a do-not-contact request. We delete your active profile and original email, retaining only an HMAC-SHA-256 digest of the normalized email address, its key version, and the suppression date. If you request deletion without asking us to stop contact, we delete the live record and retain no suppression digest.