Client description: A private economic development organization

Practice area: Strategic Positioning and Planning

Geographic scope: Caribbean, US, and Europe

Industries involved: Economic development, tourism, hospitality, education, ports, shipping

Services applied: Strategic positioning; corporate strategy; branding

Business challenge: This island's economy had no economic development strategy, little worldwide awareness, declining tourism, and no economic growth.

Methodologies: The process began with stakeholder interviews, global competitive benchmarking, and strategic analysis which led to a positioning strategy. We then worked with stakeholders on the island in both the government and private sector to build consensus around this strategy.

The result: A positioning strategy called “Education and Sophistication” that included the synergistic development of four key industry clusters: tourism, financial services, logistics, and education. The Prime Minister ultimately adopted elements of the strategy in creating an Education Delta Force. We delivered a focused niche strategy, consensus in the public and private sectors surrounding this strategy, as well as investment promotion and recruiting programs. The island is experiencing record tourism growth, two major hotel resort developments have been completed, the government has embraced an international education program, new airlift has been secured, and niche markets are being cultivated.

For the ensuing six years, Geo Strategy Partners managed a trade and investment development campaign targeting primarily North American while continuing to work with stakeholders on the island to sustain the strategy implementation. Our promotional and recruitment efforts contributed to the development of the Hyatt Regency Resort, the development of educational alliances between a university and US and European universities, the establishment of a Medical College, new air routes from North America , various press tours, promotional events and in-bound investor missions as well as out-bound road shows and seminars in North America.