Developing Communication Materials with the ITC in Dawei, Myanmar
Overview
The collaboration with the ITC in Dawei, Myanmar aimed to develop communication materials that could be utilized to support local tourism stakeholders in a flexible manner, considering the evolving political climate and pandemic challenges.
The project's initiation coincided with a coup d'état in Myanmar, leading to a shift in focus from a planned workshop to creating adaptable communication materials. These materials needed to remain relevant and useful to local tourism stakeholders amid uncertain conditions.
Category: Tourism Development
Our Approach
Part I – Dawei Action Plan
A comprehensive Action Plan for Dawei was a key deliverable, consisting of 47 pages. The plan introduced Dawei’s potential attractions, assessed its tourism situation, evaluated its appeal as a destination, and conducted a SWOT analysis.
Strategic Objectives Expansion: Existing strategic objectives and workshop proposals were expanded to include contextual details, rationale, and method sections. This helped provide a comprehensive understanding of the proposals’ context and implementation logic.
Part II – Communication Materials Development
The focus shifted to creating evergreen communication materials derived from the 2020 Visioning Workshop’s proposals, considering the limitations posed by the political and pandemic situations.
Identifying Achievable Objectives: Over 40 workshop activities were reviewed to identify feasible ones. Themes were created to group these activities, and potential materials were developed to address multiple activities.
Example Material: A 50-page PowerPoint presentation titled “Leveraging Digital Promotion Opportunities” addressed three activities concurrently, offering guidance on content creation, promotion strategy design, and budget-free execution.
Part III – Communication Materials Creation
The project resulted in the creation of five communication materials:
- PowerPoint – Leveraging Digital Promotion Opportunity
- PowerPoint – Guidelines for Tourism Awareness
- Animated Video – Introduction to the Tourism Awarding Process
- Animated Video – Tourism Sustainability Check-Up
- Animated Video – Codes of Conduct & Sustainability Certifications
Production Process:
Script: Engaging scripts were developed for each communication piece, outlining the narrative arc and thematic content.
Storyboard: Visual layouts with scene images were created based on the scripts, ensuring alignment with the intended visual style.
Rough Cut with Images: Preliminary video versions were assembled with rough visuals and voice-overs to gauge the concept’s effectiveness.
Edited Version with Animation and Voice-Over: Final versions were refined and presented to the ITC, balancing content and style.
Myanmar Language Version: Additional versions were created in the Myanmar language through collaboration with an ITC contact.
Results
Despite challenges, the project yielded five comprehensive communication materials ready for implementation. The materials offer valuable insights and guidance to Dawei’s tourism stakeholders, fostering engagement and preparedness for future tourism developments.
Conclusion
Our partnership with the ITC in Dawei exemplifies resilience and adaptability in navigating challenging circumstances. Through the creation of communication materials, we aspire to contribute to the community’s readiness for tourism revival while remaining hopeful for a brighter future in Myanmar’s tourism landscape.