What We Do

Utilizing a community stakeholder engagement process designed to develop and strengthen destination partnerships to support economic development, celebrate local culture, sustain natural and cultural assets, and enhance the well-being of residents through sustainable tourism management and marketing.

The BVA is implementing a strategy to strengthen the opportunity for the community and the park to work as partners to develop Inside Anza-Borrego in ways to better benefit from well managed tourism must also clearly reflect the need to evolve the current business promotional practices from a traditional business booster style marketing plan to a Geotourism inspired Destination Management Organization – joining the Anza-Borrego region, an acknowledged World Heritage Center Man and Biosphere Reserve, to a network of world-class UNESCO recognized sustainable destinations.

In addition to creating BorregoExperience.com the Borrego Village Association has facilitated a series of Tourism Visioning Workshops, conducted a comprehensive Visitors Survey, developed a Sustainable Tourism Strategic Plan, supported the 2019 Super Bloom with planning and sanitation facilities, and partnered with the National Association for Interpretation (NAI). The Borrego Village Association has used NAI curriculum to conduct Hospitality Skills Training for local residents to become NAI Certified Interpretive Hosts, and partnered with Borrego Springs Unified School District to provide NAI Certified Interpretive Hosts and Guide program as a for-credit course elective for high school juniors and Seniors.

The Borrego Village Association began partnering with the National Association for Interpretation (NAI) in May 2018 organizing Hospitality Skills Training for local residents to become NAI Certified Interpretive Hosts. The program builds the capacity of local people, enhance their ability to support the businesses that employ them, develop skill sets for local residents to be more employable, inspire young people about the opportunities in the travel and tourism trades and develop a cadre of local ambassadors to represent Borrego both in and outside of our destination. 

The BVA is fundraising for 2020-2021 to engage Tustin, California based The Acorn Group to develop a comprehensive Interpretive Plan. The resulting Interpretive Master Plan will be implemented and managed by the BVA and associates. The Acorn Group offers a range of services in interpretive and educational master planning, exhibit design, curriculum development, and evaluation.  The Acorn Group and the catalog division, Acorn Naturalists, are long established firms in the fields of education and interpretation. They are incorporated in the State of California and certified as a Small Business and Women's Business Enterprise. If you wish to help support this effort to help Borrego better benefit from well managed and planned tourism please follow this link DONATE We greatly appreciate your support! 

 From February 2018 to date the BVA has raised and spent over $250,000, from public grant making agencies and private donors to successfully implement a suite of program activities including;

• Facilitating a series of Tourism Visioning Workshops.....$15,000
  
• Conducting a comprehensive Visitors Survey......$10,000
  
• Writing a Sustainable Tourism Strategic Plan that inform annual Program Action Plans to guide fundraising and program implementation........$25,000
  
• Organizing, developing and managing the Borrego Village Association....$40,000
  
• Supporting the 2019 Super Bloom with planning and sanitation facilities...$5,000
  
• Creating an marketing an interactive website, BorregoExperience.com, and complimentary Instagram and Facebook social media to tell the story of and promote our place-based authenticity to a global audience of travelers…..$55,000
  
• Partnering with the National Association for Interpretation (NAI) to conduct Hospitality Skills Training for local residents to become NAI Certified Interpretive Hosts. Over 50 local residents have participated in this program. 25 members of our community have achieved Certified Interpretive Host accreditation. Through NAI's Train the Trainers Program 5 members of our community have become certified by NAI as Certified Interpretive Trainers…..$40,000
  
• Initiating in the 2019-20 school year with Borrego Springs Unified School District a National Association for Interpretation I Certified Interpretive Hosts and Guide program as a for-credit course elective for high school juniors and seniors. Borrego Springs High School Students taking the interpretation course will achieve two professional level, internationally recognized, accreditations from the National Association for Interpretation as Certified Interpretive Hosts and as Certified Interpretive Guides. Students will also have access to NAI’s Career Resources service.  14 students have achieved the Certified Interpretive Host accreditation in April 2020 and are on track to receive the Certified Interpretive Guide accreditation in June 2020…..$55,000.

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