Country: United States

Organization: Waypoint Yacht Charter Services

Year the initiative began: 2006

Project Website: www.waypointcharter.com

Positioning in the Mosaic of solutions:

• Main barrier addressed: Corporate monolithic approach to tourism
• Main insight addressed: Incorporate sustainable practices

Youtube upload:

What is the goal of your innovation?
Promote yacht charters vs. cruise ships for all travelers, reducing environmental impact on oceans while stimulating support & accessibility of destinations.

How does your approach support or embody geotourism?
The primary marine tourism experience used worldwide is the cruise ship. Recent studies show that “a 164’ charter motor yacht would require 170 years of operation to produce the same amount of environmental waste as the average sized cruise ship produces in one week.” The promotion of accessible yacht charter puts the responsibility for local marine environmental issues in the hands of the people who stand to gain or lose the most; the local residents. In terms of their marine tourism resources, worldwide accessible yacht charter provides awareness about the need for accessibility of travel destinations and private charter vessels, promotes the use of local yachts, crews, services and facilities. With the rapid growth in the numbers of retiring baby-boomers, the demand for more eco-friendly, accessible charter vessels is growing. Along with this need, the requirement for accessible destinations and ports of call will also increase. At the end of the day, travelers of all abilities who seek “on-the-water” vacations will sleep well knowing that their “choice” not only meets their personal needs but that they are doing their part in sustaining our oceans as well as the inhabitants of their next port of call.

Describe your approach in detial. How is it innovative?
The yacht charter broker connects clients looking for a marine tourism experience with the appropriate yacht and crew. The broker has access to many hundreds of eco-friendly private charter vessels worldwide. Typically, it is only through the yacht charter broker, that a client (or travel agent) can book a crewed, private yacht charter vacation. As the only certified “Accessible Travel Specialist” in the industry, Sherri Backstrom, owner of Waypoint Yacht Charter Services is committed to promoting accessible yachts and locally based charter adventure vacations. Yacht charter provides an alternative to the cruise ship experience while maintaining the ability to provide comfort and security for travelers with disabilities. The sustainability of the world’s largest ecosystem-its oceans- is requiring a new innovative approach for experiencing its’ wonders and beauty. Smaller vessels, environmentally efficient, accessible, with roots in the local economy are the alternatives that Waypoint YCS is promoting for the future of marine tourism.

What types of partnerships or professional developement would be most beneficial in spearding your innovation?
These would include: a) the collaboration of funding, designers and builders of more fully accessible charter yachts, b) heritage and environmental educational programs at destinations, c) availability of geotourism training opportunities and information for dissemination, d) building relationships with travel agents around the world will open many doors to present the option of a private yacht vs. cruise ship vacation to travelers. Additionally, we have formed relationships with the handful of owners of accessible private charter vessels. We are now being sought out by others who are seeing the need and putting their accessible boats into charter.

In one sentence describe what kind of impact, change, or reform your approach is intended to achieve.
Accessible charter yachts will prevent the degradation of the world’s marine environment and localize the financial benefits.

Describe the degree of success of your approach to date. Clearly define how you measure quantitative and qualitative impact in terms of how your approach contributes to the sustainability or enhancement of local culture, environment, heritage, or aesthetics? How does your approach minimize negative impacts?
An example which illustrates the charter yacht approach to marine ecotourism and its’ success in contributing to local culture and economy can be found on a small island in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico. Isla Coyote (24’51”N, 110’34”W) is home to approximately 50 people who have subsisted for generations by fishing from the Sea. The arrival of charter yachts in this area, named “The World’s Aquarium”, by Jacque Cousteau, is being fueled by its’ wild beauty, abundant sea life, and local culture. The way of life for the residents of Isla Coyote is threatened by restricted fishing and a lack of potable water. Decreasing annual rainfall, a failed solar still, on top of a diminished income from fishing were driving the young people to find work in tourists towns like Cabo San Lucas. Isla Coyote’s picturesque beauty and unique culture has drawn charter yacht captains to visit this island. Over time a symbiotic relationship has helped to secure the inhabitants of Isla Coyotes future. The people of the island sell handicrafts and fresh fish for excellent prices while the charter yachts provide potable water from their watermakers to fill the towns’ cistern.

How does your program promote traveler enthusiasm, satisfaction, and engagement with the locale?
The charter yachts allow guests the option of a customized & varied intimate experience in the marine venue. Cruise ships, because of their size and numbers (up to 3000+ guests) cannot offer this. The skippers of charter yachts are knowledgeable in the local attractions, marine wildlife & ecosystem issues, and local culture. The clients choose a custom experience aboard a comfortable platform while being served by a crew, often with local roots. The captain and crew becomes the conduit between the client and the local marine tourism destination.

In what ways are local residents actively involved in your innovation, including participation and community input? How has the community responded to or benefited from your approach?
Petersburg, (Alaska), Canouan Island, (Grenadines, West Indies), Puerto Escondido, (BC Mexico), in addition to many other coastal towns worldwide, benefit from the presence of charter yachts. Their relatively isolated locations mean that local provisioning, maintenance services, lodging and entertainment stay in the local economy. Large cruise ships require large ports and their service needs are minimal. Typically the fuel, provisioning and repair are done in the port of departure, often not even in the country being visited. Tourism dollars from cruise ship guests remain in the hands of middlemen and cruise ship company-owned shops.

Describe how your innovation helps travelers and local residents better understand the value of the area's cultural and natural heritage, and educates them on local environmental issues. How do you motivate them to act responsibly in their future travel decisions?
The residents of marine tourism areas, having formerly survived on a resource-based economy welcome the charter yacht industry. The dollars spent locally are a powerful motivator for protecting the marine ecosystem which brings them income. The locally-based charter yacht skipper and crew are vested as well. Through example and education in intimate settings, the delicate natural synergy in the marine ecosystem can be seen and therefore appreciated by their guests. Studies indicate that once guests have experienced the yacht charter alternative as a way to explore the marine tourism areas, they continue to repeat their choice in other cruising destinations.

Is your initiative financially and organizationally sustainable? If not, what is required to make it so? What is the potential demand for your innovation?
Financially, Waypoint is looking into grant +/or loan funding to sustain our 3-5 year marketing plan. Additional staffing will be a requirement as the demand for our unique charter vacations grow. The growing population of retiring “baby-boomers”, along with an increasing global awareness (through our networking/marketing efforts) of the benefits of accessible yacht charter makes for a favorable projection of growth for this innovation. Statistics abound on the internet, speaking to the affects on global tourism caused by the rapid insurgence of retiring “boomers”. WYCS is preparing to meet this demand, becoming the “experts” for accessible yacht charter vacationers.

How is your initiative currently financed? If available, provide information on your finances and organization that could help others. Please list: Annual budget, annual revenue generated, size of part-time, full-time and volunteer staff.
Waypoint YCS is a for-profit sole proprietorship. Start-up was accomplished with owner capital and sweat equity. Annual operating budget is approximately $21,000. The revenue generated to date is $5620. Our staff is contract labor for marketing and IT. The owner is the only full-time employee, working long hours to date with growing revenues but no profit as yet. With our growing presence, increased client inquiries and sales, and sustained marketing efforts, I expect to reach profitability within 3-5 years. We are booking charters for clients with various levels of disability, as well as marine tourists who want to see, understand and, above all, enjoy, the world’s largest ecosystem. Today tourism dollars are already being spent. Our goal is to capture some of that demand and along the way, raise the consciousness of the traveler and charter provider.

What is your plan to expand your approach? Please indicate where/how you would like to grow or enhance your innovation, or have others do so.
By continuing the current efforts of networking and marketing towards the availability of more fully accessible charter boats in various global destinations, we plan to, and are already seeing, an increase in the travelers’ awareness of these choices as well as an increase in the industry’s awareness and response to the need. Eventually, I plan to have a website that is dedicated to the unique options and needs of accessible yacht charter. For now, our growing database of accessible yachts is gaining more exposure through venues like Scott Rains’ accessible travel forum, Tour Watch, press releases, and informative blog forums.

What are the main barriers you encounter in managing, implementing, or replicating your innovation? What barriers keep your program from having greater impact?
The success of Waypoint YCS will provide the competitive motivation within the yacht charter industry to expand the promotion of marine ecotourism. This approach is profit motivated. As a new company, Waypoint YCS is currently being challenged by it’s marketing budget. To create more momentum, the marketing dollars available will have to increase. Also, with the increasing demand for accessible yachts in equally accessible global destinations, the need to build, maintain and manage these venues will have to be shared by others in each respective field of expertise. Another barrier is the expense and time commitment for travel. I’ve been invited to visit the countries, like Greece and the UK, where accessible boats have been built for charter to experience their charter destinations and to be able to view these unique vessels while meeting the people who have built or designed them. By doing this I will not only be able to better sell their trips, but also be able to build the relationships with those who can further this innovation. The need for staffing, with the funds to support them, is imminent. Through increased sales and additional funding, the gap will narrow between the goals and reality for Waypoint.

What is the origin of your innovation? Tell your story.
The private crewed yacht charter industry is relatively new; approximately 35 years old. Chartering a crewed yacht has become affordable to many because of the dramatic increase in yachts available for charter worldwide. Sherri Backstrom and Don Hall have come into this industry on different paths. Sherri has been a successful business owner and later, worked for a bareboat charter company in the Pacific Northwest, while Don was a commercial fisherman for 35 years. They are both impassioned about the geotourism concept of the marine tourism industry. As a result of their own world cruising adventure, Sherri and Don have personally witnessed the destructive consequences resulting from the growth of cruise ship tourism from the deck of their own 38’ sailboat, “Clipper Spirit”. Because of Don’s background in the marine resource harvesting industry, he has personally witnessed the environmental decline and the resulting consequences in the near-shore areas of the Pacific Coast of the Americas. Sherri’s personal struggle with a degenerative neuromuscular disease, Charcot-Marie-Tooth, and her commitment to finding ways to continue her own, “on-the-water” travel adventure has brought her an awareness of the feasibility of accessible yacht charter options. Initially, this business concept was formed out of the physical need for Sherri to change career paths. Spending long hours on her newly “rebuilt” feet became impossible and the decision to carve out a new career was imperative. Having witnessed the rebuilding of a charter vessel to accommodate wheelchair users, Sherri stepped up to the plate by offering to promote this boat through her network and association within the MDA, hospitals, doctors and clinics, and through her new business website, www.waypointcharter.com. Curious, she looked further into the yacht charter industry for other similar accessible charter boats, only to find that there were only a few available worldwide. As a person with a disability, Sherri is aware of the often uncomfortable position that non-disabled service providers face when trying to communicate and provide for clients who present with special needs. Consequently, there are not many travel experts, let alone charter brokers, who willingly were promoting this venue for travelers with disabilities. In September of 2007, Sherri traveled to Florida where, along with a small group of travel agents, she received the Travel Institutes certification as an Accessible Travel Specialist. She is the only yacht charter broker with this certification and training. A current goal is to develop an accessible rating system to be used in determining the level of accessibility on charter yachts. With this standard in-hand, Sherri will be further raising the awareness of the need for these features as she travels annually to the various ports of call to attend the industry charter-broker boat shows. Along with that, she will be asking for clearly defined “green” practices of each and every charter captain and crew that she interviews. Together, Don & Sherri are building a business which, through its’ success, will promote accessible marine geotourism, benefiting the traveler, residents of coastal destinations, and our oceans.

Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers' marketing material.
Sherri Backstrom: Mother of three, owner of a Montessori preschool for 12 years, marine industry for 5 years (Crew manager for charter company, team member for Port of Bellingham Marina, sales floor manager for local marina chandlery), lifelong boater and avid sailor. Member of CYBA, US Power & Sail Squadron, ASA certified sailor, Better Business Bureau member, licensed Yacht Charter Broker and owner of Waypoint Yacht Charter Services. Don Hall: Marine Industry, 35 years in the commercial fishing business, aquaculture and oil-spill response. Father, avid sailor and advocate for locally-owned sustainable aquaculture. Co-owner of Waypoint Yacht Charter Services

Please write an overview of your project. This text will appear when people scroll over the icon for your entry on the Google map located on teh competition homepage.
Waypoint Yacht Charter Services goal is to promote private, crewed yacht charter vacations vs. cruise ships for travelers of all abilities thereby reducing environmental impact on the world’s oceans while stimulating support and accessibility of the local marine destinations

Contact Information
Ms. Sherri Backstrom
Business Owner
Waypoint Yacht Charter Services
4648 Lakeway Dr Bellingham, WA
sherri@waypointcharter.com