Serena De Franceschi
(she/her)Italy
When I began my career in tourism, discovering facilitation was unexpected, yet it proved to be the perfect fit. Having worked across various roles—as an event organizer, tourist animator, tour operator, and shore excursion tour leader for cruise ships—I observed firsthand how tourism shapes places, communities, and environments. However, I felt a disconnect: while the experiences were memorable for tourists, the impact on local hosts was often negligible or even detrimental. This realization prompted a significant shift in my focus toward sustainable tourism, centered on establishing boundaries and co-creating initiatives directly with local communities.
Eventually, I transitioned into consultancy. Today, my work focuses on supporting tourism destinations and operators in designing models of tourism that foster positive impacts. This is where facilitation becomes indispensable, as true sustainability requires community alignment. Through participatory processes, we can raise awareness about tourism’s potential, foster collaborative relationships, build local capacities, and reframe the perception of the industry. Ultimately, this empowers local stakeholders to actively shape future strategies and projects, acting as true stewards of their land.
Witnessing the profound social impact that facilitation can spark, even within a specific domain like tourism, inspired me to deepen my expertise. I enrolled in a course on Participatory Design and Public Policies, which has provided me with a richer understanding of how public participation can shape a community’s future, particularly when it drives meaningful action within public institutions.
Experience
Languages: English, French, Italian, Spanish
Event Types: Bootcamp, Conference, Hackathon, Offline, Panel, Training, Workshop
Audiences: Adults (36–64), External Stakeholder, Indigenous Communities, Internal Stakeholders, Private Sector, Public Sector, Third or Fourth Sector
Certificates: CXC In-Person Facilitation Training
Thematic Areas
- Community-based tourism
- Sustainability
- Role of natural resources and its governance
- Stakeholders’ consultation and capacity building
- Service/product design and design thinking