Overview
La Paz Group offers property development, operations management, and sales and marketing services to investors and property owners committed to the sustainable use of natural and cultural patrimony.
Our mission is to create authentic, distinctive and valuable life experiences, to build profitable businesses around these, and then to direct the associated economic benefits to the conservation and prosperity of unique natural and cultural heritage and to the improvement of the quality of life of the local host communities.
Crafting Experiences with Sense and Sensibility
By “craft” we mean we are hands on in creating value – not simply replicating industry standards. By “experiences” we mean we want people to have more than just a great vacation—we want them to feel engaged in the nature and community of the place. By “sense” we mean we want those experiences to lead to an epiphany—an enlightenment. And by “sensibility” we mean the result is meaningful, lasting contribution to conservation.
Origins
La Paz Group co-founder Crist Inman was invited in 1995 to direct the Tourism Cluster Project at the Center for Latin American Competitiveness and Sustainable Development, an initiative of the Presidents of the Central American countries, BCIE and Avina Foundation. He worked with public and private sector leaders in the region facilitating tourism strategy and implementation in the context of wilderness and cultural conservation for six years.
The Destinations advisory services we offer grew out of the success of the Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Galapagos initiatives. After several years offering advisory services we were requested to form a team to manage the innovative conservation lodge Lapa Rios, and our Resorts & Spas management services grew out of this.
Values
The values underlying our Destinations and Resorts & Spas services are rooted in the observation of a cross-section of affluent consumers. These observations have convinced us that:
When we craft an experience that gives someone a sense of the deep meaning of natural and/or cultural patrimony, their sensibilities are heightened and in turn their generosity in support of conservation is bounded only by their means; and when we craft those experiences in inspirational locations with remarkable people providing the service, there is economic opportunity that can sustain both ecology and community over time.
These observations shape the values that guide our work in the field of entrepreneurial and innovative conservation. We are committed to leveraging entrepreneurial opportunity, innovatively tapping into well-documented market trends by attracting consumers to worthy nature- and culture-focused conservation initiatives.
Today
Ludovic Lainé joined La Paz Group in 2004 with the mandate to lead La Paz Group’s expansion to new international territories with cross-disciplinary projects and one common objective: entrepreneurial and innovative conservation. He became a Managing Partner the following year with the establishment of La Paz Group’s Partner office in France.
In 2010 Ludovic led the establishment of a Development office in Singapore, represented by Ann-Kee Tan, and in 2013 a Partner office in Japan led by Satoko Nagahara. Crist & Amie Inman formed a Partner office in India in 2010 and divide their time between India and Costa Rica. Saji Joseph joined La Paz Group in 2015 as Executive Director in India, and in 2016 he was also elected Managing Partner for India.