15
08/2020
AUTHOR
Aude Lenoir
TOURISCOPE
IDEAS

3 strategies to raise awareness of your sustainable practices and offers

Read IN FRENCH

Travellers are adopting increasingly green behaviour and expect similar changes from tourism businesses.

According to a survey conducted by Booking.com among 18,000 international travellers, 71% of them want more sustainable travel choices from companies. The same proportion would be more inclined to book a hotel knowing that it is eco-responsible.

However, many obstacles persist in making these trips, such as the lack of information provided by companies about their sustainable practices and offers. The challenge for them is to make themselves better known. To do this, three strategies can be used:

The examples below are intended in particular for destination promotion organizations, tour operators and receptive agencies. This article is inspired by a conference I had the pleasure of giving at the annual conference of the Receptive Tour Operators and Travel Agencies Association of Quebec.

1. Create a clear and distinctive positioning

Tour operators and receptive agencies in sustainable tourism have understood this well: to attract customers, gain their trust and retain them, it is necessary to have a clear positioning, consistent with their offer and distinct from their competitors. To illustrate this strategy, here is an example of a tour operator website. Its editorial line reflects this positioning. The keywords used in their communications are the promise of travel within a niche market of sustainable tourism.

However, even without being positioned in this niche, a company should not hesitate to promote its sustainable initiatives, as long as the communication is made in a transparent manner and without false promises.

2. Package the sustainable offer

Packaging the sustainable offer of a destination increases the chances of attracting travelers. The Vanilla Islands destination management organization, located in the Indian Ocean, has taken a concerted and collaborative approach to create inter-island combinations that promotes ecotourism, a form of sustainable tourism that prioritizes the respect of the natural environment. After identifying the offer, they invited receptive agencies present on each of the islands to manifest their interest. They then came together to create 22 packages, featured, amongst other places, on the Vanilla Islands website.

3. Get involved in a certification and labeling process

Sustainable tourism certifications allow businesses and destinations to be supported in implementing more sustainable practices. They also represent a pledge of confidence for visitors who see it as a guarantee of eco-responsible products and services. There are many certifications and labels, such as those of Travelife and Act for Responsible Tourism, dedicated to tour operators or those of EarthCheck and Green Destinations, for destinations. In Quebec, Adventure Ecotourism Québec offers Ecotourism accreditation  for activities in the natural  environment within adventure tourism and ecotourism companies.

Communication and marketing of the sustainable tourism offer are essential, as travelers are still too ill-equipped to make an informed choice.

Whether you are a company that is embarking on the path of sustainable tourism or one that is already well positioned, remember that communication is also essential internally. Educate and train your front-line employees to promote your sustainable approach to visitors.

Other Insights

Consulting the locals: a must

TouriScope is increasingly conducting surveys of local residents for its clients.

READ MORE

Showcasing the local culinary heritage

Visitors seeking authenticity and an immersive cultural experience at a destination are turning to food tourism, generating local economic benefits along the way.

READ MORE

Building Loyalty: at the heart of the customer experience

Maintaining customers over the long-term is a major challenge for small and medium-sized enterprises. So, why and how to stand out with an effective and attractive loyalty program?

READ MORE
15
08/2020
author
Aude Lenoir
TOURISCOPE
ÉCLAIREZ VOS IDÉES

3 strategies to raise awareness of your sustainable practices and offers

Read IN ENGLISH

Travellers are adopting increasingly green behaviour and expect similar changes from tourism businesses.

According to a survey conducted by Booking.com among 18,000 international travellers, 71% of them want more sustainable travel choices from companies. The same proportion would be more inclined to book a hotel knowing that it is eco-responsible.

However, many obstacles persist in making these trips, such as the lack of information provided by companies about their sustainable practices and offers. The challenge for them is to make themselves better known. To do this, three strategies can be used:

The examples below are intended in particular for destination promotion organizations, tour operators and receptive agencies. This article is inspired by a conference I had the pleasure of giving at the annual conference of the Receptive Tour Operators and Travel Agencies Association of Quebec.

1. Create a clear and distinctive positioning

Tour operators and receptive agencies in sustainable tourism have understood this well: to attract customers, gain their trust and retain them, it is necessary to have a clear positioning, consistent with their offer and distinct from their competitors. To illustrate this strategy, here is an example of a tour operator website. Its editorial line reflects this positioning. The keywords used in their communications are the promise of travel within a niche market of sustainable tourism.

However, even without being positioned in this niche, a company should not hesitate to promote its sustainable initiatives, as long as the communication is made in a transparent manner and without false promises.

2. Package the sustainable offer

Packaging the sustainable offer of a destination increases the chances of attracting travelers. The Vanilla Islands destination management organization, located in the Indian Ocean, has taken a concerted and collaborative approach to create inter-island combinations that promotes ecotourism, a form of sustainable tourism that prioritizes the respect of the natural environment. After identifying the offer, they invited receptive agencies present on each of the islands to manifest their interest. They then came together to create 22 packages, featured, amongst other places, on the Vanilla Islands website.

3. Get involved in a certification and labeling process

Sustainable tourism certifications allow businesses and destinations to be supported in implementing more sustainable practices. They also represent a pledge of confidence for visitors who see it as a guarantee of eco-responsible products and services. There are many certifications and labels, such as those of Travelife and Act for Responsible Tourism, dedicated to tour operators or those of EarthCheck and Green Destinations, for destinations. In Quebec, Adventure Ecotourism Québec offers Ecotourism accreditation  for activities in the natural  environment within adventure tourism and ecotourism companies.

Communication and marketing of the sustainable tourism offer are essential, as travelers are still too ill-equipped to make an informed choice.

Whether you are a company that is embarking on the path of sustainable tourism or one that is already well positioned, remember that communication is also essential internally. Educate and train your front-line employees to promote your sustainable approach to visitors.

AUTRES ARTICLES

Lumière sur le tourisme expérientiel

Retrouvez ici les contenus partagés dans notre Infolettre thématique Septembre 2023

LIRE PLUS

Aires protégées et tourisme

Dans notre précédent article sur les aires protégées, nous avons démystifié le concept et dressé un état des lieux au Canada, Québec et Nouveau-Brunswick. Ce second article approfondit le lien entre tourisme et aires protégées. Découvrez pourquoi une certaine activité touristique ou récréotouristique est nécessaire dans les aires protégées et comment en limiter les impacts négatifs.

LIRE PLUS

Lumière sur la francophonie canadienne et sa mise en tourisme

Retrouvez ici les contenus partagés dans notre Infolettre thématique Juin 2023

LIRE PLUS