Feeling a greater sense of urgency, people, places and tourism destinations respond to moral outrage and business risks caused by climate change. The world needs to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as much as possible, as fast as possible. There are now less than 11 years left to hit the target and each day matters. […]
Topic: Sustainable Tourism
5 DMO responses to the mass tourism crisis (and a running list)
If you missed it in March, we published our view on the serious risks of pursuing economic growth as the primary goal of tourism. In short, pursuing greater revenue through higher volumes of visitors is a potential path to being overwhelmed. We are not alone in talking about this; many people have sounded the alarm. […]
How Tourism Bay of Plenty turns The Love of Tourism into action
“The only way forward is to fundamentally change,” says CEO Kristin Dunne, describing Tourism Bay’s ambitious destination plan called The Love of Tourism. To make fundamental changes, destination marketing organizations (DMOs) often require an expanded organizational mandate, and this case is no different. In part one of this two-part interview, Dunne explained why regenerative tourism […]
The Love of Tourism: Bay of Plenty plans a future of flourishing
“Sustainability doesn’t go far enough,” says Kristin Dunne, CEO at Tourism Bay of Plenty (TBOP), echoing The Love of Tourism, her new destination plan. She stands at the forefront of destination marketing leaders calling for the tourism industry to expand its goals beyond economic growth and take action to mitigate environmental challenges often linked to […]
Manage mass tourism before it manages you
At Destination Think!, our credo is that tourism can make the world a better place. When people travel, their minds open. They learn about other people, cultures, ideas and environments. Most of all, they learn about themselves. Travel can provide a new perspective that challenges travellers to think differently and change certain behaviours. Along the […]
Social media-fueled overcrowding and your DMO’s responsibility
Can your destination’s social media channels damage the environment? It might sound extreme, but some fear that Instagram and other platforms are “ruining the great outdoors” by drawing an overwhelming number of visitors to fragile sites. Social media certainly has a powerful influence on visitor behaviour. According to a Google study, 60% of people use […]
How do your residents feel about tourism? Visit Flanders studies local perceptions of carrying capacity
Visit Flanders is taking resident opinions about tourism seriously. The Belgian destination management organization (DMO) has released a report written by Vincent Nijs that describes resident perspectives about carrying capacity and the perceived value of tourism in the city of Bruges. Nijs conducted this study as part of his MBA thesis at MODUL University in […]
Lifeline in the Pacific: Palau’s pristine vision for success means managing tourism expectations
The Republic of Palau is a small island nation with remarkable tourism experiences, and the world is taking notice. Palau is a magnet for divers searching for the some of the world’s best conditions, and boasts many more natural wonders like the astounding Jellyfish Lake, Milky Way lagoon and the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon. The […]
Keeping its destination profitable and its people happy: Aruba’s cap on all-inclusive resorts
Aruba is famous for year-round sunshine, award-winning beaches and for being “One Happy Island” that was even recently named the happiest island in the world. Beyond beach life, the island offers a dynamic culinary scene, luxury shopping and cultural festivals, and this diversity of experiences is attracting ever more visitors. In 2015, total arrivals increased […]
Discover the value of your visitors: Caribbean Tourism Organization’s approach to quality, profitable tourism
As destinations watch global tourism visitation continue to grow, some are asking: How many visitors are too many, and how can we influence who will visit? In an effort to manage and avoid the tide of mass tourism beginning to affect some parts of the world (see Bye Bye Barcelona), the Caribbean region has made […]
Amsterdam’s response to exponential tourism growth and its impact on residents
As an award-winning organization with an innovative approach to promotion, visitor management and tourism development, Amsterdam Marketing is considered among the world’s leading city marketers. The city was among the first European destinations to sign a unique partnership agreement on home sharing and tourist tax with Airbnb. The organization is also known for its consistent […]
10 must-read articles on the destructive force of mass tourism
Destinations around the world are under increasing pressures due to exponential growth in visitation. The negative effects of mass tourism are being felt in idyllic locations prized for pristine landscapes and also in cities, where the quality of life of residents is being negatively impacted by the growing foot traffic. These 10 must-read articles shed […]
Thailand shifts away from mass tourism
Tourism in some parts of Thailand has reached critical mass. Later this year, some popular beaches are scheduled to close due to “overcrowding and environmental degradation” attributed to high visitation. How will the destination respond? Given today’s challenges, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced their 2017 marketing plan, which emphasizes “value for experience” over […]
Destination marketers are collaborators: DMOs must strive for a net benefit from tourism in their communities
As a resident in a popular tourism destination, you’d be right to ask how visitation affects you. Are the crowds of tourists making your community a better place, or does their travel only benefit the industry’s bottom line, or the nation’s GDP? As tourism grows irregularly in destinations around the world, and sometimes to an alarming […]
Destination marketers need to learn from the past to shape a healthier tourism future
2016 may be a year of reckoning for the tourism industry. In her recent article, “Are the eggs of the tourism goose starting to crack?”, strategic advisor and Founder of Concious Travel Anna Pollock calls out systemic problems within the tourism industry that have dire consequences for destinations, residents and travellers. Among the root causes […]
How Visit Greenland makes sustainable tourism a priority
Greenland’s spectacular, rugged and remote northern landscape offers visitors unparalleled wilderness and unique adventure, and the word is getting out. Interest in Greenland as a tourism destination has been growing steadily. And with this renewed interest, Visit Greenland – the country’s national tourism organization – must consider long-term impacts. How should a destination approach sustainable […]
Is mass tourism destroying our cities? Bye Bye Barcelona documentary investigates
While tourism generates profit for some, it can also wreak havoc on local ways of life when left unchecked. This is becoming evident in some European cities where mass tourism is impacting the quality of life for its residents. As destination marketing organizations (DMOs) grapple with the challenge of increasing visitation, they must also consider […]
Like SoMeT? Join our track at Simpleview Summit 2016
We’re itching to share more stories to help you drive success through innovation in your destination marketing organization. That’s why we’re excited to announce that we’re producing a dedicated 1-day track at Simpleview Summit 2016 in Tucson, Arizona! What will our sessions cover? Drawing from our considerable experience working with destination marketing organizations, we will […]