I love getting out into nature. It refreshes and invigorates me. Many of my favorite memories include visits to national parks - in both Australia and the US.  My love of nature also inspires my concern for sustainability. So - I worry that fewer people are visiting national parks and natural places. It isn't surprising - most camping experiences are really only appealing to a relatively small group of people. Most camp grounds I've been to have basic facilities at best ( and filthy disgusting facilities at worst), require campers...

25 August, 2013 /

Most destinations marketers are familiar with the principles of target marketing. Targeting the right message to move a specific group of consumers through the buying process is standard operating practice at most DMOs. It is surprising how few DMOs use the same principles of targeting their message to specific groups within the destination. Often the communication with these stakeholder groups is “one size fits all”. Of course, “one size fits all” normally means that no one is getting what they need. This point was made clear to me during a...

12 August, 2013 /

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is one of the key drivers of sustainable tourism. The tourism system involves many actors all working to deliver a customer experience. There is little in the way of "top down, command and control" in tourism.  So - without the active participation of companies - and the managers that run those companies - it is difficult to imagine the tourism system becoming more sustainable. In a recent study led by Diana Chan Yu, we examined the drivers of Corporate Social Responsibility in hotels in China....

01 June, 2013 /

Sustainable tourism definitions almost always combine two big, important ideas. The first idea comes from the Brundtland Report - Our Common Future - in which they say sustainable development  "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" . The second big idea is John Elkington's 'Triple Bottom Line" that requires consideration of not only the "profits" but "people" and "planet" as well. These big ideas provide a great foundation but they also present a real challenge for anyone attempting to develop...

30 June, 2012 /

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council is currently seeking public input on a set of criteria for destinations aiming for sustainability. The criteria - designed to be the "minimum" set of activities  - will challenge many destinations and hopefully spur them on to greater efforts. The criteria presented by GSTC create a great - and comprehensive - list of things every destination should be thinking about to ensure that the long-term benefits of tourism are realised. With so many of us so busy on the challenges of the "small stuff" in the  inbox this list...

01 June, 2012 /

To many, tourism is an economic savior that can bring jobs and opportunity. Indeed there are tourism opportunities everywhere and markets for most any type of experience. But not all markets are the same and not all destinations have the ability to service the markets they want to attract. I have been thinking a lot about the  "human traffic jam" on Everest this week and the tourists who undertake this type of travel. The market for this type of experience is somewhat limited by all sorts of factors - money, health, access,...

28 May, 2012 /

[caption id="attachment_79" align="alignright" width="192"] People in the RainforestThanks to Tourism Queensland for the image.[/caption]     Heritage Tourism is an important way for indigenous communities to celebrate their culture and support their communities. It is also an important way for visitors to learn and appreciate the culture of people from places we visit.     Here's a great indigenous ecotourism toolkit developed by a team for at the Australian National Training Authority. Thanks to RobinNunkoo at University of Waterloo for sharing it !...

27 May, 2012 /

Deadwood, South Dakota is dealing with many of the challenges inherent in tourism today. A recent USA Today article - Ghost Town or Gambling Haven outlines the issues of  balancing growth, fuelled by gaming, while maintaining the character of the destination. Heritage Tourism "lives" on a continuum from Disney's Main Street to the most faithful recreations of historical locations and events. As each destination struggles to balance the "here and now" with "what we were" and "what we want to be", they need to find their place on that continuum. And...

21 May, 2012 /

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)  is currently developing criteria for destinations. These criteria are important because they represent a baseline for destinations to undertake to ensure destination sustainability - the very minimum that place managers should consider when developing tourism for the long term...

15 May, 2012 /

There is real skepticism that companies can do well and do good. When discussion turns to the socially responsible actions of a company it seems inevitable that the motives of the company will be brought into question. The typical comment goes something like " sure - they are the greenest company around...

27 April, 2012 /
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