Sustainable tourism and ecotourism are rapidly growing trends in the travel industry, as travelers become more environmentally conscious and seek out destinations that prioritize sustainability. As CEOs and marketing heads of destination brands, it’s important to understand this trend of eco-friendly travel and how to appeal to these eco-conscious travelers. This article explores different marketing strategies and tactics destination brands can use to promote sustainable tourism and attract eco-conscious travelers.
Brands can step-up to know the travel expectations and offer travelers what they seek in experiencing their desired destinations. Borderless Access Insights offers reliable research solutions that capture insights into evolving sentiments around travel and help tourism players to create eco-friendly travel experiences.
Marketing Strategies For Sustainable Tourism
There are several strategies and tactics that destination brands can use to promote sustainable tourism, including:
Highlighting Eco-Friendly Accommodations:
Destination brands can promote eco-friendly accommodations, such as hotels that use renewable energy sources, reduce water usage, and recycle waste. They can also promote the use of biodegradable products and sustainable food sources.
Promoting Responsible Wildlife Viewing:
Destination brands can promote responsible wildlife viewing by encouraging visitors to respect animals’ habitats, and avoiding feeding or interacting with them in ways that can cause harm.
Offering Low-Carbon Transportation Options:
Destination brands can offer low-carbon transportation options, such as public transit, bikes, or electric cars. They can push eco-friendly travel by encouraging visitors to use sustainable transportation options and reduce their carbon footprint while traveling.
Authenticity and Transparency in Marketing:
Destination brands can showcase tangible evidence of their commitment to sustainability, such as eco-certifications, conservation projects, and community-based tourism initiatives. By highlighting these efforts, destination brands can attract eco-conscious travelers who want to see real, measurable actions toward sustainability.
Some destinations have taken concrete steps to deliver sustainable experiences, such as Costa Rica’s “Certification for Sustainable Tourism” program, Norway’s “Fjord Norway Principles” campaign, Palau’s “pledge” program, and Amsterdam’s promotion of biking and pedestrian travel.
Creating Sustainable Tourism Imagery
Building sustainable tourism imagery is an important aspect of marketing for destination brands that want to appeal to eco-conscious travelers.
Here are a few recommendations for how destination brands can create sustainable tourism imagery:
Emphasize Authenticity and Transparency:
In today’s age of greenwashing and superficial sustainability claims, it’s important for destination brands to be authentic and transparent in their sustainability efforts. This means showcasing real, tangible actions that the destination is taking to promote sustainability, such as eco-friendly accommodations, local conservation projects, and community-based tourism initiatives.
Use Visuals that Highlight Natural Beauty:
Sustainable tourism is often associated with natural beauty and conservation, so it’s important to use visuals that showcase the destination’s natural assets. This might include images of pristine beaches, lush forests, or crystal-clear waters. By highlighting the destination’s natural beauty, you can appeal to travelers who are looking for an authentic, nature-based experience.
