Tourist destinations want to be sustainable to improve their quality, but also to gain brand awareness
Tourist points are increasingly striving to be more sustainable and thereby improve the quality of life of their citizens, but also attract a public that increasingly demands more from the destinations they visit. But this is a process that is not done overnight, but rather a long road where not all destinations can position themselves as ‘the most sustainable’ because ‘the brand objective is being destroyed’. Destination reputation expert Robert Govers will explain how to do that at the Turium Vitoria-Gasteiz Forum on October 19 in the Basque capital.
–How can a city or a country be positioned as ‘green’?
–People call me when they think they have a problem with the image of their city, region or country and this is increasingly linked to the idea of being seen as ‘green’. The first thing I always tell them is that their brand awareness and reputation cannot be confirmed, built up or altered with logos, slogans or green advertising campaigns. A city, region or country’s brand can only be managed by formulating and implementing a careful long-term positioning strategy.
Such a strategy should be grounded in local identity to ensure it resonates with local stakeholders and lasts. The idea, of course, is that we want to create a unique position in the minds of an international audience, compared to other places; and research tells us that this is a long-term process and is done by consistently reflecting the desired positioning in the projects, policies, investments, infrastructure and events that create places.
– So how is a region’s reputation built?
– By imaginative action, in the real world, not by propaganda. This is reflected in the brands historically present in the minds of consumers around the world; cities, regions and countries that evoke very strong associations that most of us harbor in our minds. Some places do that; they are beacons in our collective consciousness. Paris, for example, with its art, architecture, urban planning, local culture and language make it the city of romanticism. The Dutch built the image of their country with dams and windmills. Gaudí’s imagination has shaped Barcelona’s unique brand…
– And how are these cities managed?
I call them imaginative communities. They have a clear understanding of what brings community together, what is the sense of community and purpose. Imaginative communities empower and reinforce this identity by presenting it in original, creative, innovative, engaging and inspiring imaginative initiatives that show the world what the community is about to build a distinctive, relevant, authentic, consistent and memorable reputation . The imaginative initiatives these communities develop can be policies, infrastructures, projects, investments or events; And this is where climate action comes in.
–Now the most important thing is that the destination is sustainable?
– In recent years I have been asked more and more how place branding and climate action are related. This reflects the fact that global warming has become a widespread concern and policymakers, businesses and the general public are now well aware of the need to take action.
But just as there can be only one city of romance and a land of windmills and tulips, there can only be one region of greenery. If everyone pursues a green positioning, it goes beyond the brand’s purpose, doesn’t stand out from the rest.
–And then we don’t have to include climate action because it isn’t another one?
–No, of course that doesn’t mean that climate action shouldn’t always be included in the implementation of reputation strategies of places. Climate specialists even indicate that a series of simple objectives must be achieved and immediately implemented in every tourist destination: shared electric mobility – that is what Paris is aiming for – monitoring the food footprint by offering alternatives to sustainable food – Ghent is the vegan capital of Belgium–, the ‘greening’ of spaces that avoid heat islands -as Vitoria has done-, as well as the implementation of renewable energy sources.
– Will the implementation of these climate targets not lead to a loss of profitability for the tourism sector?
– None of these objectives is incompatible with the development of profitable places with a higher reputation. In fact, quite the opposite.
Many of these things make places more attractive to visitors because they are cities where it will be cooler, there will be less noise, the food will be healthier and they will find services that are better value for money.
Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to include such actions. Not to be a ‘green’ city again, but to create a unique positioning in its own way that fits with its identity, while at the same time stepping on the climate action cart. It is urgent that all destinations do this now.
In the summer of 2020 and 2021, when the restrictions due to the pandemic forced a different type of holiday, the northern, domestic and rural destinations have reached their potential and this year, without restrictions, they continue to achieve very good results. Exceltur data shows that of the top six destinations that increased their sales the most from summer 2019 to 2022, four are of this type.
In concrete terms, Galicia is at the top, with 11.7% more turnover than three years ago. It is followed by Asturias, which earns 10.6% more. It is followed by the Balearic Islands, Cantabria, Catalonia and La Rioja, 9% above pre-pandemic levels.
It should be noted how the northern destinations retain the strength of recent years and register an “exceptional” summer, recognize them from Exceltur. Galicia, with Santiago (nearly 30% above pre-pandeima levels) and Costa da Morte (96% more) in the lead, Costa Verde (40%), Costa de Vizcaya (16%) and San Sebastián (9.8%) reflect the good summer of the so-called ‘Green Spain’.
Among the tourism employers, they confirm that in some cases (especially on the islands) the higher turnover is due to better prices than to the greater influx. The Balearic Islands are leading the income increases this summer (Ibiza and Formentera 27.5% more than in 2019; Menorca 21% more; and Mallorca 12% more), followed by the Canary Islands (Lanzarote almost 22% higher, Fuerteventura 16%, Tenerife 11 % and Gran Canaria 5.7%) and the major holiday areas on the Andalusia peninsula (the coast of Cadiz almost 16% more, the Costa del Sol about 21% and that of Almería 11.5%), Levante (16.3% ) and Catalonia (Costa Brava 20.4% above and Barcelona coast 11% more).
For example, employers acknowledge that a “great summer” has ended in terms of income, although they point out that it is not so much in margins and results because of the high costs of energy and raw materials. Electricity bills for the sector have increased by 32%, deliveries by 18% and labor costs by 10%, they detail.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
