Sustainability Best Practices

Together with digitalisation, sustainability has become a "buzzword" in the tourism industry over the past few years. 2020 has further accelerated this trend so that sustainability has become one of the most important aspects to take into consideration for destination marketing ad management.

Sustainability Best Practices

Can you guide me through some of the best practices in the field of Sustainability?

Together with digitalisation, sustainability has become a "buzzword" in the tourism industry over the past few years. 2020 has further accelerated this trend so that sustainability has become one of the most important aspects to take into consideration for destination marketing ad management.

Here I have hand-picked for you some of the most useful content about best practices for destinations that want to take action to plan for a sustainable future.

1. The Sustainability Journey

To help you frame the concept of sustainability at a destination level, we have developed a model that describes sustainability as a "journey". This journey can be broadly described across the three different phases: Saying, Doing and Succeeding.

In the "Saying" phase, the DMO makes it explicitly clear what its plans for a sustainable future are. In this phase DMOs often launch visitor pledges: promises of respecting the destination that the visitor must make.

In the "Doing" phase, DMOs take small but concrete steps that will eventually lead to a more sustainable way of operating in the future.

Finally, "Succeeding" is the phase is where the DMO considers sustainability as a key pillar of their strategy.

Find examples of best practices for each phase below 👇

Source: Mural


2. Pledge Strategies

Destinations are developing visitor pledges to allow tourists to make a commitment to local people and the environment. By developing a pledge strategy, organisations are able to put in place sustainable initiatives that will have a positive global impact.

Visit Wales for example is encouraging visitors to care for each other, for the land and the local communities with the Visit Wales Promise. Visit Palau instead has developed strong storytelling around the Palau Pledge, developed to remind visitors of the importance of a harmless experience of the destination.

See plenty of examples of pledge strategies in the mural below 👇

Source: Mural

3. Think Sustainably with Helsinki Marketing

Think Sustainably is not only a platform enabling visitors to make more sustainable choices while being in Helsinki, but is also designed to make sustainable service providers more accessible and visible to both residents and visitors in the city.

4. Perspective 2030 with The Netherlands Board of Tourism

Perspective Destination Netherlands 2030 is the new national vision for tourism in the Netherlands. Developed in 2018, the vision has been co-created together by over a hundred experts from the tourism, mobility and culture sectors, with local administrations and residents playing a key role in identifying key priorities.

The ambitious vision aims to identify new priorities and formulate guidelines for the sustainable development of tourism in the Netherlands towards 2030.

5. Designing a Sustainable Nation Visit Finland’s 7 Steps Approach

Visit Finland is taking leadership on sustainability within the destination to a national level, enabling an entire country to move towards its sustainability goals. The DMO has developed a new 'Sustainable Travel Finland' concept, a low threshold development tool to assist Finnish travel companies and DMOs to adopt sustainable practices and follow SDGs.

6. Driving Sustainability and Green Innovation within the Travel Sector

Norway is an example of a best practice on how to drive sustainability and green innovation within a destination. Innovation Norway's expertise has grown by involving and working with several disruptive and innovative travel companies over the years to apply more sustainable practices and grow through green innovations.

Hege Vibeke Barnes has shared with us at X.Festival 2020 recommendations and best practices on how to drive sustainability and green innovation within the travel industry.

7. Involving the Whole Community in Shaping a Sustainable Destination

Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine is the DMO of the archipelago of the same name located in Québec, Canada. Their strategy involves the local community to shape a sustainable destination, relying on local experts and researchers, key industry players and local people. Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine is setting a new vision for destination marketing organisations that aim to grow and develop, for the wellbeing of the destination as a whole. Read full case study here.

8. Industry Best Practices: Soneva Resorts & Fogo Island Inn


8.1 Soneva Resorts - Sustainability at the core of everything

Luxury and sustainability at first glance might look impossible to conceal: luxury experiences often require irresponsible and unnecessary sourcing of natural resources, exploitation of local communities and the establishment of vicious economic circles.

By considering sustainability the core of every choice they make, Soneva Resorts have created an 'Intelligent Luxury' concept, fostering community development, environmental protection and shareholders return.

Read the full case study here

8.2 Fogo Island Inn - A Community-Empowered Business

Fogo Island Inn is a social enterprise developed with a clear purpose in mind: helping the local community to thrive, unite and succeed through sustainable economic development and the preservation of the local cultural and natural heritage.

The inn reinvests 100% of the operating surpluses in projects aimed to ensure a sustainable future for the local community and provides employment opportunities for residents, activating the whole economic fabric of the island by triggering local craftsmanship, knowledge and expertise.

That's a wrap! I hope you find these resources inspiring and useful! Do you have any question about sustainability and best practices? Just comment below this post or get in contact with me through the chat.

Sustainability Best Practices

Can you guide me through some of the best practices in the field of Sustainability?

Together with digitalisation, sustainability has become a "buzzword" in the tourism industry over the past few years. 2020 has further accelerated this trend so that sustainability has become one of the most important aspects to take into consideration for destination marketing ad management.

Here I have hand-picked for you some of the most useful content about best practices for destinations that want to take action to plan for a sustainable future.

1. The Sustainability Journey

To help you frame the concept of sustainability at a destination level, we have developed a model that describes sustainability as a "journey". This journey can be broadly described across the three different phases: Saying, Doing and Succeeding.

In the "Saying" phase, the DMO makes it explicitly clear what its plans for a sustainable future are. In this phase DMOs often launch visitor pledges: promises of respecting the destination that the visitor must make.

In the "Doing" phase, DMOs take small but concrete steps that will eventually lead to a more sustainable way of operating in the future.

Finally, "Succeeding" is the phase is where the DMO considers sustainability as a key pillar of their strategy.

Find examples of best practices for each phase below 👇

Source: Mural


2. Pledge Strategies

Destinations are developing visitor pledges to allow tourists to make a commitment to local people and the environment. By developing a pledge strategy, organisations are able to put in place sustainable initiatives that will have a positive global impact.

Visit Wales for example is encouraging visitors to care for each other, for the land and the local communities with the Visit Wales Promise. Visit Palau instead has developed strong storytelling around the Palau Pledge, developed to remind visitors of the importance of a harmless experience of the destination.

See plenty of examples of pledge strategies in the mural below 👇

Source: Mural

3. Think Sustainably with Helsinki Marketing

Think Sustainably is not only a platform enabling visitors to make more sustainable choices while being in Helsinki, but is also designed to make sustainable service providers more accessible and visible to both residents and visitors in the city.

4. Perspective 2030 with The Netherlands Board of Tourism

Perspective Destination Netherlands 2030 is the new national vision for tourism in the Netherlands. Developed in 2018, the vision has been co-created together by over a hundred experts from the tourism, mobility and culture sectors, with local administrations and residents playing a key role in identifying key priorities.

The ambitious vision aims to identify new priorities and formulate guidelines for the sustainable development of tourism in the Netherlands towards 2030.

5. Designing a Sustainable Nation Visit Finland’s 7 Steps Approach

Visit Finland is taking leadership on sustainability within the destination to a national level, enabling an entire country to move towards its sustainability goals. The DMO has developed a new 'Sustainable Travel Finland' concept, a low threshold development tool to assist Finnish travel companies and DMOs to adopt sustainable practices and follow SDGs.

6. Driving Sustainability and Green Innovation within the Travel Sector

Norway is an example of a best practice on how to drive sustainability and green innovation within a destination. Innovation Norway's expertise has grown by involving and working with several disruptive and innovative travel companies over the years to apply more sustainable practices and grow through green innovations.

Hege Vibeke Barnes has shared with us at X.Festival 2020 recommendations and best practices on how to drive sustainability and green innovation within the travel industry.

7. Involving the Whole Community in Shaping a Sustainable Destination

Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine is the DMO of the archipelago of the same name located in Québec, Canada. Their strategy involves the local community to shape a sustainable destination, relying on local experts and researchers, key industry players and local people. Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine is setting a new vision for destination marketing organisations that aim to grow and develop, for the wellbeing of the destination as a whole. Read full case study here.

8. Industry Best Practices: Soneva Resorts & Fogo Island Inn


8.1 Soneva Resorts - Sustainability at the core of everything

Luxury and sustainability at first glance might look impossible to conceal: luxury experiences often require irresponsible and unnecessary sourcing of natural resources, exploitation of local communities and the establishment of vicious economic circles.

By considering sustainability the core of every choice they make, Soneva Resorts have created an 'Intelligent Luxury' concept, fostering community development, environmental protection and shareholders return.

Read the full case study here

8.2 Fogo Island Inn - A Community-Empowered Business

Fogo Island Inn is a social enterprise developed with a clear purpose in mind: helping the local community to thrive, unite and succeed through sustainable economic development and the preservation of the local cultural and natural heritage.

The inn reinvests 100% of the operating surpluses in projects aimed to ensure a sustainable future for the local community and provides employment opportunities for residents, activating the whole economic fabric of the island by triggering local craftsmanship, knowledge and expertise.

That's a wrap! I hope you find these resources inspiring and useful! Do you have any question about sustainability and best practices? Just comment below this post or get in contact with me through the chat.

Sustainability Best Practices

Can you guide me through some of the best practices in the field of Sustainability?

Sustainability Best Practices

Can you guide me through some of the best practices in the field of Sustainability?

Sustainability Best Practices

Can you guide me through some of the best practices in the field of Sustainability?

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