|
  



  




 

   






 
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  !"#"



 


 

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Clarifying definitions
h Ecotourism (or Green Travel/Green Tourism)
Environmental, ecological, social issues; interpretation and
education activities
Eco-friendly: not harmful to the environment (nature and culture)
What about nature and adventure tourism?
h Responsible tourism
Having a responsible behavior and business practice, being
socially-conscious
(tourism businesses, service providers and visitors, local communities, partners
and employees)
h Community-based tourism
Collective responsibility and ability to make decisions from a
community standpoint

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Clarifying definitions
h Alternative tourism
Non-traditional, small-scale, away from mass-tourism, by
purchasing local goods (lodging, food, transportation, etc.)

h Sustainable tourism
Being aware and active in neutralizing and reducing actual and
potential economic, environmental and cultural impacts of
tourism
In other words, it means we should look forward to a sustainable
environment, to sustainable management and operations and to
sustainable products and services
It also means sustainable clustering and networking partnerships

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Sustainable tourism
h Based on three dimensions for long-term
development:
Environmental : flora, fauna, ecosystems, etc. =
observation, protection, conservation, carrying
capacity + waste and energy management
Social/cultural : traditions, ways of life, heritage
sites, etc. = protection, conservation, education
Economical : benefits the local population =
improving life conditions; benefits the local
businesses = revenues from the tourism activities
h With the next generations in mind 
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Sustainable tourism aspects

h A product differentiation that represents :
A competitive advantage if it includes truly
sustainable aspects
An excellent quality-price ratio
The ability to create memorable experiences and to
educate the local population and the visitor
An awareness and tangible actions taken about:
h The climate change (carbon emissions, offsets, carbon neutral)
h The protection of land and culture
h Best management practices and social responsibility

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However͙

h Price and quality vs environmental friendliness

h Many ecolabels = confusing
h Ethical marketing vs ͚u

u†
h Sustainable practices must be integrated to the
operations of a business :
Energy efficiency, recycling, water conservation, waste
management, carbon offsets, social practices,
building/construction practices and purchasing policy


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Some tools
h Sustainable Tourism Criteria
Demonstrate effective sustainable management
Maximize social and economic benefits to the local
community and minimize negative impacts
Maximize benefits to cultural heritage and minimize
negative impacts
Maximize benefits to the environment and minimize
negative impacts
Refer to : http://tinyurl.com/3z2wfv
h Sustainable Tourism Self-Assessment Tool
Refer to : http://tinyurl.com/klfo92


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Why bother to create an experience?

h Innovation
h Product differentiation :
being different from the competition instead of a ͚me too†
product
integrating distinct characteristics
h Value-added
h Exclusivity
h Trend
h Travelers with common interests / affinity

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Any advantages in creating a

sustainable experience?
h Booking easiness : one-stop shop
h Access to more information
h Accessibility to culture and nature
h Security
h Attracting
h Retaining
h Partnering
h Word-of-mouth

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Trends͙
h Travelers are aware and preoccupied by their
impacts while traveling but ͙
h Travelers want authenticity and comfort
h They look for security, safety and quality
h They like to mix culture and nature
h They want to interact with people, learn and
play, taste local cuisine, try new activities
h There are more and more short, multiple,
closer to home, last minute reservations

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͙Trends

h The long-haul trips have more to do with

personal interests regardless of age
h The market segments are becoming more and
more sophisticated
h Family and friends travel to share memorable
moments
h The travelers use technology for researching,
planning and booking


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Who should create a sustainable

tourism experience ?
It is a joint effort:
h Creating: hotelier, attraction or activity, local
tour operator, community (ex. Lago Atitlan,
Peten, Chichi͙)
h Commercializing: local travel agency,
local/national/foreign tour operator
h Promoting: local tourist board, national tourist
board


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Creating an experience
h From where to where? When?
h Based on what?
Culture, arts, food, heritage, people
Experiential itinerary / touring routes
Ecological and sustainable activities
Nature / Adventure
h With or without partners?
h Should it be packaged?
Elements to consider: transfers, transportation,
lodging, food, attractions, activities + WOW

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What is considered a package?

h More than one item but at one price (A hotel
with a meal plan is usually not considered a package
but a good deal)
h A package versus a tour
h Could be for hours or days
h Dynamic packaging and modular trips
h Deal or no deal ?
h 5 key elements:
WHY - WHAT - FOR WHOM - HOW - WITH WHOM

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WHY
h What do you want to accomplish ? What is
your objective ?
h Is it based on research, on market analysis in
order to identify your target market ?
Clients surveys; tourist board surveys
Trends; the competition
Tour operators† requests or inquiries
Reports, statistics, destination marketing plan
Destination strategy, branding, etc.

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WHAT - Example of packages from͙

A museum: r 

 

u
ʹ One day
Combines visit of  
  





Exhibition with AML†s Cruise excursion (a tour of the city
on the River aboard the Cavalier Maxim).
An attraction:  
 
u  


  

ʹ one-day package. 
 

   


  

A national park: 
 


u
One day ʹ Includes a professional guide service,
canoe, life jacket and paddles, map of the river, shuttle
(return trip), dry bag for personal belongings

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Other examples

A lodging property:  
 

u
3 days/2 nights
- Includes transfers, some meals, entrance to park with guide +
choice of 2 activities (coffee tour, Bird Park, canopy tour,
horseback riding, yoga, spa)
A travel agency/tour operator:  u 
u

7 days/6 nights - Includes some meals, transfers, accommodation,
private bus, local flight, guided tour.

A community: 




u
7 days/6 nights -
Includes accomodation,visits plus one night homestay, meals and
participating in community activities


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FOR WHOM
h What is your target market ?
Where are they coming from ? Is it far? Close?
Have you identified their interests and
expectations?
h What segments are you after ?
By profile: young travelers, mature travelers,
women travelers, multi-generation, boomers
By theme: adventure, culture, nature and eco-
tourists, romance, education, business, etc.


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HOW
Develop „




with the package
components:
h Choose the activity, the visit, the content of the theme:
Ex. hiking to the Laguna Chicabal + a visit to the Abaj Takalik archeological site

h Select the partners that will supply parts of the content:

Ex. guide to be hired, park or site entrance fee, transportation, transfers from the hotel
to the sites, etc.

h Decide on the lodging number of nights: Ex. each activity will

take one day, the package should be based on a 2 night/3 day accommodation

h Integrate meals: Ex. breakfast and dinner at hotel; lunches provided by

another partner

h Sketch a schedule from the arrival to the departure

time 
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WITH WHOM͙
h Build an inventory of potential partners:
Cultural, archeological, heritage expert/site/guide
Arts expert, artist(s)
Ecological, environmental expert/site/guide
Flora and fauna expert; birding expert/site/guide
Sports / adventure expert/site/guide
Community expert/site/guide
Food, cuisine expert (chef, producer, ͙), etc.
Others: restaurants, transportation companies, etc.
h The guide is a key element

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͙WITH WHOM
h Look for partners with similar quality and service
standards, to enrich content and share
promotional costs
h Inform and train your staff accordingly
h Establish written agreements with your partners
(reservations, vouchers, package inventory, price
guarantee, communications, payments, cancellations,
refunds, etc.)
h Evaluate the promotional budget with your
partners

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Pricing
h The pricing should always include an element that
the consumer cannot evaluate
h The pricing should include all the components costs
h The retail price should always be on a per person
basis, and on a double occupancy basis
h The profit margin should be reduced whenever there
is volume offered by the tour operator
h The best net rate should be given to local/national
tour operators; it should always be better than the
one for foreign tour operators


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Pricing structure͙
TOTAL COSTS : $
+ Profit margin (flexible*): + $
NET RATE ** to sales intermediates*** : $
+ Commission or rebate to sales
intermediates (between 10 and 30 %) + $
CONSUMER / RETAIL PRICE or rack rate : $
* Depending on the volume of sales given by the intermediate
** Net rate = confidential, without tax or commission)
*** Travel agents, tour operators

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͙Pricing structure
 





 




 „ 




 




   

Service provider* Service provider Service provider Service provider

(cost + profit margin) (cost + profit margin) (cost + profit margin) (cost + profit margin)

Direct marketing Sales intermediate 1:

Regional tour operator
Internet sales Intermediate 1: Intermediate 2: Sales intermediate 2:
Regional tour N. American tour European tour operator
operator/travel operator
agency
Walk-in Sales intermediate 3:
European travel agency
Consumer $ Consumer $ Consumer $ Consumer $
* The supplier: Hotelier, park, attraction, museum, activity, community experience, etc.
N.B. The Consumer price must be the same regardless of the intermediates.

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Testing
h Evaluating the creative experience packaged
before it is promoted:
With customers
With tour operators
h Evaluating the customer satisfaction once it is
experienced
h Customer satisfaction = difference between
the expectation beforehand and the
perception of the value once the product is
experienced

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Evaluating results

h On a three-year span
h Costs versus revenues
h Customer survey
h Partnerships evaluation
h Budgeted promotion
h Results following the promotion, etc.


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Preguntas ?

The next presentation will cover

the marketing of sustainable
packages.

Muchas gracias por su

generosa atención!


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Presentation available on the web:

¢¢¢

 

„ 



„ 



 „
OR „„„
 
!

Marie-Andrée Delisle
Consultora en desarollo turistico
info@madelis.com

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References
Useful websites:

„¢ "    „ 
h The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) - ßu




 
 

h For info and membership: http://tinyurl.com/nx8d9m
h Your Travel Choice Blog: http://www.yourtravelchoice.org/
h Ad of Service Summit event on TIES website
www.ecotourism.org/site/c.orLQKXPCLmF/b.4835333/k.B6C5/News.htm
h Rainforest Alliance: www.rainforest-alliance.org
h + Monthly updates newsletters: www.rainforest-
alliance.org/news.cfm?id=publications
h + Sustainable Trips for a Better Future : www.rainforest-
alliance.org/tourism/sustainable_trips
h UN World Tourism Organisation on Sustainable Tourism: www.world-
tourism.org/frameset/frame_sustainable.html
h Comiturs: http://www.export.com.gt/Portal/Home.aspx?sub=Turismo
h Guatemala Green: http://www.guatemalagreen.com/


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References
h USTOA (United States Tour Operators Ass.):
www.ustoa.com/pressroom/newsreleases/ecotourism.html
h Tour Operators Initiative (TOI) or Responsible Tourism:
http://www.toinitiative.org/
h REDTURS : Red de Turismo Communitario de America Latina:
http://www.redturs.org/nuevaes/articulo1.php?ca_codigo=9&home=1
h Asociacion panamena de turismo sostenible: http://www.aptso.org/english/
h National Geographic Centre for Sustainable Destinations:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainable/professionals.html
h Boletin Turistico: www.boletin-turistico.com
h The International Centre for Responsible Tourism: www.icrtourism.org
h Green Maps: www.greenmaps.org
h The Nature Conservancy: www.nature.org
h Voluntary Initiatives for Sustainable Tourism (VISIT): www.visit21.net


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References
„ 
h Accommodation listings on Trip Advisor:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/getlisted_hotel.html
h Listings on the Eco-Index Sustainable Tourism website: http://eco-
indextourism.org/en/home
K

h Eco certification Self-assessment tool ʹ Sustainable Travel International:
http://www.sustainabletravelinternational.org/documents/sustainabletourismcert
ification_howtoapply.html
h Global Tourism Criteria - Sustainable Travel International :
http://www.sustainabletourismcriteria.org/index.php?option=com_content&task
=view&id=58&Itemid=188
h Rainforest Alliance: Guide for sustainable tourism best practices:
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/tourism.cfm?id=guide
h Tour Operators Good Practices: http://www.toinitiative.org/index.php?id=48
h Certification for Sustainable Tourism: www.turismo-sostenible.co.cr
h The Virtual Marketing Service for Sustainable Tourism:
www.greentravelmarket.info + Criteria for tour operators:

ttp://tinyurl.com/moy2mk
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References
i


„
h Green Travel: green-travel-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
h TerraCurve.com
h Planeta.com ʹ Global Journal of Practical Ecotourism
h VISION on Sustainable Tourism [travelmole-wire@travelmole.net]
Ë  
 


h Example of Basic package + extensions :
http://downloads.raileurope.com/brochure/latin_america/guatemala.pdf
h Example from a hotel: Discover Copan Ruins
http://www.hotelmarinacopan.com/package_offers.htm
h GORP Travel ʹ Itineraries and choice of theme
http://gorptravel.away.com/xnet/one-product.tcl?product_id=118254
h Example of Adventure Package:
http://www.greencostarica.com/in_pa001.html#todo
h Example of Port Moresby River Adventure:
http://www.em.com.pg/PNG/emtours/itineraries/EM19%20TAURI%20RIVER%20A
DVENTURE.htm



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References
h Example from a tour operator: Eco-Circuitos Panama
http://www.ecocircuitos.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10
6&Itemid=38
h Canadian tour operator GAP Adventures Packages in Central America:
http://tinyurl.com/nxwe3j
h Example of an eco-sustainable lodge in Ecuador: http://eco-
indextourism.org/mantaraya_ec_en
h Example of a lodge involving the community: http://eco-
indextourism.org/en/takalik_maya_lodge_gt_en
h The InterContinental hotels and National Geographic Geotourism initiatives:
www.terracurve.com ͙. http://tinyurl.com/lsejlu
h US TRAVEL & AMERICAN EXPRESS website: http://www.travelgreen.org/
h Co-branding examples: http://www.haciendachichen.com/activities.htm
h Responsible travel holidays website : http://www.responsibletravel.com ʹ see
menu on left side
h Philanthropy tourism: http://www.travelersgivingback.org
h Carbon offsets website: http://www.carbonoffsets.org
h Volunteer tourism, EcoResorts, Extreme Adventure, Active Boomers ʹ see top


menu: www.away.com
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References
h GO Green Traveler / Travel Tips for the Eco-Conscious Traveler:
http://gogreentravelgreen.com/green-travel-101/responsible-travel-vs-eco-
friendly-travel/
h Rosalie Community Ecolodge:
http://www.rosalieforest.com/rates_packages__community.php
h Community Tours: www.alltournative.com
| " 

h 8 day/7 night Package with itinerary:
http://www.mexicoculturaltours.com/our_tours/yucatan_travel_package.html
h Hotel Package, minimum 3 nights: http://www.hotelcasavelas.com/html/canopy-
adventures-puerto-vallarta-mexico-pkg.asp
h One-day Mayan Encounter Package: http://www.alltournative.com/tours-
products/maya-encounter
h La Victorine Inn ʹ choice of packages: http://www.quebecfinestinns.com/inn-
hotel-quebec/packages-les-victorines-du-lac-257_ang.cfm
h Packaged tours to Guatemala:
http://www.latinamericacollection.com/packages/savor_guatemala_holiday.html
h Packages for women: http://www.northernedgealgonquin.com/