Simplify, Sustain, Succeed

At times, "sustainability" can seem like just another buzz word, or else a chore to add to your ever-growing to-do list. What does it even mean? And — while it's all very well for the big boys to make grand green gestures — how much is it going to cost your small business?

If these thoughts have ever crossed your mind, you need to listen to what SME sustainability guru Stefan Pettersson has to stay on the subject. In just 30 minutes, Stefan outlined some simple sustainability steps and adroitly managed to:

• unpack the real meaning of sustainability
• share first steps for tourism and travel SMEs who wish to become more sustainable
• make the whole process sound simple and appealing

And, as ever, don't worry if you missed it! You can catch the replay here.

If you are nice to the environment, to people, to society around you then you are on the right path towards sustainability.

More Than Words

Stefan began by encouraging the listeners to move beyond just talking about sustainability to actually living it out in the day to day. For example, if you’ve shown plastic the door in your business, make sure your customers know about it. It’s all about backing up your sustainability claims with real, visible changes.

Eco-Smart Can Be Cost-Smart Too!

Going green doesn’t have to strain your wallet. Stefan highlighted how digital solutions like e-tickets and online menus can reduce waste and save money. For example, he suggested introducing upcycled uniforms for your team to add a splash of eco-friendly chic without breaking the bank.

If you start to create like digital things, digital tickets, papers, plans, brochures, instead of creating paper versions, then you already start to save money. But you also do a great thing for the environment.

Think Local

Stefan suggests picturing a circle that extends around your business—this is your local impact zone. Try to source as much as you can from within this circle, from supplies to staffing. Keeping things local reduces transportation emissions and supports the community economically, enhancing the sustainability of your operations.

If you can draw an imaginary circle, like 40km or something, you can try to prioritise producers also looking for staff, buying things etc. within that circle.

Small Steps Make Big Strides

Sustainability is a journey made up of small steps. Stefan advises starting with minor adjustments that collectively lead to significant environmental benefits. Whether it’s tweaking your supply chain or optimising resource use, every little bit helps.

One small step you can take [..] is to start making the default option a vegan dish so guests need to tick meat if that's what they want. That way, it's been proven that people actually try vegan a lot more.

Share Your Successes

Finally, when you make a positive change, why not shout about it? Sharing your sustainability efforts not only boosts your business’s image but also inspires others. It’s a great way to build community and encourage a wider push towards eco-friendly practices.

Stefan works with SMEs all over the world. If you'd like him to look at your business model, contact him here on LinkedIn.

Before you go...

As I mentioned yesterday, Tour Pro Talks will, for the foreseeable future, occur on a bi-monthly rather than a weekly basis. This newsletter will be published bi-monthly too. In the meantime, I'm working hard on programming a top-notch series of guests and topics. If you haven't already done so, I'd be grateful if you could answer my poll here, as I'd love your input in planning future broadcasts. Thanks in advance and see you two weeks from now!

Hi, I'm Genevieve, and I'm on a mission to help tour professionals like YOU market your businesses with such pizazz that your bookings will soar through the roof. Fancy setting sail on a copywriting adventure with me? Message me to find out how we can work together.