Tourism Is on the Rise. This Is How to Manage It Well.
Right now, some popular travel destinations around the world are struggling to cope with the impact of too many tourists, also known as overtourism.? ? ?
In response, just in recent months:??
Many more places, including the US state of Hawaii, are currently considering tourist fees and other prohibitive measures.????
The So What
“Enthusiasm for tourism is back with a vengeance post COVID and is set to keep growing. Managing it well means finding a path that balances economic growth opportunities with environmental sustainability and the needs of local residents,” says Lenita Tobing , BCG’s global topic leader for tourism.? ?
For sustainable tourism to take root, countries will need to prioritize strategic planning.
The United Nations World Tourism Organization estimates that international tourism will grow by 15% year-on-year in 2024, returning to pre-pandemic levels for the first time.??
Some of the factors driving people to travel more include:??
For many governments, tourism is becoming a strategic sector to boost GDP growth, job creation, and the diversification of their economies.???
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Efforts to mitigate overtourism are complicated by the impact on small and medium business owners. Many SMEs depend on tourism for their livelihoods, particularly in Asia and Africa.??
Now What?
These are some levers to secure a more sustainable future for tourism.???
Manage capacity. This could include capacity limits, extra visitor fees, or taxes. Local governments can consider charging entry fees to day visitors, which might encourage more overnight tourists and make their stay more remunerative for local communities. Entry fees can also be higher for popular tourist spots and less expensive for those with lower footfall. Restricting entry through lottery or quotas can further help in predicting the number of tourists arriving at popular destinations at the same time. Some US national parks, for example, have well-developed crowd control measures and use lotteries to manage the volume of travelers on certain trails.??
Spread the tourists out. Besides standard travel packages, travel agencies can also market off-the-beaten-path attractions or build itineraries and recommendations that encourage visits to lesser-known areas. Tourism authorities can also leverage personalization based on data to divert guests away from hot spots during peak times. Florence, for example, has an app that suggests routes and experiences to visitors based on current tourist demand.??
Increase awareness marketing. “Marketing campaigns that educate travelers on how to be a respectful traveler can go a long way in reducing the distress caused to locals,” says Tobing. This includes information on how to behave at heritage sites, maintain decorum, and adhere to local norms. Encouraging the use of licensed local tourist guides is another way to help foreign travelers have an immersive travel experience in ways that are respectful of local communities. Bhutan is one example of a country doing this.?
Double down on strategic planning. In addition to the above measures, which can be enforced quickly, Tobing believes that over the long term, countries need to adopt strategic tourism planning. This could entail borrowing an approach that is popular with consumer goods companies. Governments need to start by segmenting tourist destinations as main, secondary, and offbeat. Next, they should assess the capacity of these destinations to welcome travelers, and accordingly spread tourists across the country through the year. This will help in distributing high season into more sustainable tourism periods.?
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Studying Tourism management and sustainability | Hospitality
5 个月I couldn’t agree more
Generative AI & Tech Innovation | Only the best ingredients for a healthier and happier world.
5 个月I was just speaking to a local operator of several properties in a destination city and mentioned this reported rise in #tourism potential. They were happy to hear, but the first comment was that they hoped they "were going to be nice tourists". This is a major concern, and I appreciate that the Boston Consulting Group (BCG)'s Lenita Tobing included this in the article. "Increase awareness #marketing. “Marketing campaigns that educate travelers on how to be a respectful traveler can go a long way in reducing the distress caused to locals,” says Tobing.?"
But the conservation has evolved from sustaining to re-generating- we want tourist to leave the destination better than when they arrived- we want them, inter alia, actively engaged in community-based activities, environmental conservation, carbon-off setting, and buying locally grown food etc.
Change Manager Sustainability; sets organizations in motion.
5 个月Tourism is booming and causing disruptions and of course this has to be solved. The question is whether the right measures are being taken. Municipalities often choose the easiest way out: charging tourists to reduce the influx, which I think is shortsighted. ? Experience shows that the effect of charging entrance fees do not deter tourists. It's like increasing the price of a pack of cigarettes by 0,50 euros each time; it might cause a brief shock but not enough to make people quit smoking entirely. And the government benefits from it... ? Also from a sustainability perspective, it's not a fair approach: it ends up benefiting those who can afford it, and that's precisely what you don't want. Everyone should be able to enjoy the beautiful aspects of our world, right? Profit, planet, and people need to be in balance. ? It was suggested to look at and learn from organizations involved with Consumer Goods, an excellent idea! Traveling is fantastic, and yes, we absolutely need to be mindful of our footprint, but there are many ways to achieve this. The trick is not to get carried away by emotions and feelings but to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Key words: ?Creativity and Innovation.
Business Analyst
5 个月Nice pick, quite relevant n emphasizes present need. Travelling I believe is a great way to learn, helps open up perspectives that stems new ideas. Hence, I do not agree with making it more expensive than it already is! But I appreciate the suggestion of exploring lesser known places, this can definitely help to spread out tourists and also provide them peaceful surroundings n help make the most of their trip without crowd. MakeMyTrip Yatra Online Ltd. Off beat tour packages can really be a game changer for tourists who have either already explored main attractions or are looking for quieter/ less crowded places to relax n explore.