Tag: sustainable tourism

How Tourism Can Protect Cultural Heritage

Written by Solimar International on . Posted in Uncategorized.

At Solimar, we value tourism for the economic and social development that it brings to communities all over the world. Protecting cultural heritage is one of our utmost priorities as well as a core development objective in all of our projects. When done right, building a strong tourism economy is a great way for local residents of any region to nurture their own cultural heritage and also provide meaningful educational experiences to visitors. Today’s travelers are looking for more than just pretty views and fancy dinners; they want the authenticity that comes from diving into an entirely new culture. From rural communities in Armenia to World Heritage Sites in Portugal, learn more about how tourism can protect cultural heritage. 

Community Building and Empowerment

One of the most impactful ways that tourism can protect cultural heritage is through community empowerment. This occurs when tourists are educated about the history and traditions of the local community, and in turn that community feels a stronger cohesion and sense of pride in that cultural history. Additionally, tourism based around cultural assets encourages locals to continue to pass on traditions and practices that are embedded in their history. The process of teaching other community members about these traditional methods creates a sense of unity through history. The feeling of community allyship is strengthened when tourists visit a place specifically to experience the culture. 

Having people from all over the world know about the importance of a community’s history and cultural heritage is something to be proud of, and community members will embrace their heritage more and more as that pride grows and spreads. In Atauro (a small island in Timor-Leste), tourists are encouraged to visit the local arts and crafts markets. Rising popularity of the markets encourages locals to continue crafting and creating goods that reflect their culture. When tourists appreciate local markets such as these, it sparks pride in the community and allows them to continue doing work that is culturally significant. In order for this to occur, Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) and local governments must ensure that community stakeholders are present and involved in tourism development.

 

Tourism as a Cultural Teaching Tool

When looking at tourism as a tool to protect and inform cultural heritage, it can also be seen as a teaching tool. Tourism can be viewed as a process: money is exchanged, parts of a community are engaged through a tourist’s stay, and the tourist walks away with memories and feelings for the location. However, when the tourist is engaged with an itinerary that focuses on heritage tourism, the takeaways or “post-visit behaviors” are likely to be more significant. This is for two main reasons: 1) Someone who seeks out cultural heritage tourism is more likely to be motivated to learn something on their trip. (Check out this awesome study by Indonesia University of Education to learn more about what their study revealed) and  2) The nature of cultural heritage tourism allows for an extra layer of a destination to be revealed. 

For example, let’s say a tourist visits a beach to watch the sunset at a particular destination. They walk away with an impression of the beauty of the location. What if it was framed through cultural heritage? Instead of just watching the sunset, the tourist gets to watch the sunset while engaging in a traditional feast that honors the island and all that it gives and includes a local folktale of what the sunset means to local culture. Now, that sunset experience has more significance for the tourist whose motivations resided in seeking knowledge. A large part of tourism is the intentions that motivate tourist behavior, and engaging with cultural heritage tourism allows a tourist to expand their horizons and connect more deeply with the people and the destination.

UNESCO World Heritage Sustainable Tourism Toolkit

The universal recognition and classification for the world heritage sites were adopted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1972, originated in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Their mission is to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of the valuable cultural and natural heritage sites to humanity around the world, regardless of the boundary limitations. 

To help site managers, national/local authorities, local/international tourism industry, or even visitors and residents fully understand the essence of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and sustainable tourism, a toolkit is provided by the UNESCO with the holistic guideline for managing heritage sites in destinations. Step by step guidance from understanding, strategic planning, governance to stakeholder engagement are available on the website with real case studies are available on the website. 

Building on this work, Solimar recently launched its World Heritage Journeys of the Silk Road, a 10-week virtual training program for tourism and cultural heritage authorities in Central Asia. This program builds on the results from the sustainable tourism planning and management capacity building workshop that brought together tourism stakeholders from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The workshop introduced participants to UNESCO’s World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme and the tools necessary to conserve cultural and natural heritage of Outstanding Universal Value. This Virtual Training program will build on these learnings by reuniting World Heritage and tourism authorities from the participating countries to work together to learn how to better manage sustainable tourism, how to recover and prepare for the return of tourism in the era of COVID-19, and to develop a series of cross-border itineraries that are hosted on UNESCO sustainable tourism platform – World Heritage Journeys.

institute for sustainable destinations
Solimar’s Sustainable Tourism & World Heritage in Central Asia Course, available at institute.solimarinternational.com

As a specialist consulting and marketing firm in sustainable tourism, it is always our mission to ensure that sustainability underlies everything we do. We must work to ensure that the cultural and natural resources are protected in the development process, which leads to the long-term success for destinations. By building a sustainable tourism environment, empowering local communities, and preserving cultural values and heritage boosts the understanding and collaboration between stakeholders in different sectors. Working with local communities, we can help more destinations realize how tourism can protect cultural heritage and cherish our shared history of place.

Interested in learning more about how your destination can improve its cultural heritage offerings? Contact us today.

This blog was written by Gabby Whittaker, Kevin Lewicki, and Kuanlin Lu in July 2021

Illustrate Visitor Service Sign

What Visitor Services Should a DMO Provide?

Written by Lena Eckert on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Providing visitor services is an essential function of every Destination Management Organization (DMO)

Destination Management Organizations (DMO) are responsible for the management and marketing of a tourism destination to attract visitors and to offer them a good experience during their stay. One of the key functions of DMOs is the provision of visitor services, before and during the visit to the destination. But why are visitor services so important and what visitor services should a DMO provide? 

Within the booking process, all services and information need to be accessible for visitors. Potential customers may choose another destination if they do not get the information that they need. Therefore, DMOs must provide that role while informing potential visitors of information regarding their trip. DMOs also play an important role in facilitating the booking process, either directly on their website, or with the help of their partners. Apart from the booking period, visitor services can enrich the traveler experience, as more information and help can lead to an improved experience. This can result in a higher interest in returning to the destination and in sharing the experience, either with family and friends or on social media.  Within the destination, visitor services can also increase revenue and the time that tourists spend in the area, as a study from Philadelphia’s visitor center showed. Consequently, visitor services should not be neglected by DMOs as they have a significant impact on tourist satisfaction and revenue. 

There are different types of visitor services and DMOs should strive to provide a combination of them all. First, DMOs should provide materials like print collateral and maps to help customers find their way and to garner interest and demand for specific attractions. Although a tourist searches for information online every second each day, it is still important to provide printed information as many people like being able to hold and engage with the material. Nevertheless, the DMO should ensure the provision of information and services online, and it should become clear on their website what can be done in the destination and where tourists can stay.

 

Illustrate Visitor Service Sign
Visitor Service Sign

 

Providing accommodation with commission from hotel partners, packages, and discount passes on the website can also be beneficial for the DMO itself to gain income but also help the visitor prepare for the trip. The destinations’ website should also offer information about all activities and more specific topics like meetings and conventions so that all target groups can find the information they need. Importantly, customer service should also be provided as well so that concerns and questions can be answered and resolved. For that purpose, DMOs should offer contact possibilities via phone, mail but also social media and answer those inquiries as fast as possible. Customer service on social media platforms is gaining importance, especially for younger customers. DMOs should strive to respond timely, strengthening their brand loyalty through quality digital customer service. Alternative solutions like chatbots, that answer questions or guide customers through everything that they need to know, can also be a beneficial and innovative way to communicate with potential visitors. Regardless of what method is employed, rapid customer service needs to be provided, so that visitors can get the help that they need directly and timely. 

In the destination, tourism information centers are often the first and most important contact point between DMO and visitors. There, tourists can get brochures, help and first-hand tips from staff on what to do and where to go. Furthermore, visitor centers are an important point of sale, where experiences and packages, but also souvenirs, can be purchased. Within the destination, the DMO should ensure that visitors can find their way through the area that they are visiting, which is why signs about important sights and infrastructure should be supplied. Furthermore, public services like parking, toilets, and Wi-Fi should be provided as this allows for a painless, convenient stay. Finally, the DMO should also deal with complaints and conduct meditation if, for example, experiences or tours are not as expected. Providing this to visitors is beneficial and important to decrease potential frustration. 

DMOs should also identify gaps in their services and experiences, led by the question of if marketing is actually reflective of the destination’s marketing. All advertised promises should be fulfilled, otherwise, frustration and disappointment can occur on the visitors’ side. As such, a DMO must critically review their offerings. For example, if they promote themselves as an outdoor destination, they must make sure that trails for hiking or biking paths are accessible. If gaps in deliverance are identified, the DMO must work on developing the infrastructure to sync the expectation with the reality. Also, creating new experiences and packages attracts more visitors with broader interests. The DMO can then work together with partners to deliver and promote the new packages and experiences. The DMO should then help and support their partners with booking, marketing, monitoring, and adjust the experience as needed. An interesting example of a newly developed DMO visitor experience can be found in the city of Fort Worth in Texas, a historical place and connected to cowboys. However this reputation of a cowboy town did not actually reflect any Fort Worth experiences at the time. To live up to their international reputation, the DMO was thus inspired to create a new, engaging experience and hire a herd of Texas longhorn cattle to walk through the main street each day, attracting visitors from all over the world. This is an example of a DMO action that was highly responsive to visitor expectations and their global positioning.

 

Forthworth longhorn herd
Forthworth longhorn herd through town

Picture source: https://www.fortworth.com/blog/post/19-facts-you-didnt-know-about-the-fort-worth-herd/

Visitor services are essential to provide a good tourist experience and DMOs need to ensure that all types of services are available in their destination. Interested in learning more about visitor services in detail? Solimar’s online program in DMO Development emphasizes this topic through a learning course and offers valuable tips on how visitor services should be coordinated to fulfill tourist expectations. Through providing the required information and booking opportunities, answering questions before and during the stay and offering the needed infrastructure and services to developing new experiences, all visitor services need to be considered and can highly influence visitor satisfaction, experience, and expenses, which all benefit the destination. 

  • 1
  • …
  • 7
  • 8
“We rely confidently on Solimar's deep technical experience and professionalism as tourism consultants. You always are exceeding our expectations.”
Leila Calnan, Senior Manager, Tourism Services Cardno Emerging Markets
More testimonials

Contact us

  • Address

    641 S Street NW, Third Floor
    Washington, DC 20001

  • Phone

    (202) 518-6192

  • Email