Travel destinations have been fighting to revitalise their once booming travel market. It is clear that the new world order has demanded a revolution within tourism. And restoring travel destinations is one of the biggest challenges travel brands face.

There are many incredible examples of success stories around the world. New approaches and different focus points are creating new and exciting travel centres. But what can travel brands do to be part of the change?

Read our blog to discover the role of communities and sustainability in this process. Follow our tips to become an active agent in promoting and creating destinations.

Mass Travel vs. Alternative Tourism

 Mass and alternative tourism are two opposite concepts in travel. We know that mass tourism has been responsible for the proliferation of many travel destinations. But, alternative tourism is making its way into consumers’ choices.

To understand why those concepts are important to promote any destination, you need to know how they differ.

 Mass Travel

We can define mass tourism as a large movement of people travelling to one specific location. These are popular tourism destinations, like resorts, theme parks or business districts. Often more crowded during peak season, for years mass tourism has helped customers with affordable prices. Partially, thanks to the package deals associated with it.

Yet, concerns around its eco-responsibility and lack of personalisation left mass travel on the sidelines when it comes to revitalising destinations.

 It’s not that mass tourism is not working anymore. It’s that if you wish to promote a destination, you’ll find it harder with this sort of option.

Tourists are looking for personalised experiences. And they’re equipped with the right tools to get them. The incomparable prices offered by mass tourism are now in second place next to a personal trip, chosen by the consumer. 

Alternative Tourism 

On the other hand, alternative tourism is associated with less crowded locations and is less dependent on peak seasons.

Tourists looking for this kind of experience wish to create a personal trip.

We can categorise as alternative tourism any eco-tour, adventure trip or small-scale activity.  Alternative tourism supports local communities and travellers take control of their own plans.

Activities, transportation and accommodation. Everything is personalised to the extreme. And that’s why it has been helping new destinations emerge.

 Of course, there are disadvantages. Accessibility is one of the most relevant ones. It’s up to travel brands to work with local entities to provide better access points and forge a strong travel destination. 

Sustainable tourism to revitalise destinations

 It is no secret that one of the many tools travel brands have is betting on sustainable tourism. People are craving experiences that will not jeopardise their natural surroundings. And sustainable programs have been booming across the industry.

Travelling is no longer an excuse to leave communities and nature unprotected. And that mindset has opened a lot of new doors to travel brands looking for genuine experiences. 

We’ve already explored how sustainability is one of the keys to revitalising travel. If you want to promote any destination, make sure you don’t miss your customers’ priorities:

• Slow travel is on the rise. Make sure you create those options;
• Sustainability in mobility is important. Leave room for eco-friendly choices;
• Promote your destination as a sustainable trip. People want to contribute in a positive way;
• Create sustainable packages around places travellers will recognise. Help them visit their dream destination in a responsible way.

87% of global travellers want to travel in a sustainable fashion. You can’t promote any destination without taking this into consideration.

 

Local Communities: the way to revitalise destinations? 

We’ve already explored how communities have gathered importance when it comes to promoting destinations. And you can read the latest Skift article on the subject to understand how the industry is converging.

 The “local first” approach is one of the most interesting trends in the post-pandemic world. Tourists are looking for genuine connections. Destinations are able to provide it to them in a safe personalised way.

 If you wish to revitalise destinations, or create new opportunities for your customers, engage with local communities. It’s the easiest way to solve problems and stand out from the competition:

• Create community-based packages;
• Leave room for personalisation;
• Explore alternative destinations;
• Offer better deals thanks to your local connections.

It is crucial to explore the new travelling opportunities rising with the collaboration of local companies. New destinations are emerging every day thanks to outside-of-the-box thinking. Travel brands are aware that local-driven tourism is the way to go.

That opens a completely new set of destinations to explore.

How travel brands can revitalise destinations

 Reading this insightful Mckinsey article, you can get a sense of how to revitalise your travel brand as a whole. Destinations are a huge part of the transformation, so here’s what we gathered to help you out.

• Spontaneity. It is crucial to market your destination in today’s market. Promote spontaneous easy-to-plan trips. The world is uncertain and people do not wish to commit for the long run.
• Sustainability. Offer eco-friendly and responsible options. Travellers do not wish to harm their destination and local experience.
• Safety. It is still a big concern for travellers and it probably will be for a long time. Make sure you offer safe destinations to avoid crowds.
• Personalisation. Give your customers room to personalise their trip to the core. They want a unique experience. That includes their final location, transportation or activities. 
• Data. Gather all the data you can so you can make informed decisions about the destinations you’re promoting. Look at the trends and preferences. From your travel brand and from the competition.
• Marketing. Follow some of our marketing tips to better promote your destinations. Build a strong online presence, and make it easy and simple to find you.

Nezasa and revitalising destinations

Nezasa has been aware of how much personalisation comes into when promoting a destination. It’s very own state-of-the-art software, TripBuilder, helps travel brands provide customers with unique multi-day tours without the manual processes the travel industry is used to. 

If you wish to create unique tours, tools like TripBuilder can help you provide users with personalised choices. While you can keep control of destinations and offers.