Étiquette : governance

Catégories
Around the world Sustainable tourism

A portrait of Québec’s tourism sector in 2009 in its path towards sustainable development

The need to develop tourism based on sustainability principles is a part of a general tourism policy framework since 2005 in Québec(1) and most tourism sub-sectors also have set broad objectives based on this basis, including the Ski-doo Federation (2). Although sustainability is well accepted across Québec’s tourism sector, in practice it is not a central part of it, even though many businesses and organizations have implemented numerous measures to improve their performance. In this context the action of a few appears ad-hoc.

Collaborative Initiatives

To date none of the 21 tourism regions had produced a comprehensive regional scale sustainable development strategy with a clearly articulated vision, set of achievable short and long-term objectives and progress measure indicators. Yet, tourism is an important economic activity in Québec and in 12 regions it directly generates at least 3% of all income (3). Tourism has much more potential to be sustainable, since most regions have rich natural and cultural resource bases and diversified economies. Although natural resource exploitation forms the foundation of many regions across Québec, there is much untapped potential to expand tourism in these areas, thereby achieving greater economic integration. Untapped potentials also remain between biodiversity conservation and tourism development on private and public lands besides the protected area networks managed by the Provicial Parks Authority, la Sépaq and Parks Canada.

In some regions such as the Laurentians, concrete initiatives have been undertaken towards strategically integrating tourism into the regional economy through the Provincial Government’s Accord Program (4). In other regions a shift towards increased collaboration between stakeholders is occurring by the establishment of various cooperatives. Examples include the Lac Saint Pierre Biosphere Reserve (5), l’Échappé Bleue (6), Le Parc Aventures Cap Jaseux (7) and V.E.R.T.E. cooperatives (8). There are probably numerous other locally driven projects, but to nobody has examined their socio-economic value or general importance.

There are also 23 territorial areas across Québec with Local Agenda 21 (LA21) strategies (9) and one of the best examples with a strong tourism orientation includes the municipality of Baie-Saint-Paul. There, an LA21 process and willingness and leadership by certain stakeholders continue to enable greater community interaction as part of the redevelopment planning of Le Massif Resort (10).

Operational Changes to Improve Performance

Some tourism operations have a longer history of functioning according to sustainability ideals such as the Le Baluchon rural resort (11) and the zoos in Granby and Saint-Félicien (12, 13). However, very few businesses have a transparent Corporate Social Responsibility strategies, such as those published by the Granby Zoo(12) and Transat AT (14). Many tourism operations have reduced their energy and water use and waste output via different mechanisms, but their overall impact is not evaluated. Hotels in Québec seem to be making visible progress, especially since the Québec Hotel Association has its own Reser-Vert certification program (15), and the CITQ also recently modified its rating system to include environmental considerations and carries out checks on behalf of the Canadian Hotels Associations of Green Key rated establishments (16). Since recent years, numerous events including conferences and festivals are increasingly organized as ecologically and socially responsible, such as Montreal’s International Jazz Festival (17). Many other tourism operations also have supply chain management policies and source various products locally and or produced responsibly. Abitibi-Témiscamingue is the first ‘green’ Tourism Region awarded by Recyc-Québec for achieving more than 80% waste recuperation for its office operations (18).

Besides environmental efforts, some tourism businesses are also making contributions to improving north-south relations. For example, L’Auberge l’Autre Jardin (19) has been directly providing financial benefits to developing countries via its support of Carrefour Tiers Monde. Similar actions can be observed by Parc Safari that sells fair-trade products from developing nations (20). Sustainability news about small and medium enterprises (SME) in Québec is not well documented, which suggests limited progress. Since SMEs comprise about the majority of the tourism industry (21), it might be worthwhile to examine their progress, and issues so that appropriate tools could help them implement change towards sustainability.

Quebec’s tourism includes a variety of products to help reduce its greenhouse gas emissions such as a vast bike network developed by Vélo-Québec (22), the Bixi bike in Montreal (23) and the bio buses in Old Quebec and Montreal (24). Some businesses and events are also carbon neutral, but their profiles and numbers has not been documented. For example, Karavaniers du monde is the first tour operator in Quebec to include the cost of carbon offsets in its pricing (25). Climate change does not seem to be a preoccupation of the Quebec tourism sector, despite the vulnerability status of some products notably ski, snowmobile and various other outdoor activities (26).

Some sub sectors in Québec have a long history of encouraging businesses and visitors alike to reduce their environmental impact, notably Québec’s Adventure and Ecotourism Association (27). How many visitors to and from Quebec travel environmentally consciously is not known. Undoubtedly Québecois travelers are increasingly ethically minded. Since 88% of tourists in Québec are of domestic origin, consumers locally need more indication about industry’s progress so they can choose responsibly (28).

Where to next?

Various operational changes to improve environmental and social performance of the tourism sector are occurring at all scales, but nobody knows the real progress in the absence of benchmark indicators. Québec is not ahead nor behind other Canadian Provinces but there has not been a national study to compare progress at this scale. Québec’s tourism sector is in the beginning phase of operationalizing sustainable tourism and the above examples highlight the need for a Provincial scale action plan combined with a set of feasible progress indicators.

The support tools and knowledge network to put sustainable tourism principles into action is growing across Québec, and numerous institutions offer special training to improve human resource capacity, in responsible environmental managers that is directly applicable to tourism (29).

There is also a growing amount of effective tools and mechanisms reported from outside Québec to help implement change rapidly and help sustain a viable and responsible industry sector. However, local leadership remains an important key driver to implementing any action plan. There needs to be more leadership from government and industry to move the fragmented sub-sectors forward and to provide a coordinated approach to the entire process in Québec. The tools are wide ranging, and many remain unexplored potentials in Québec, including financial incentives and voluntary measures.

Sources:

1. Ministère du Tourisme du Québec (2005) Towards a Sustainable Tourism. Tourism Policy of Québec. Governemenet du Québec: Québec City. 37 p.

2. La Fédération des clubs de motoneigistes du Québec (2008) Plan d’action quinquennal de la FCMQ pour l’environnement. La Fédération des clubs de motoneigistes du Québec (FCQM): Montreal. 8 p.

3. Sauvé, R. La reconnaissance de l’industrie touristique dans l’économie locale et régionale. Presentation at the International Symposium on the Sustainable Development of Tourism. March 17 to 19, 2009. Québec City, Canada. Available at: http://www.bonjourquebec.com/mto/activites/symposium-developpement-durable/fr/programme-mercredi.html

4. Ministère du développement Économique Innovation et Exportation. Accord Program. Last accessed 14 April, 2009. [http://www.mdeie.gouv.qc.ca/index.php?id=3715]

5. La réserve mondiale de la biosphère du Lac-Saint-Pierre. Coopérative de solidarité de la réserve mondiale de la biosphère du Lac-Saint-Pierre. Last accessed 14 April, 2009. [http://www.biospherelac-st-pierre.qc.ca/content/cooperative.html].

6. L’Échappé Bleue. L’Échappée bleue. Coopérative de Tourisme durable. Last accessed 14 April, 2009. [http://www.lechappeebleue.com].

7. Le Parc Aventures Cap Jaseux. Qui sommes-nous. Last accessed 14 April, 2009. [http://www.capjaseux.com/-Qui-sommes-nous-.html].

8. La Coop V.E.R.T.E. Qui nous sommes? Last accessed 14 April, 2009. [http://www.coopverte.com/coopverte/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=19&Itemid=37].

9. Gagnon, C. and E. Arth. Guide des Agendas 21e siècle locaux. Les Agendas 21e siècle locaux québécois. Last accessed 14 April, 2009. [http://www.a21l.qc.ca/9544_fr.html].

10. Le Massif. Territoire Le Massif. The development project. Last accessed  14 April, 2009. [http://www.lemassif.com/en/territoire_le_massif/the_development_project.php].

11. Le Baluchon. About the Baluchon. Last accessed 14 April, 2009. [http://www.baluchon.com/inn-accomodation/index_ang.cfm].

12. Zoo Granby (2006) Réalisations en responsabilité sociale et environnementale. Zoo de Granby: Granby. 24 p.

13. Zoo Sauvage de Saint-Félicien. Au sujet du CCBB/Zoo Sauvage. Last accessed 14 April, 2009. [http://www.borealie.org/page.php/fr/1/4.htm].

14. Transat A.T. (2008) Transat for Sustainable Tourism. 2008 Corporate Social Responsibility Report. Transat AT Inc: Montreal, Québec. 44 p.

15. L’Association des hôteliers du Québec. RéserVert, le Programme de reconnaissance en développement durable. Last accessed 14 April, 2009. [http://www.reservert.com/fr/page.php?label=r%E9servertleprogramme].

16. Corporation de l’industrie touristique du Québec. CITQ is mandated by the Hotel Association of Canada for the Green Key Eco-Rating Program visits. Last accessed 14 April, 2009. [http://www.citq.info/EN/classification.asp].

17. Festival International de Jazz de Montréal. Une édition 2008 carbon neutre. Last accessed 14 April, 2009. [http://www.montrealjazzfest.com/Fijm2008/planetAir_fr.aspx].

18. Bisson, K. Là où commence un tourisme plus vert. Last accessed 16 April, 2009. [http://lafrontiere.canoe.ca/webapp/sitepages/content.asp?contentid=87930&id=836&classif=].

19. L’Auberge Autre Jardins. Mission et historique. Last accessed 15 April, 2009. [http://www.autrejardin.com/auberge.php].

20. Ranger, J.-P. Tourisme durable. Parc Safari. Presentation at the International Symposium on the Sustainable Development of Tourism. March 17 to 19, 2009 Québec City, Canada. Available at http://www.bonjourquebec.com/mto/activites/symposium-developpement-durable/fr/programme-mercredi.html

21. Ministère du Tourisme du Québec. Programmes et services aux entreprises touristiques. Last accessed 15 April, 2009.  [http://www.bonjourquebec.com/mto/ministere/index.asp].

22. Laraue, S. Tourisme durable et velo. Presentation at the International Symposium on the Sustainable Development of Tourism. March 17 to 19, 2009 Québec City, Canada. Available at http://www.bonjourquebec.com/mto/activites/symposium-developpement-durable/fr/programme-mardi.html

23. Montreal Tourism. BIXI: Montreal’s Brand New Public Bike System. Last accessed 15 April, 2009. [http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/Press/Whats-hot/News/bixi-montreal-s-brand-new-public-bike-system].

24. Société de Transport de Montréal. For one year, 155 STM buses to run on biodiesel in downtown Montreal (Press Release). Last accessed 15 April, 2009. [http://www.stm.info/English/info/a-biofiche.htm].

25. Karavaniers du monde. Cuba. Mère des Caraïbes. Informations Techniques. Last accessed 15 April, 2009. [http://www.karavaniers.com/voyages/calendrier/?voyage_depart=134].

26. Singh, B. and C. Bryant (2006) Impact et adaptation aux changements climatiques pour les activités de ski et de golf et l’industrie touristique : le cas du Québec. Rapport préparé pour Ouranos Inc. Département de géographie, Université de Montréal: Montréal. 404 p.

27. Aventure Écotourisme Québec. Leave No Trace Program. Last accessed 15 April, 2009. [http://www.aventure-ecotourisme.qc.ca/content/templates/content_en.asp?articleid=46&zoneid=10].

28. Tourisme Québec (2009) Le tourisme au Québec en bref – 2007. Ministère du Tourisme du Québec: Québec. 16 p.

29. Villeneuve, V. Chaire en éco-conseil. Last accessed 15 April, 2009. [http://www.uqac.ca/recherche/organismes/chaire_ecoconseil.php].

Catégories
Issues Sustainable tourism

Towards a realistic sustainable regional tourism?

This year’s Solidarité rurale du Québec’s annual conference highlighted the numerous challenges facing rural areas, which are a direct consequence of globalization, technological change and economic restructuring. The conference looked at many development issues, as well as solutions for a more secure, long-term rural livelihood. Discussion focused on the emergence of integrated rural policy, the mobilization of social capital, decentralization and the role of government intervention. Clearly, there is no panacea for sustainable rural and regional development on a planet where there are no borders.

A striking feature of the conference was the recurring mention of tourism, especially its potential to deliver positive economic and socio-cultural outcomes. Yet, the conference did not provide a formal discussion forum on rural tourism issues and opportunities. Given the on-going regional issues in Quebec, tourism would have really merited a more serious attention.

Many of the solutions discussed during the conference apply directly to tourism, most notably to such aspects as decentralization and governance. Tourism is a complex multifaceted, and therefore fragmented industry comprised mainly of small and medium-sized enterprises. In this sense, tourism is very different from traditional rural sectors, and its successful development hinges on factors common, as well as external to traditional rural industries.

One of the great advantages of tourism is that it can be integrated with relative ease into existing economic and social structures. However, a real inter-sectoral symbiosis, especially with traditional land uses such as agriculture, fishing, forestry and mining, is inherently complex. This challenge also applies to culture and natural resource conservation. Indeed tourism can also have adverse effects, which is the primary reason why the principles of sustainable tourism require that destinations invest in serious planning and visioning exercises involving all major stakeholders, in order to find a REALISTIC BALANCE between the pillars of economy, society and the environment. This also implies a balance between different economic sectors.

Another advantage of tourism is that it can be developed locally to many different extents with the participation of the community, and not necessarily depend on large-scale investments from outside the region. Apart from resorts or similar large-scale infrastructures, tourism can be relatively less costly to develop than other sectors.

The role of tourism varies greatly across Quebec. In most regions, its role could be enhanced in order to capitalize more on the potentials of the province’s natural and cultural resources. Of course, not all regions have the same potential, nor do all regions have a realistic tourism potential, especially in an international context. Nevertheless, a more systematic assessment of issues and opportunities could help establish a priority agenda for both public and private sectors to invest in regional tourism. The challenges of globalization and fierce competition between destinations will not disappear; in fact, they are likely to intensify, due to the rapid evolution of new destinations as well as ever-changing markets.

There is no magic formula for achieving tourism success, since every region has different environmental, economic and socio-cultural characteristics. Realistic solutions must be tailored to reflect local and regional attributes. Fortunately, there is a wide range of guidelines to assist with this endeavor.

Some of the basic key success factors for sustainable rural tourism development include:

  • a diversified natural and cultural attraction base, which can be packaged as a destination and that encourages people to visit, stay, spend and preferably return in the future;
  • promotion done at the destination level;
  • adequate infrastructure for access (roads, rail, airports, ports), signage, parking, power, water, recreation facilities, etc.;
  • adequate accommodation, restaurant, and retail services, to ensure that tourists’ needs are met and, if possible, expectations exceeded, via the delivery of high-quality services and products;
  • hospitality that is genuinely welcoming and positive;
  • good visitor bureaus or convention centers.

In terms of sector level organization at the local or regional scale, success factors include:

  • recognition of issues and problems;
  • identification of local and regional comparative advantages, and maximization of the development of nearby social and natural resources;
  • reduction of overlaps with other destinations;
  • an ability to mobilize and connect people, businesses and the community through appropriate networks and forums;
  • good leadership;
  • widespread community support for tourism;
  • support and participation from government agencies (especially in terms of planning and providing information); and
  • sufficient funds for maintaining and enhancing infrastructure and services.

As tourism involves a wide range of private sector enterprises, it is really important to establish a favorable environment for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises. Maximizing local growth is a major key to success. It is also important to work towards coordination and cooperation between enterprises and the local/regional authorities; collaboration creates power and synergy, which can both attracts investment and projects a positive image.

There must be a clear definition of common aims, otherwise businesses and stakeholders won’t be able to trust one another or truly cooperate. In addition, conscious efforts must be made to reduce economic leakages out of the destination; this can be done by maximizing the use of locally and regionally produced goods and services, with an aim to developing local and regionally unique brands. It is important to aim for partnership, rather than unhealthy competition.

Although government policies and strategies should guide development, it is important to achieve it through local and regional initiatives. Some regions can achieve successful tourism independently, whereas others need help.
Because sustainable tourism is not a shortcut to regional economic prosperity, successful tourism initiatives must start with strategic planning. Tourism needs to be part of a regional development framework, and its progress must be measured. It is important to acknowledge that rurality and remoteness are not necessarily obstacles to successful tourism.

In the context of current tourism and rural policy for Quebec, as well as recent debates surrounding several tourism projects, it appears there is a need for a more precise vision for tourism in each region, as well as a series of medium and long-term strategies and action plans.

It is often said that understanding the past is the key to the present, and vice versa. In a borderless, constantly changing world it is important to recognize that previously successful regional development strategies will not necessarily work in the future. This statement may also hold true for sustainable regional tourism development.

Sources:
– Branwell, B. and Lane, B. (2000). « Tourism Collaboration and Partnerships: Politics, practice and sustainability (Aspects of Tourism, 2), » Channelview Publications, Clevedon, 343 pp.
– Gouvernement du Québec (2005). « Vers un tourisme durable – Politique touristique du Québec, » 36 pp.
– Gouvernement du Québec (2001). Déclaration en faveur du monde rural, 1 p.
– Hall, D., Kirkpatrick, I. and Mitchell, M. (2005). « Rural Tourism and Sustainable Business (Aspects of Tourism, 26), » Channelview Publications, Clevedon, 370 pp.
– Paquet, G. (2006). « Gouvernance: le scandale de la bonne volonté, Notes on the 14e Conférence nationale de Solidarité rurale du Québec, » March 9, 2006, Sherbrooke, Québec, 4 pp.
– Solidarité rurale du Québec (2006). « 14e Conférence nationale de Solidarité rurale du Québec, Background document – À l’agenda des territoires: ruptures, reconversion et prise en charge, » March 8-10, 2006, Sherbrooke, Québec, 22 pp. [http://www.solidarite-rurale.qc.ca/]
– Wilson, S., Fesenmaier, D. R., Fesenmaier, J. and Van Es, J. C. (2001). « Factors for success in rural tourism development, » Journal of Travel Research, p. 40, 132-138.
– World Tourism Organization (1994). « National and Regional Tourism Planning: Methodologies and Case Studies, » Routledge, London, 249 pp.

Catégories
Management

Meeting DMO challenges

Responsible for developing and promoting tourism in their respective regions, destination management organizations (DMOs) are the backbone of the travel industry. Challenges await them as they consider new funding formulas, adopt new technologies, deal with heightened competition, and adapt to changing consumer needs.

Recognizing the importance of DMOs

Working in an industry composed primarily of small and medium-size businesses, DMOs are – first and foremost – « umbrella » organizations, working in a very heterogeneous environment. First-generation DMOs were simply public organizations funded entirely by government, and although this type of structure continues to predominate, many new forms have emerged at the national, regional and even municipal levels. 

In Canada, the Canadian Tourism Commission is an example of a public/private partnership, just like the national DMOs in the United Kingdom, France, Denmark and Australia. In countries like Germany, Italy, Greece and Portugal, the national DMOs are entirely publicly funded, while some destinations have taken the opposite tack, seeing government intervention as unnecessary and relying instead on natural market forces. This is the model that prevails in the US, the Netherlands and Japan. (In the case of Japan, the national tourism bureau was simply privatized.)

Moreover, a growing number of tourist destinations are establishing public/private partnerships to set up destination management systems. BonjourQuébec.com, an alliance of Tourisme Québec and Bell Canada, is one such example. The WTO and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) both encourage this approach.

Need to adapt

In the constantly evolving world of tourism, DMOs must keep up with the times and adapt. According to Arthur Oberascher, CEO of the Austrian National Tourism Office, the major problem for DMOs is their traditional focus on supply, catering as they do to the interests of their member businesses. In fact, they must better understand demand so they can adapt to consumer needs. DMOs must take on the role of knowledge brokers, acting as information clearinghouses for consumers and suppliers alike. Ultimately, DMO managers, just like hotel managers, should have access to daily activity reports: inventories, customer and spending profiles, financial analyses, etc. As a matter of course, DMOs should be linked 24/7 in a communication network with destination suppliers. Although we are obviously not there yet, this gives us an idea of the direction we should be taking.

Furthermore, increased consumer use of the internet to research tourism destinations and purchase travel products is one of the major changes to the DMOs’ operational environment. DMOs have to consider this new consumer attitude and adapt to the digital information age. According to the WTO, while the majority of national organizations have e-commerce strategies, at least half of regional and local outfits do not.

Case study: East of England Tourist Board

In their desire to acquire market intelligence, DMOs, like those in Austria and the East of England, have begun to redefine their areas of activity. Assuming the role of intermediary, these organizations are acting as knowledge brokers by using information about consumers to help the businesses who provide travel products and services.

For example, the East of England Tourist Board uses Tiscover, a destination management system, to encourage tourism organizations to offer packages on their website. Called UNITE, the platform enables suppliers to easily create packages using a content management system. The tourist board offers ongoing training and support to users as they familiarize themselves with the technical requirements. In fact, the challenge is more cultural than technical, because most small and medium-size businesses are not very familiar with this form of marketing.

Founded in 1991, Tiscover acts as a destination portal for Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and the United Kingdom.

Tourism New South Wales: using e-business application

Many DMOs wonder how to best communicate and transmit their product information to various international markets at a low cost. This was the challenge facing Tourism New South Wales (TNSW), a regional tourist board in Australia.

The tourist guide for Sydney and the New South Wales region is the single most important tool available to consumers planning a trip. Since it would be prohibitively expensive to send this 150+ page document to potential visitors from the Americas and Europe, TNSW instead turned to the private sector, partnering with OnlineDM and Sampson Carroll to publish an international, interactive version of the tourist guide.

This interactive brochure uses mobileBrochure technology, a platform developed by Mobular Technologies.

The format offers a number of attractive features:The documents created are much smaller than traditional PDF files. This means they can be emailed without clogging the bandwidth of either sender or recipient. For example, the email for an interactive 200-page catalogue would generally be smaller than 20 k.

  • The interface is very user-friendly, incorporating pull-down menus, regional content, a search engine, etc.
  • The format is embedded in an email and does not require any plug-ins, attachments or reader software.
  • Unlike hyperlinks, these documents are not HTML messages that redirect the consumer to a Website.
  • User interaction with Mobular documents can be thoroughly monitored; in other words, usage data are saved in real time and may be accessed by the sender through a dedicated password-secured site. With this feature, DMOs can find out how many people have consulted the document, what search terms are used most often, which regions attract the most interest, the most popular pages, and so on.

A number of DMOs – those in Wisconsin, Maine and San Luis Obispo County in California – have made this technology part of their marketing strategy. With vacations increasingly planned at the last minute and traditional travel guides only consulted once travellers are on-site, e-brochures are a logical solution.

Sources:

– Delgado, Joaquin A. and Maggie Bowen. « DestinationFinder: A Travel – Focused Search Engine, Portal and Recommender System for the DMO Marketplace, » talk given at ENTER 2004.
– Gretzel, Ulrike and Daniel R. Fesenmaier. « Information Technology Use and Organisational Approaches: A Comparison of Destination Marketing Organizations in the United States and Canada, » National Laboratory for Tourism and eCommerce, 2002.
– Mintel Group. « Destination Marketing, » Travel & Tourism Analyst, No. 5, April 2005.
– Travel Research International. « Roles and Responsibilities in Tourism Support and Promotion in the Yorkshire and Humber Region, » prepared for Yorkshire Forward, December 2003.

Catégories
Issues Trends

What can we expect from the tourism bubble in the next few years?

What are the major influential factors that will affect tourism supply and demand this decade? For a start, China and India are poised to become major players as they increase their presence in the travel marketplace.

  • Climate of uncertainty
    The political, economic, climatic and health crises of the past few years have shown us that the travel industry, particularly the airline sector, can become very vulnerable and that no destination is immune from these threats.
  • Rising oil prices
    More gas price hikes are expected in the next few years. Since the price of oil affects tourism-based businesses in myriad ways, travel costs will rise. This situation, coupled with risk factors, could lead to an increase in intra-regional travel. Poorer countries will be hurt by higher transportation costs and require special assistance.
  • Security procedures to facilitate travel
    A country’s methods of providing security and protection for travellers play an important role in its position in the global tourism marketplace. In the coming years, these methods should be harmonized.
  • Increased wealth in both existing and emerging markets
    Economic prosperity drives tourism growth. Existing markets will continue to increase their wealth. Among emerging markets, China and India will experience the most growth. Experts anticipate problems due to overcrowded airline routes.
  • Development of both multilateralism and regionalism
    South-South alliances will develop and create more equitable relations. The current trend towards political and economic consolidation in major global regions will restructure the overall globalization movement. Asia will become an economic centre to watch. As a result, tourism, as well as transportation structures and costs, will be profoundly affected.
  • Technology in the forefront
    Whether we are talking about developments in communication, the convergence of the Internet, cell phones and television or the rollout of new aircraft models, technology will continue to play a primary role in the evolution of the tourism industry.
  • Demographic changes
    Concentrated urban populations and family/work dynamics continue to modify travel behaviour. The populations of large industrialized countries are aging, meaning that more baby boomers will have the time and money to travel. However, some experts have reservations about the amount of discretionary income available to retirees for travel.
  • Increased consumer power, thanks to the Internet
    When it comes to accessing information, prices and reservations, the centre of power has shifted from tourism professionals to travellers themselves. Consumers are very comfortable with the Internet and the decisions it enables them to make.
  • Improved quality of life as a travel incentive
    Travel is seen as an element that can help improve one’s quality of life, whether it is used for adventure and discovery, personal growth, relaxation or to get a new lease on life.
  • Heightened competition
    In an attempt to stimulate economic growth, every city, region and country will be looking for a piece of the tourism pie, creating a context in which branding strategies are key.
  • Promotional strategies involving public-private partnerships
    These types of partnerships are especially common in countries with federal or highly decentralized political systems.
  • Ongoing mergers and acquisitions
    The hotel industry, airlines, distribution network and tour operators will continue their trend towards consolidation.
  • Infrastructure deficiencies
    When it comes to infrastructure, the major Western countries lack the planning needed to respond to the coming international growth. It requires several years’ lead time to expand airports and build more hotels.

  • Booming products
    Green tourism, spa tourism and health tourism (surgery and convalescence) are becoming increasingly popular. Although these are examples of segmentation and specialization, mass tourism is in no danger of disappearing.

    • Flirting with China and India

    Even though China and India are enormous potential markets, there is a long list of countries competing for their business. Over 170 destinations are using their charms to attract Chinese and Indian travellers. Despite these efforts, travellers from emerging markets often follow the same pattern as they start to venture outside their country. They begin by traveling in groups and are most likely to visit neighbouring countries. Afterwards, Europe and North America (particularly the West Coast) are added to the list of destinations and the number of individual travellers increases.

    Not everyone behaves the same, however. Chinese travellers like to feel safe by finding people who speak their language and can provide familiar food. As a result, they will be attracted to foreign countries that boast major Chinese communities. As for travelers from India, their travel experiences have made them more likely to travel alone, anywhere in the world.

    All the same, those who wish to appeal to these travellers are well-advised to get busy.

    Tourism in general likely to continue its upward climb

    If we look at the past fifty years or so, although its growth curve may have had a few blips, tourism is not ready to collapse. And yet, even though international demand is expected to grow by 4.2% annually, there are also more and more regions vying for travellers.

    Sources:
    – Baumgarten, Jean-Claude. President of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and a guest lecturer for the Cercle de tourisme du Québec, April 20, 2006.
    – Désiront, André. Interview with Jean-Claude Baumgarten following his remarks to the Cercle de tourisme du Québec, April 20, 2006.
    – Frangialli, Francesco. « Défis pour un nouveau millénaire, » Le Devoir, April 1 and 2, 2006.
    – Sarrasin, Bruno. « Temps de ruptures et continuités, » Le Devoir, April 1 and 2, 2006.

Catégories
Management

Understanding performance evaluation

In tourism, performance evaluation involves objectively assessing projects completed to date according to a predefined plan, whether this relates to a policy, a program or a strategy. Such an evaluation relies on clearly defined goals, pertinent indicators and a number of information sources that are too often incomplete.

Various information sources

Databases of strategic information are produced by various sources. For example, Statistics Canada supplies a wide range of tourism-related statistics. Tourisme Québec conducts studies and research on specific products, and certain tourist regions have developed performance indicators for accommodations, attractions, activities, events, business travel, and so on. However, the information obtained can be several years out of date – this is often true of statistics – making it of little use for strategic purposes. Furthermore, since methodology and data collection can differ from one source to the next, data are often difficult to compare.

An important strategic tool

To clearly understand tourist behaviour on a continuous basis, and measure monthly and annual changes in various tourism sectors, it is vital that information be obtained in as close to ?real time? as possible to encourage effective decision-making. Therefore, data must be produced rapidly and – more importantly – be integrated into a marketing plan or development process that enables managers to better evaluate their performance in terms of their own objectives.

An ongoing cycle

The evaluation process begins when goals are set for the plan, strategy or program. This step is crucial because it creates a foundation for developing evaluation mechanisms and selecting performance indicators. Of course, the goals set must reflect the concerns of the entire industry. In addition, well-defined goals share some basic characteristics: they are specific, measurable, attainable (given the resources available), realistic and timely.

The next step is to define pertinent indicators to measure the progress made toward the goals and supply information for decision-making. These indicators should be:

  • Useful. Are the indicators truly appropriate for the decision-making process? Are they relevant to a wide range of users? Can they be used to assess the actual changes brought about by the action taken? For example, a study of the complaints registered at various tourist information offices could certainly be used to evaluate visitor satisfaction;
  • Reliable. Are the information sources recognized and reliable? Is the research methodology valid? Are the findings accurate? In Canada, the primary source of reputable statistical data is still Statistics Canada, even if the information is sometimes incomplete;
  • Timely. What is the most opportune time to evaluate performance? For example, before reprising a promotional campaign to attract off-season visitors, one must ensure the preceding campaign successfully achieved the goals set in the marketing plan, by measuring the number of requests for information, the number of packages sold, and so on;
  • Comparable. Will the indicators supply data comparable to data obtained from similar companies or organizations? It is easier to compare results when data are collected using standard classifications. For example, when most members of the industry use specific age groups for the socio-demographic breakdown of their customers, it is best to adopt the same groupings to make comparisons easier. Obviously, this means one must previously research the primary indicators and information sources used.

In addition, when defining indicators, it is essential to identify certain parameters like:

  • Frequency. How often is information required? Monthly? Quarterly? Annually?;
  • Participation. Who is involved in the process (data suppliers and users)? Who will be in charge of collecting the data? Is co-operation needed from partners? Establishing a partnership among stakeholders is key to the success of the evaluation process;
  • Cost. What financial and human resources are available to perform evaluation-related tasks? Are these resources sufficient to carry out all the steps of the process? Is there any chance costs could be shared among various partners?;
  • Information sources. What is the best way to obtain this information? Are any studies, statistics or information sources currently available? Should new surveys or studies be planned? How should one fill in missing information?;
  • Expectations. Do partners or financial backers have specific expectations of the evaluation process?

Once objectives and indicators have both been clearly defined according to the previously identified characteristics and parameters, the evaluation itself can produce an honest assessment of the projects already carried out, whether they refer to marketing activities, economic impact, product development, human resource management, or information services.

In fact, all sectors that require enlightened action and decision-making should be evaluated. Then, the information should be disseminated to all partners involved in the plan, strategy or policy.

Sources:
– British Tourist Authority. «A Strategy for the Sustainable Growth of Tourism to Britain», September 2001
– Tourism New Zealand. «Statement of Service Performance, Annual Report 2003».