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The Essential Guide to

Marketing & Communicating


Sustainable Tourism
Learn how to communicate sustainability
to boost sales and make customers love you!

Travindy | www.travindy.com | March 2017


Who is this Guide for?

If…

✓ Saying that you are green & eco never brought you any sales.
✓ Your business kicks off only during a short tourist season.
✓ Customers seem not to care about your sustainability commitment.
✓ No one is reading the “responsible travel” tab on your website.
✓ Awards and certifications for being eco didn’t bring any tangible benefits
for your business.

If any of these statements sound familiar,


this Guide is exactly what you need!

The Essential Guide to Marketing & Communicating Sustainable Tourism


Written by: Xavier Font | Edited by: Anula Galewska, Jeremy Smith | Travindy | www.travindy.com | March 2017
Content
1. What is this Guide for? 5. Where do I talk about sustainability?
- Certification and awards
2. Who do I tell about sustainability? - Online and offline press
- Group 1: What’s in it for me? - Your website
- Group 2: Not bothered - Social media
- Group 3: I care for the planet and society - Online distribution channels

3. Why do I talk about sustainability? 6. When do I talk about sustainability?


- Make customers feel good - Prior to booking
- Raise awareness and change behaviour - Between booking and arriving
- Sell more to current customers - On arrival
- Get more customers - During the stay
- After the stay
4. What do I say about sustainability?
- Fun and participation - what can I do 7. About Travindy
- Better service - Make me feel special
- Tradition & nostalgia
- Empathy - we think alike
The Essential Guide to Marketing & Communicating Sustainable Tourism
Written by: Xavier Font | Edited by: Anula Galewska, Jeremy Smith | Travindy | www.travindy.com | March 2017
What is this Guide for?
There are many companies that are very good at being sustainable but find it difficult
to communicate this to their customers in ways that benefit their business. Many still
believe that saying “I’m sustainable” is enough to attract and retain consumers. The brutal
truth is that only very few customers will travel to your hotel or use your services for
altruistic reasons. People are traveling because they want to have good time.

We will shift the approach. You will be no longer communicating “I’ve got a green logo”,
“I’m in a certification program” or “I am green because I reduce my carbon emissions”.
Instead, you will tell your customers what they are going to get from it!

We will help you answer the following questions:


✓ Who do I tell about sustainability?
✓ Why do I talk about sustainability?
✓ What do I say about sustainability?
✓ Where do I talk about sustainability?
✓ When do I talk about sustainability?

The Essential Guide to Marketing & Communicating Sustainable Tourism


Written by: Xavier Font | Edited by: Anula Galewska, Jeremy Smith | Travindy | www.travindy.com | March 2017
Who do I tell about sustainability?
All you need to know about your target audience.
Who do I tell about sustainability?
How well do you understand your target audience? Do you know who will appreciate
knowing you are working to be sustainable and who is just looking for some time off
and a great holiday?
You have to divide your target audience into segments and deliver a
message that will resonate with the motivations and expectations of
each group.

Very few customers will travel to your hotel or use your services for
altruistic reasons. People are traveling because they want to have good
time. Very few would, on the other hand, avoid your product just
because it’s sustainable. Your target audience is somewhere in between.

What you really want to do is to be able to say: “I’m giving much better
product and my customers enjoy a much better experience because my
product is green”.

We have identified these three markets:


"What's in it for me"
Tell them that sustainability is quality and gives them a better experience

"Not bothered"
Show them that you care, unobtrusively

"I care for the planet and society"


Tell them the difference you make
Group 1: "What's in it for me"
Tell them that sustainability is quality and gives them a better experience.
The “what’s in it for me” group makes up the majority of consumers. They are aware of the issues, but don’t
go out of their way to act. They won’t look for sustainability information but they respond well to messages
that show they can easily “do their bit” - or where they get a better product or service that happens to be
sustainable.

Just as we forget to bring our reusable bags to the supermarket, these travellers will book the brands they
already know through their usual channels. Habit and convenience play a more important part in how they
choose travel and tourism.

Price, location, convenience and brand still come first. But when all of these are equal - sustainability
values and actions can differentiate a product.

51% say that if two hotels were the same, they would choose the one with a green award. (VisitEngland
data on English consumers)

Sustainability could be everywhere, from preserving the traditional architecture of your business to having
solar panels, from showing proudly the authenticity and uniqueness of your sustainable practices to
providing information about local activities and walks. But it is important to show not only your practices,
but also how customers can benefit – they can learn history through your walls in a fun way.

A TripBarometer traveller survey by TripAdvisor says: 81% of travellers place importance on properties
implementing eco-friendly practices.
Case study Why not take the bicycle?
“We promote the enjoyment and health benefits of sustainable transport”
Ampar Vaqué, owner of Moli del Mig, a hotel restaurant housed in a restored, fifteenth-century mill in
Catalonia, Spain.

What we do: Wetlands are the primary source of drinking


water for people and wildlife. Most of our nine UK wetland
centres have treatment systems to preserve the wetlands and
their wildlife. The centres also provide a nice day out for
people to enjoy getting close to nature.

How we tell: We promote cycling, ranging from short trips to


the beach to longer countryside excursions. Rather than
arguing for cycling as a way to reduce your carbon footprint,
we prefer to communicate cycling as a great way to enjoy
your holiday and get to know the area. Details on renting
bicycles or facilities for those wanting to bring their own
cycles are included in all our correspondence, and are
mentioned when we get enquiries and booking confirmations
by telephone or e-mail. Prior to arrival, information on our
cycling services is available via our website and forms part of
our “activity” package promotions for one- or two-night stays,
and longer stays of a 6 nights or more sold through
"Cicloturisme i Medi Ambient", an agency specialising in
cycling trips.
Case study Why not take the bicycle?

The most common cycle outing for guests who are "occasional" cyclists is to ride to the beach in
summer for a swim or to see the sea and the magnificent estuary of the River Ter at other times of
the year, thereby avoiding using the car. As well as renting bikes (€7 for the morning; €10 for the
whole day) we offer picnics (ranging from €10 to €20 per person). Our typical customer is 30 to 60
years old, who returns saying how much they enjoyed seeing the landscape in a way they cannot
appreciate from the car. This really helps us to improve our customer satisfaction.

Around 10% of our customers rent bicycles here, while 50 % bring bicycles with them. We have less
seasonality and longer stays than our competitors. In particular, Spring and Autumn bring guests
looking to go on bicycle rides rather than spend time at the beach. The level of spending per
customer is also higher because we offer more activity options, and also because guests frequently
have dinner with us, having been out all day.

Our top tip: Identify added products that will differentiate your hotel from others, improve
occupancy, generate loyalty and high levels of satisfaction, and create opportunities for customers
to spend more by offering unique experiences that are more sustainable but not necessarily
explicitly sold as such.
Case study Edutainment (educational entertainment)
“We explain how sustainability improves your life, while having fun at the same time”
Peter Morris is the Head of PR and Campaigns of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, England, a wetland conservation
charity.

What we do: The accessible location of the hotel in flat agricultural countryside
6km from the beach was chosen carefully in order to provide good terrain for
bicycle paths in all directions. As such we are able to offer routes from the
property sufficient for 5 or 6 days of holidaying, or even longer stays for
customers who are keen cyclists.

How we tell: Most people aren’t aware of their actions’ impacts, so we use clear,
explanatory, engaging messages to help people understand through experience.

Our toilet message explains the importance of treating water with the “What
happens to my water?” story. We tell how the on-site water treatment system
works and how this same water is enjoyed by the wildlife they see and feed.
Linking the story with the toilet they have just used increases the sense of
ownership and shows our actions’ impact. It’s not doom and gloom: visitors
enjoying a day out feeding reinforces the positive message of environmental
preservation.

Our top tip: Put across attractive, visual messages for an active target audience
and engage them by offering practical experiences. It’s better to put the
messages right where the action is happening, and to explain the outcomes, so
the customers can see their role during the process.
Group 2: “Not bothered"
Show them that you care, unobtrusively.

Many travellers just want to switch off. They have earned their right to relax or are too busy to
care. They probably already expect you to be acting sustainably because of your size or
location, or they simply don’t want to think about it.

This group is quite cynical, so any claims of acting sustainably need to be substantiated with
external verification. If only a few of your actions are sustainable, it is a less risky approach to not
mention the word sustainability at all, and to explain the individual things you do instead.

46% don't want to think about being green - they want to relax. (VisitEngland)

Sustainability actions will need to happen behind the scenes and your communication should
focus on how you make things easier for them.

Also, try to use different communication methods to attract a variety of people that could
help you influence those who don’t care about your sustainable actions.
Case study Eat the view
“We connect guests to our destination by letting them experience local Jamaican food.”
Barbara Walker & Shireen Aga own chic ecolodge Mockingbird Hill, Jamaica.

What we do: From the outset our hotel has been committed to make a positive contribution to
social and environmental sustainability, while enhancing guest comfort and authentic
memorable experiences.

We seek the balance between sustainability


practices that make us different, and those
that every client will benefit from regardless
of their sustainability commitment. For
example, 65% of our total energy
requirements are provided through
renewable energy created on-site, solar
panels heat water and recycling programmes
are in place- but we know nobody will
choose us for this.
Case study Eat the view
How we tell: We have found that food is the best way to communicate a sense of place to those that
might not think sustainability is for them. Our food miles poster creates a link between our suppliers – all
within 90 miles radius of the hotel, and our guests.

Being able to look at colourful photographs of the suppliers, reading their names and knowing from
where on the Jamaican map their food is coming from evokes emotions and a feel good effect on the
guests. We point out social and environmental issues while emphasising a real culinary experience for our
guests.

We reinforce our message through gifting a bag of locally sourced coffee lasting for the first week back
home - this not only reinforces the destination but also engages guests in sourcing locally.

Our top tip: Tell your plate’s story

✓ uncover the story of who grew the food, where and why;

✓ create a map showing food miles from your suppliers including photographs;

✓ show you care by sourcing food responsibly from small local suppliers.
Case study Get everybody involved
“We get opinion leaders to do the marketing for us”
Brian Pearce is the Chair of Railworld and the Wildlife Haven, an educational and environmental charity in
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England.

What we do: We are all volunteers and together we


have transformed a former coal storage yard into an
‘entertain and educate local tourist attraction. Visitors
find our rail history intriguing and they can explore
and enjoy lovely walks while being able to study over
200 flora and fauna species.

How we tell: We have built relations with a number of


companies and organisations that share our values.
We encourage local and national leaders to organise
‘community team days’, so they can send their
employees to help out.

For example, we have received visits from the National


Trust and Rotary International. When they come, they
help us with work to improve our species’ habitats and
we give presentations to inspire people to do good.
Case study Get everybody involved
During these days we showcase our work and hope that it will motivate them to become members or to
help promote what we do. Thanks to these community days, people who weren’t previously interested in
sustainability have learnt about us from well-known organisations, which is great marketing.

As Brian says, “I try to ‘influence those that influence others’!"

We have found this reinforces our more traditional communication methods such as the information on our
website and in our centre. Opinion leaders tend to be very effective at pre-disposing the general public to
consider us, even when they are not committed to sustainability. They introduce us at local events, and we
take our brochures and talk to people directly. The relationship works really well.

Our top tip: Engage with opinion leaders who share your environmental values, so that they can convince
less sustainably-committed people to participate. Others talking well about you is more convincing than
your own printed materials.
Group 3: “I care for the planet and society"
Tell them the difference you make.

These conscientious consumers actively seek green experiences as a continuation of their lifestyle at
home. They will research widely before travelling, are knowledgeable about the places they visit and
the things they want to do. They claim to be willing to pay more for a product that makes a difference.

Because they are knowledgeable and conscientious, they will tell the world if you are found out
greenwashing- claiming to be sustainable on the back of tokenistic actions that make little difference.
Substantiate your claims with detailed evidence of what you do.

The trouble is, only about 10% of consumers think this way, which may not be enough for your
business to survive if you only target this group.

58% would want to stay in accommodation with green awards/environmentally friendly practices.
(VisitEngland data on English consumers)

The trick is to capture this market without alienating the less-conscientious consumers.

All these statistics sound great! But there is a gap between what people say and what people do. 10%
is a more realistic percentage of customers that consider your green credentials, from actual bookings
from different distribution channels including tour operators and online travel agencies.
Case study Our menu empowers
“A carbon labelled menu allows our clients to make smart choices”
Richard Bergfors is president of Max Hamburgers, a nationwide fast food chain in Sweden.

What we do: We are a burger company that encourages our clients to eat less beef as part of
our commitment to the environment. We use our Swedish heritage as a means of competing
with the two major fast food-chains on the market. We offer healthier alternatives with less fat,
hamburgers with healthier bread, as well as low GI and gluten free menus, amongst other
things.

How we tell: We try to influence our customers to eat in a more sustainable and healthy way, so
we have designed a menu for the planet. We do this in two ways.
Case study Our menu empowers
We carbon labelled every product on the menu to encourage our customers to eat more sustainable,
in full knowledge that beef is one of the least environmentally friendly food choices in the world.

We provided appealing alternatives such as veggie or falafel burgers or chicken fingers. We tell clients
about how these choices are much healthier than beef. By doing this we have increased our sales of
“low carbon products” by 15%.

Customer loyalty has increased by 27% in the two years of introducing the “eat less beef” campaign.
We now have had the most satisfied clients in fast food business for eight years in a row.

Our top tip: You have the power to educate and influence your clients through your communication
channels, so you can help them to decide better. You have all the information they need so why not to
use it to show them the best way. This may feel like a risk. But don’t underestimate your customers,
you may find that they actually do care. Just make sure you give them information they find useful to
take decisions.
Case study Make green evident but not threatening
“We differentiate ourselves without sounding worthy”
Olivia O’Sullivan is the General Manager of The Green House Hotel in Bournemouth, Dorset, England.

What we do: On the face of it our hotel is a beautiful, restored Victorian villa. From the
outset it was important for us to convey that luxury and sustainability could go hand in
hand. Our website provides information about all the sustainability practices we have put
in place.

How we tell: MWe target discerning customers and those who are looking for
responsible hotels – “serious about luxury, serious about sustainability”. The hotel and
wedding markets are crowded, so emphasising sustainability makes this our unique
selling point.

We use photos to show that the hotel offers luxury, and the text to speak about our
sustainability values and reassure that being sustainable means that we care about our
customer experience. We tell customers to dig a little deeper to find the sustainability
evidence, and emphasise the external credibility of our work with the awards and rave
reviews we receive.

We use personal messages to show the human connection of staying in a green hotel:
“But the last thing we want to do is lecture you about our environmental credentials. You
won’t get any sermons at our luxury and boutique hotel front desk – just a warm, friendly
and relaxed welcome

Our top tip: Be transparent and allow customers to know about you, so you can explain
your values and show them you don’t compromise on quality or the guest experience.
Why do I talk about sustainability?
Why is it important to your business
to communicate openly about your green credentials.
Why do I talk about sustainability?
Why is it important to your business to communicate openly about your green credentials?
Is the intention behind communicating sustainability clear?

If you can't answer what do you expect your customers to do differently, then your message does not make
sense. The purpose behind the message is just as important as in every other marketing campaign.

Be clear about what response or change that you are hoping for from your customers. Then think, which
aspect of sustainability you are already working on, will help you meet your goal and formulate a different
message for a specific target group.

We have identified a few key reasons why to talk about sustainability:


Make customers feel good
Show you take care of things, leaving them
to enjoy the benefits
Raise awareness and change behaviour
Make it easy and appealing, and offer a reward

Sell more to your current customers


Offer common sense products and services
that naturally happen to be more sustainable
To get more customers
Differentiate yourself with unique offers
Make customers feel good
Show you take care of things, leaving them to enjoy the benefits.

The fact that most travellers will not go out of their way to buy from you because you are green
does not mean they don’t appreciate it.

Worded right, your messages about sustainability can make them feel good about themselves,
knowing that they are “doing their bit”.

This applies to both leisure and business customers. If you genuinely think your customers don’t
want to know, focus on what you do for them. They probably won’t help you reduce your carbon
footprint, but might value the fact that you are doing it (particularly in the business market).

Make it easy, by telling them they can relax and enjoy, while you take care of things
without compromising quality. Show them you are committed to green practices as well as
ensuring a quality stay.

Customers feel good (or less guilty) facing easy choices. Encourage charitable donations, tell
them about public transport options or where to recycle - show them it is both better and more
sustainable. The easiest solution of all is for the options provided to be ‘good’ choices with
positive impacts.
Case study Improve your product for your customers' enjoyment
“We reassure customers that sustainability means more quality.”
Lesley Graves is the co-founder of Burton Road Chippy, a 30-year old fish and chips business in Lincoln, Lincolnshire,
England

What we do: We are proud of our MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certification and the ‘national fish and
chips 2015’ award. We want customers to feel special by eating sustainably, but mainly by enjoying
traditional, delicious, crispy fish and chips.

How we tell: We show and explain proudly both our certification and our award on our website, social
media and in the store. To make our certification interesting, we post messages and pictures on Facebook
to show “today’s wild fresh fish”, where it comes from and the brave fishermen on the boat. We also share it
on our store’s daily blackboard.
Case study Who made my breakfast?
“We communicate simply our farm to fork programme.”
The Europa-Belfast Hotel is owned and operated by Hastings group of hotels in Ireland. It has 272 bedrooms and 3
food and beverages outlets that employ more than 25 local chef artisans.

What we do: Guests are looking for ‘good food,


locally produced and sourced, traceable and
provenance, we carefully select local and seasonal
quality food that enables our chef to prepare and
deliver the experience the guest is looking for. So we
have ensured that we use locally sourced and
produced food, as this contributes to the positive guest
experience through guest engagement to pick their
breakfast, which contributed to increase revenue. We
entered into long-term relationship partnership with
local suppliers and producers, then we joined ‘GOOD
FOOD IRELAND’ and ‘TASTE OF ULSTER’ that ensures
high standards of good food.

How we tell: Our food provenance campaign is called


‘Who made my breakfast’. We communicate it through
two little booklets placed on the breakfast table which
tell guests about where food comes from and who has
prepared it. The logos of Good Food Ireland and Taste
of Ulster provide customer reassurance.
Case study Who made my breakfast?
The message is sold as quality: “we have gone the extra mile to find the finest locally sourced
fresh produce to give you a real Irish breakfast experience.” We explain who the suppliers are and
how they take good care of the produce, the family origins of their businesses and their traditional
methods to care for the land and your breakfast goods.

“Only the finest will do, and where possible, only local Northern Ireland Cuisine will do. In terms of
quality and freshness, it makes all the difference to our dishes. It also means our award-winning
chefs can serve up the best in traditional and contemporary cuisine.”

Our top tip: The key to this message is to not threaten customers with sustainability messages,
but to appeal to the broadest possible audience creating a sense of quality.
Case study Improve your product for your customers' enjoyment

On our website, besides our sustainable practices, we mention that we care about the real “old
English chippy”. This includes providing unique food, sourced sustainably, to ensure the best fish
and chips will still be available for future generations.

But more importantly, whatever platform, tool or place we use to communicate, we are consistent
with our belief: sustainability is quality. When they come, they simply enjoy a winning traditional
dish, leaving us the worries of finding sustainable sources and tastier, healthier ingredients.

Our top tip: Be proud of your sustainability and share it naturally. Remember, most people are not
interested in technical, confusing words, so communicate things that they can relate to and that
will make them feel special.
Raise awareness and change behaviour
Make it easy and appealing, and offer a reward.
Doing all the work for your customers may leave you unsatisfied. There are easy things your customers
can help you do, but you need to make them aware of what these are, and make it easy for them to
change their behaviour.

Step 1: Be specific about what you ask them to do. Vague messages lead to frustration. Telling
customers to be green has no results; they won’t know what this means, especially away from home.

Step 2: What’s the benefit? Show them the actual benefit of their action, even if it means someone else
benefitting. Have you noticed how fundraisers tell you what your £10 to charity can buy and what kind of
person will benefit, in what way? Well, you need to do the same.

Step 3: Empower them. We like to feel we had a choice, and respond better to being asked than being
told. For example, let customers choose which charity they will fund, rather than tell them it all goes to a
charity pot, and they will give more.

A sign like this is more likely to change behaviour than if it simply said "RECYCLE
HERE". These words make recycling on holiday sound normal and show a tangible
outcome.

Step 4: Give something in return. We like rewards for our effort, no matter how little we did. Whether
you want your customers to purchase local or respect local customs, to drive less or recycle more, you
need to provide an incentive.
Case study Saving the environment, little by little...
“We use a tree mural to show visitors how to contribute to our causes.”
Greg Irons, Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary in Tasmania, Australia

What we do: We provide eco-education and experiences for 30,000 guests each year. We tell our customers
that you don’t have to save the world all on your own, but you can do a little. And we show them how with our
tree wall mural, which allows us to raise funds for specific causes and allows the visitor to make a small
contribution which visually adds up to more collectively. The cause is a new wildlife vet clinic which will be
located on site.

How we tell: We have visitors purchase a “leaf” for $5, $10, $20 and $50 which then get pinned onto our tree
wall mural. As the leaves accumulate the visual effect is one of growth and accomplishment and reinforces the
message that every little action can help and that when put together can achieve something quite significant.
At Bonorong we try and inform our visitors about the little things
we all do to help the environment and to protect our native
species. During our tours we inform our guests of the benefit of
slowing down at night on the roads and to be aware of nocturnal
creatures on the move. We actively recruit rescue volunteers who
rescue and rush injured animals to the centre. On site we only
stock fair-trade coffee and use glass recyclable bottles for our
water sales.

Our top tip: se a visual aid to communicate the idea of doing a


little can collectively do a lot.
Case study Behave responsibly in pubs, clubs and bars
“We send a clear message of the consequences of misbehaviour.”
Stephen Baker is from National Pubwatch, England, a voluntary organisation that helps keep our town centres safe by
reducing alcohol-related crime and disorder.

What we do: Pubwatch schemes run a “banned from one banned from all” system by sharing information, CCTV
footage and collectively refusing entry to those that disrupt the safety, security and well-being of their staff and
customers.

How we tell: We provide a range of free window stickers and downloadable posters to reinforce the very strong message
about social responsibility and the consequences of irresponsible behaviour. The variety of posters allows pubs to change
these regularly, making them more noticeable and reminding customers to drink and behave responsibly.

The messages are direct and to the point because users, often under the effect of alcohol, need to be clear about what
the impact of irresponsible behaviour is. However the message is always the same: irresponsible behaviour leads to being
banned from all Pubwatch pubs from the local area, which is more powerful than being excluded from one single pub.

We think it’s very important that customers are made aware that they are socialising in a Pubwatch pub or bar and that
the management is committed to making their visit a safe and enjoyable experience.

Licensees, local authority licensing departments and the police agree that the scheme has had substantial impact on
crime.

Our top tip: Repeat the main message in as many different forms
as you can, but keep the message consistent and make sure
customers are clear of what the consequences of not behaving responsibly are.
Sell more to your current customers
Offer common sense products and services that naturally happen to be more sustainable.

Sustainability helps upselling. Design sustainable packages for your low occupancy or usage periods,
or think of services that can generate more money in high season. Look at ways customers will stay
longer, or will come back when your business is empty.

Show them things to do throughout the year, tell what’s special each month. Do this not only with local
events, but also with a nature diary, on your website.

✓ Promote products such as meat, vegetables and jam from your local farm or List things to do with a message of “stay for
neighbours - encourage customers to come back to restock. longer”:

✓ Offer ‘Grow-and-cook your own veg’ classes, local history courses, “eco- ✓ what to do for free (message = stay longer as
warrior” after school kids’ clubs, children’s nature-themed birthday parties - the entertainment is cheap)
create demand for times that are normally quieter.
✓ on a rainy day (message = your holiday fun
✓ Promote March or April cycling weekends where you offer bike does not stop)
maintenance, so your customers get the season started early.
✓ with children (message = the whole family
✓ Offer your most loyal customers to be ‘midwives to a baby lamb’ to get will have a great time)
them involved early in the year.
✓ from your doorstep (message = more
✓ Typically, a rural pub is fullest at lunchtime on weekends - develop special convenience, more options)
promotions to encourage mid-morning coffee or mid-afternoon tea and
cakes, together with a free map for a circular pub walk.

✓ Business hotels can include 30 and 60 minute local running maps, and
design and promote a runner’s breakfast with the right nutritional contents -
if you are a chain, roll it out across your whole portfolio.
Case study Increase your length of stay
“We use farm tours to show customers there's more to do here.”
Jim's Farm Villas, Sri Lanka. We are a boutique hotel set amongst 50 acres of organic crops, farm animals and
mountain views in the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka.

What we do: As a commercial farm and tourism


enterprise we care about addressing the triple-
bottom-line of sustainability. One current practise is
sourcing all our food (seasonal, of course) directly
from the farm, with supplements from the local
villages and farmers markets.

How we tell: We encourage our guests to learn


about what we do and participate in fun,
sustainable activities. We do this most effectively
through informal farm-wide tours (we prefer
‘strolls’) soon after the guests arrive. During the
stroll we explain about the organic processes for
our variety of crops and the role guests play in our
sustainable practices - such as reusing treated
waste-water to irrigate crops and feeding organic
kitchen waste to the animals - which help the farm
to flourish.
Case study Increase your length of stay
Then, we offer a Sri Lankan cooking experience where, accompanied by our chef, guests hand-
pick ingredients from the farm, take a tuk-tuk ride into the village to get what’s missing, before
learning and preparing delicious curries for the communal, evening meal. A perfect setting for
story-swapping!

Our average guest stay has increased to 3 nights and our TripAdvisor reviews frequently
recommend ‘time to enjoy the farm’.

Our top tip: Add to the engaging ways you show and involve clients in your sustainability to
increase the quality and variety of experience available, which impacts on length of stay. Reap
what you sow - go green and grow satisfaction!
Case study Cross-selling works
“We've got it all: accommodation, events, courses...”
Tony Spencer is the Accommodation and Events Manager of The Sustainability Centre in Petersfield, Hampshire,
England.

What we do: We are an independent learning and study charity centre with a holistic, practical and
creative approach to environmental education. Visitors can pick from a huge variety of services, all
carefully planned to offer great experiences throughout the year.

How we tell: We have diversified our products to cross-sell – visitors look for one particular
experience and often do two or three things.
Case study Cross-selling works
This happens in two ways. We appeal to people who wish to make a more conscious change in their
living patterns through the principle of permaculture. They get inspired by our diverse range of
activities, learning opportunities, vibrant natural spaces and knowledgeable staff. This also happens on
site, people get hooked because we successfully demonstrate practical methods and links within
sustainable methods to try at home, in a fun and beneficial product package.

In our course ‘spring delights’, people learn what hedgerow and woodland herbs to use to cleanse,
detox and re-energise, while relaxing on a day out through the woods. Thanks to this experience many
book other courses, stay longer to enjoy fresh vegetarian food from our Beech Café and stay at our
lodge or campsite.

The key is to be consistent, local and seasonal with all products – we run courses across different days,
offer weekly residential courses and volunteering opportunities.

Our top tip: Offer more product options for them to choose from and explain the benefits of each in
ways that relate to their experiences and interests.
Get more customers
Differentiate yourself with unique offers.

Your sustainability credentials can give you the edge over other businesses with a similar price
and location, in both the business and leisure markets. It’s all about being noticed and giving a
bit more.

Remember, customers like to know they are getting a good deal.

There are more examples that show that using sustainability creatively results in increased
occupancy and lower seasonality, than show it results in higher prices. This is good news for the
accommodation sector, where managing occupancy levels has a more significant impact on the
bottom line than charging more at peak periods does.

VisitEngland data shows that 60% of holidaymakers would be more likely to use public transport
if the accommodation offered a discount for doing so.

Businesses that adopt the recommendations provided in this booklet should be able to increase
their prices marginally or not reduce them as substantially in the low season.

To get more customers, reward them for behaving sustainably with either a discount or
additional benefits. Some cafés give a discount (and others put 10p in a charity pot) for regulars
that bring their own commuter mug - saving on disposable cups and gaining customer loyalty.
Case study Reduce seasonality
The Boghill Centre, a sustainable complex set in 50 acres of land on the edge of the Burren in Co Clare,
Ireland is a residential eco venue with minimal impact on the earth.

What we do: Our mantra over the years has been to reduce, reuse, recycle. Meals are vegetarian and as much food
as possible is sourced from our own organic vegetable garden, fruit beds and orchard.

The Boghill Centre is part of The Burren EcoTourism Network, a group of tourism businesses with a shared vision, that
provides a range of genuine ecotourism travel experiences in the Burren which ensures the sustainable development
of its communities, environment and heritage.

How we tell: Residential holidays, breaks and retreats, educational activities and venue hire for groups.The Boghill
Centre has three gold star awards from Eco Tourism Ireland.

Our packages and holiday experiences are nature based and have been designed to create an awareness of
environmental interaction and how to get closer to nature including components of nature interpretation and
education as well as being fun and creative. We tend to attract customers with the same values as ourselves and these
customers usually return for repeat visits.

Our top tip: Get involved in a network of businesses in your area that have the same values with regards to
protecting and conserving the environment and are dedicated to eco tourism.
Case study If there's no market, create one
“We have aquarium visitors even at night.”
Josh McCarty is the Head of Marketing of the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, Devon, England.

What we do: We have diversified our activities


to increase non-traditional aquarium visits to
flatten the trends of weather and holiday related
visits – one specific area we have addressed is
evening visits.

Our business is hugely segmented, so we


developed ‘Aquarium Lates’ - a series of science,
art, conservation and music evenings for the over
18s. Parallel to this we have ‘Sleeping with
Sharks’ family sleepovers for our core audience.

How we tell: Our communications about


‘Aquarium Lates’ focus on emphasising the
unique experience and build upon our research
in aquaria therapy. The evenings offer tranquillity
and culture.
Case study If there's no market, create one
Our ‘Sleeping with Sharks’ family sleepovers attract a variety of demographics so we have
developed an artwork series to maximize our appeal. Placement of this product is very precise and
has seen great brand partnerships.

We present clear call-to-action messages on our website, social media and in print based upon
customer profiles. For example, “Sleeping with Sharks, are you brave enough?” and “Forget
counting sheep… Sleeping with Sharks family sleepovers”. The messages go together with
stunning artwork and images focusing on the visual experience of visiting. As a charity we also
echo that all events help support marine conservation.

Our top tip: Increase your market by expanding targeted services focused on your business’s
unique selling points. It’s important to offer diversity which not only means different activities, but
also, different experiences for each target profile.
What do I say about sustainability?
What impression you want to make
with your sustainability content?
What do I say about sustainability?
What impression do you create with your sustainability messages and images?

Sustainability has to primarily sell more fun, because this is why we go on


holiday.

Sustainability has to sell cultural immersion. If you stay in a hotel or go on


a tour that is sustainable, you will then experience that place much much
better.

Sustainability has to sell better service because sustainability means


quality.

When talking to your clients, don’t mention the word sustainability.


Highlight these benefits instead:
Fun and participation - What can I do?
Make sustainability entertaining and participatory to create meaningful
memories

Better service - Make me feel special


Holidays are times to put yourself first, while business travellers will want
you to get things right quickly
Tradition - Share nostalgia
In leisure and tourism, nostalgia sells because it is comforting
Empathy - We think alike

We are people like you, we have the same values. That's why you'll enjoy
being here
Fun and participation - What can I do?
Make sustainability entertaining and participatory to create meaningful memories.

Help your customers to enjoy themselves and to experience 'hands on' what makes
you unique. Simple, fun words are more likely to sell.

Invite your customers to participate in things they can relate to.

Doing is more fun than observing. If you give your customer the chance to pick their own
lunch it will taste better to them in their mind and they will appreciate it more.

Develop a family quiz to help your customers to explore the places they visit and learn
more about them. Offer a nature, town or city trail that leaves from your front door.

The same action must be told differently depending on your audience - fresh farm eggs
mean traditions and nostalgia to the older market, but they mean a chance for children to
learn where food comes from to young families. Call them "sustainable eggs" and they
have no meaning for anybody.

Always remember to use the right words and messages for your chosen target audience.
This will mean changing the way you describe things, according to who is listening.
Case study Honestly real...
“Through our communication, customers relate to our ethos and trail experiences.”
Alison Howell is the Founder and Managing Director of Foot Trails, tailor-made, independent, hiking tours in South
West England.

What we do: We take care of every detail so that our customers can discover the
authentic, rural English counties. This includes visits to a selection of historic places
and rural businesses to support the local economies. We encourage our customers
to take an interest and pride in the 'real' England.

How we tell: We are honest about our ethos and that's why everything we do,
including our communication, is a reflection of our values and principles. Instead of
saying we are 'green', we tell customers our story - how and why we started this
business. This way, people get to know the 'real us'.

We use simple messages that people can easily remember and relate their
experiences to. Three words describe our trails: 'real', 'journey' and 'crafted'. Real
refers to a genuine experience avoiding crowded hot spots. Journey is about them
actively enjoying every moment. Crafted reflects the fact that we have carefully
chosen outstanding country paths, inns and pubs to ensure our customers
experience what the authentic village is all about.

After booking, we send 'walk boxes' with their perfect itinerary and tailored maps.
We thank them for sharing our ethos. Our boxes have messages explaining they
are made of recycled materials and filled with wood wool, a natural waste product.

Our top tip: Communicate with honesty and consistency about your ethos, who
you are and the uniqueness of your products. This makes customers trust you and
relate to the experiences you offer.
Better service - Make me feel special
Holidays are times to put yourself first, while business travellers
will want you to get things right quickly.
Put the customer at the centre of the experience - what's in it for them? Word your information thinking
about how you want your customers to feel, instead of listing your product's features or attributes.

Write about sustainability as pampering, as having something unique, about looking after your
customer. Find a way of showing that the business is looked after, to provide a "feel good factor".

It's both what you say and how you say it that matters

What will sell more?

Fresh, unadulterated, honest food that makes holidaying memorable,

or

Food miles and supporting the local economy?

Most customers will prefer the first option because they feel personally involved.

Here is another example about communicating the environmental effects of chlorine in pools. Make it
fun and show how the customer will benefit:

I LOVE YOUR SWIMSUIT because I am a sea-salt pool I don't


damage your clothes or irritate your eyes or skin, so you can
stay looking pool-side cool”
Case study Help tourists feel connected
“We use welcome cards to facilitate their visit.”
The Pavilion d’Orient, Siem Reap, Cambodia.

What we do: Our hotel aims to ensure that its guests visiting the area are equipped with information
to both improve their experience and ensure their stay has positive impacts on the local community.

How we tell: We place welcome cards in our guests’ bedrooms that offer overseas visitors some
useful phrases, cultural dos and don’ts and shopping tips that they can use throughout their stay.
These cards are wallet sized and aid the guest when interacting with both staff and members of the
local community.

The area of Siem Reap has been the victim of foreigners inadvertently
purchasing items of archaeological importance in the past, by asking
guests to shop responsibly the hotel aims to play its part in ending this
practice. By informing the guest of cultural considerations they may not
be aware of, these cards enhance the visitors’ experience and promote
interaction with the local community without instances of cultural
misunderstanding.

Our top tip: Remember that guests are on holiday! Do not lecture them
or guilt-them into adapting their behaviour – instead offer them advice
and tips that will add to their experience. If you treat guests like children,
it is likely they will rebel like teenagers and your message will be lost
Case study Heartwarming
“We connect visitors with the local community.”
Chris Gregson is Manager at The Fountaine Inn, a pub with five bedrooms in Linton, North Yorkshire, England.

What we do: We work with our local primary school in Threshfield to promote healthy food and contribute financially
to their pupils’ educational trips.

How we tell: We run two campaigns, that we communicate in our menu. Customers respond well to this - most of them
are impressed that there is such a remote and tiny school and they see that there’s a real connection with the place.

More recently we have started to work with the school on our ‘VEG INN’ project. Our pub buys fresh herbs and
vegetables for our menu that have been grown by the pupils, under the supervision of Uncle Roy. This also generates
funds for the school and helps the pupils to learn to grow vegetables.

First, ‘CHIP INN’ means that 25p of every portion of chips we sell goes to
Threshfield Primary School to contribute to their ‘Chips for Trips’ programme.
Last year we raised £1125 - and we tell this to our customers in our menu so
that they can see what a difference we make with their help. It makes them
feel part of the programme.

More recently we have started to work with the school on our ‘VEG INN’
project. Our pub buys fresh herbs and vegetables for our menu that have
been grown by the pupils, under the supervision of Uncle Roy. This also
generates funds for the school and helps the pupils to learn to grow
vegetables.

Our top tip: There is no substitute for a good product. But you can provide
a better service by giving customers something additional to feel good about.
Tradition - Share nostalgia
In leisure and tourism, nostalgia sells because it is comforting.

In times of crisis, people get nostalgic and value tradition. This is your opportunity to show you share their
worries about the future and explain the uniqueness of your business’s authenticity. Financial crises have
an impact on our views of the world and on our behaviours. This can lead to negative emotions such as
feeling depressed, or positive actions such as finding new ways of saving money.

But, for most people, one thing that tends to happen consistently in a crisis is a feeling of nostalgia and
valuing tradition. Sustainability plays an important role because of its core principle to preserve resources
for future generations.

Nostalgic tourists look for real experiences where nostalgia is not a reason to be sad, but rather, to
appreciate local history, tradition, and customs with people that care about preserving them.

“Nostalgia tourism – driven by consumers’ uncertainty about the future – will play a role in choosing
leisure and tourism activities due to its wider links to authenticity and meaning” (VisitEngland Dec 2013)

This nostalgia can be helpful when promoting ‘staycations’ and domestic holidays, and it can also attract
international tourists to mature destinations like England.

Directly or indirectly, use messages that will attract customers by showing that you share the same worries
and values as them. Make them feel your business values tradition and has something comforting to offer.
Case study Think customer first
“We sell indulgent, fun and relaxing which works better than back of house management actions.”
Crystal Creek Meadows is a small family run accommodation business in Kangaroo Valley two hours south of Sydney, Australia

What we do: We have won five nation environmental


and tourism awards, and hold four accreditations which
demonstrate our commitment to responsible tourism,
however our communication focuses on traveller benefits
rather than preach eco worthiness.

How we tell: Measure our carbon footprint every quarter.


Continuously seek to reduce energy consumption, harvest
rain water, have a solar farm and vegetable garden,
orchard fruit picking, reduce landfill through chickens
which eat food waste and provide fresh eggs, local food,
promote Aboriginal cultural heritage and local
recommended attractions, support community events.

Our top tip: Frame the results of environmentally friendly


decisions as: indulgent (homemade preserves, locally
baked cakes-bread, handmade aromatherapy treats for
the spa), fun (meet the chickens, garden walks, bicycle
trips and picnics) and relaxing (the peace and tranquillity
of the garden and the activities i.e. not haring around in a
car).
Case study There's no place like home
“Staycations mean trying new leisure activities.”
Judith Paris is the founder of Thrifty Couture, a social enterprise in London, England, that offers workshops on making
upcycled clothing and accessories, and natural beauty products.

What we do: We take unloved goods and natural ingredients and use them to teach
people how to create and make their own stylish products, while appreciating the
traditional and nostalgic past.

Nostalgic, ‘staycation’ holidays are on the rise and this means trying new leisure
activities in your local area. Our enterprise has become THE place for fashion-
conscious and green shoppers. Entertainment that costs less and gives you a finished,
useful product (as well as a skill) is very popular.

How we tell: We use direct informative messages that people can relate to with
nostalgic-style photos on our website and workshops to make them feel good about
reusing and saving as the fashion-conscious choice. Indirectly, we then talk about
current problems such as harmful chemicals inclothing and beauty products and
fashion waste, not only to raise awareness, but also to give practical solutions they can
try at home. In a world of uncertainty, with so many environmental problems, we show
people that we share their worries and give them the opportunity to do something
about it and to take control.

Our top tip: In a time of economic recession, customers respond well to comforting
messages that reassure them about spending less. Nostalgia achieves that- so
combine direct and indirect messages, use retro photos showing that saving and
reusing is now fashionable, and show the added value of your unique staycation
workshops.
Empathy - We think alike
We are people like you, we have the same values,
that's why you'll enjoy being here.
Globalisation means we are more likely to be treated like numbers, not people. This standardisation
isn’t good customer service, and businesses find that a more human touch is welcome.

Find opportunities to show a personal connection between your guest and you, the ‘personal’
host (not a bland corporate entity).

Say it in words and with a more informal tone. Use pictures to show the fun element of your place.
Write in the first person and include a photo of yourself as host on your website or brochure. Explain
about your surroundings and show that you care about it - this tells your customer that it matters - it’s
all part of the welcome.

Every time a customer books a holiday or business trip, or chooses a day out, there’s an element of
risk – what if I have made a mistake? Showing empathy reduces that perception of risk because you
communicate trust.

You can use sustainability messages to assure customers that you are a quality business. Display your
many awards and quality grading – but assure your customers that because you care about the
environment and society, you also care about your customers and how they will enjoy their time with
you.
Case study Be honest with your product
“We ensure customers understand what they will find on arrival.”
Viv and Robyn are the owners of Teniqua Treetops, South Africa. The business is a collection of 8 canvas tree-houses
surrounded by the indigenous forest of the Outeniqua mountain range.

What we do: We achieve over 50% occupancy and high Trip Advisor rankings without diluting our environmental ethos. The tree-houses
are sited to ensure seclusion whilst offering stunning views across the forest valley. Designed and operated with minimal impact to the
local environment in mind, they offer a rare opportunity of a stay within the forest canopy.

How we tell: ‘Cola-coloured’ water and the occasional spider and snakes in the grass has led to some unhappy guests, who had
expected a luxury retreat in the sense of a hygienic experience.

We understood that the site is not for everyone and added a page to our website called ‘Don’t come if…’ Here we openly and honestly
talk about the spiders, tannin-coloured water and snakes in the grass. We prefer people to understand what they will find, rather than to
have a nasty surprise on arrival.

Has this honesty put people off? Undoubtedly it has, but occupancy has been left unaffected! By telling it “as it is” Teniqua Treetops
attracts more guests who love its wildness and it improved our Tripadvisor ranking. Using empathy to sell has helped customers relate
more to us and what we do, we get this sense of bonding and belonging.

Our top tip: Be open, honest, up-front and consistent across all your Internet presence. You believe in and love what you do - other like-
minded people will too! Write with these people in mind. If your marketing over-promises and visits come up short of customer
expectations then expect poor ratings and negative chatter on the Internet.
Case study We belong together
“Here, sustainability makes visitors feel comfortable and inspired.”
Mark Woodward is the Owner of Green Directions in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.

What we do: We provide the perfect combination of comfort and working


facilities in our training, meeting venue and farm. We offer a real quality product
for people to experience sustainability and even learn environmental practices.
For example, our insulated systems in walls, floors and roofs to reduce heat
consumption, rainwater recycling system and composted vegetable waste.

How we tell: We target people with similar values and those simply looking for
different, creative, visionary environments. We talk about our practices and explain
what our venue offers – a stimulating, brighter and fresher place than their office,
but with home comforts.

When visitors come, we welcome them with a presentation about our


achievements and show them our creative facilities and green inspiring solutions,
which are not only good for the planet, but also for providing a warm,
comfortable environment for everybody to enjoy at work or home

Then, it’s all about visitors loving their stay, getting inspired and thinking out of
the box, while experiencing sustainability everywhere. From our cosy and warm
environment to savouring a meal made with our farm’s ingredients, from our
bright and uplifting rooms decorated with local wood to refreshments made from
our own drinking water.

Our top tip: For those customer groups with values similar to yours, emphasise
that sense of belonging that comes from showing that you understand what’s
important to them.
Where do I talk about sustainability?
Where do you integrate sustainability messages
to communicate quality?
Where do I talk about sustainability?
Where do you integrate sustainability messages to communicate quality?
Are all your sustainability efforts summarized under one “responsible tourism” tab? When you communicate
the sustainability of what you do, just like you when want to communicate its quality, you should
communicate it throughout.

You should not talk about sustainability in just one place. You need to integrate it as a reflection of your
quality across all the different channels that you use:

Certification and awards

Certification has helped you improve your management. Now use it for marketing

Online and offline press

You need to do something quirky and original to get in the press

Your website

Here's an opportunity to share more than a policy and a list of practices.

Social media

Get seen by new customers and remembered by old ones

Online distribution channels

Get others to do your selling


Certifications and awards
Certification has helped you to improve your management.
Now use it for marketing.
Companies get certified or apply for awards partly to gain a marketing advantage, in the expectation that being
certified lifts them above some of their competitors - and yet they report that customer awareness is low. How you use
your logos are key. It’s your role to know how and where to display them, and more importantly what they mean
and why you gained them.
Gaining awards gives customers an independent guarantee of your credentials. It helps with quality assurance and
credibility. Now you have the independent recognition of your sustainability performance, you should explain what you
do with confidence.
For business hotels, certification is now a requirement to tender. In the corporate travel market, certification is essential
in demonstrating compliance with buyer requirements, as both buyers and suppliers will find it less time consuming.
Increasingly Requests for Proposals (RfP) ask for evidence of independent third party certification, as well as asking
specific questions on environmental and social performance.
Do you communicate your sustainability logos, and more importantly communicate with pride what you did to achieve
them? Here are some places where customers would expect you to communicate your sustainability credentials:
✓ in your tendering process
✓ in your reception/entrance
✓ in your bedroom pack (if accommodation)
✓ on your website
✓ on promotional leaflets and printed literature
✓ in your public relations work
✓ in adverts
Case study Videos persuade more
“Through our communication, customers relate to our ethos.”
Grupo Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, aims to create a community that respects the natural resources of Punta Cana
while supporting local people.

What we do: In 2009 they won the Destination Stewardship Award by the World Travel & Tourism Council for providing
the local community with jobs, education and health, as well as conserving natural resources and protecting the
environment.

How we tell: They involve people in sustainable actions. The video provides an accurate explanation of how to act
sustainably. The resort teaches staff and the community to separate and recycle waste through their “use your hands to
bring about change” method. The video’s explanation is interactive and educational. The information provided is not only
for their customers, it is for the whole community and fits well with their aim of sharing their sustainable commitment and
spreading the message to everyone.

Our top tip: Share your sustainability knowledge! Not only with the potential or current customers in your hotel. You can
contribute your knowledge and experience to create more sustainable behaviour on a daily basis, thereby creating
benefits for society as a whole. It is more likely to make guests act more sustainable in your hotel if they start before they
stay.
Case study Certification helps sell
“All our hotels are certified to reassure blue chip buyers.”
Sean Twohig is Risk Safety & Environment Manager at Jury’s Inns Group Ltd., England

What we do: Much of our business comes from companies that require evidence of sustainability certification and
individual practices such as our carbon emissions and fair trade purchasing, as part of their RfP. So we have integrated
our environmental management system with the requirements from our marketing department to respond to these.

How we tell: Over the years we have developed a set of answers to the typical RfP questions that need to be answered
every year, for every company. So these are now integrated into our own management systems. All our 25 hotels in
England are Green Tourism Business Scheme certified, and this gives the base to be able to gather the data that these
blue chip companies demand. Certification helps us focus on the management of our data, to gather information
systematically, but also in our communications to potential clients.

Certification helps because many of the RfP questions focus on our monitoring, transparency and reporting. We believe
that certification gives us an edge on these RfP, although we don’t get to find out the relative importance it has to the
final purchasing decision.

Our top tip: Use certification to reassure your business market buyers that the data you provide in RfP is audited, and to
systematically gather internal data.
Online and offline press
You need to do something quirky and unheard of to get in the press.

The travel sections of newspapers and travel bloggers need fresh, quirky stories to inspire their
readers. Newspapers will cover a broader range of issues, while bloggers tend to specialise in types
of holidays, particularly specific destinations or lifestyle interests for a specific type of customer. They
both rely on the credibility of their content - readers do not like to feel that they are being fed an
advertorial. But blogging has a more personal voice than print journalism - followers need to relate to
the blogger’s experiences and trust their judgement.

Travel editors and bloggers get bombarded with very similar mailings from companies claiming to be
sustainable. Their question: “What makes you different, in a way that my customers will want to
read about you?”

Press coverage you’ve achieved should not be lost - make links to it from your website, say in your
mailings that you have been highlighted, use quotes from the write up to show your positive side.
Even if it is old, there’s a value to it. Add a tab to your website called “our recognition” where you
gather the certifications, awards and press coverage - put the new one on top, and keep all the
previous coverage lower down. All of it reinforces the fact that you are a company that can be
trusted.

VisitEngland research says 21% of customers have taken a holiday or break recommended in a
newspaper or magazine.
Case study New, quirky, inspiring
“I write human stories my followers can relate to.”
Kathryn Burrington, blogger at travelwithkat.com

What we do: I write for the 40+ year old, affluent market. I respond
positively to offers to blog about locations and businesses that have an
edge. It is difficult to explain what this is, as it varies from place to place.

How we tell: I write stories that are new - I was one of the first bloggers to
write about privately-run food tours of the East End, where you learn about
the culture and history as well as tasting some fabulous food - but if a lot of
other bloggers had already written about it, I would not have been so keen
to cover it. Food stories about local produce and solo travel work
particularly well for my audience - other bloggers will find adrenaline
stories are their thing -each blogger has their own specialist area. In
general my most successful stories talk about making connections with the
people you come across in your travels and getting to see the real,
authentic side of the places you visit. I really like to share the stories of
small business start-ups, where I can show the owners for who they are. My
blog ‘The Secret Cottage Tour’ of the Cotswolds is a good example of
what I think the mainstream market is ready to enjoy as sustainable tourism
products. You guessed it, I’m unlikely to talk about your sustainability
policy or water saving devices, unless you’ve found a way of making them
fun. A compost toilet while glamping was unusual once.

Our top tip: It's called news for a reason: tourists love to be able to do
something unheard of and unusual, but also within their reach.
Your website
Here's an opportunity to share more than a policy and a list of practices.

Having a sustainability page that only shows a list of sustainable practices is a missed opportunity. What
you do is far more interesting than that!

Businesses typically have all their achievements on a single page, with an uninspired title like “sustainability”
or “environment”. Mostly these are dull lists of water, waste, and energy actions, written in management
speak – this is fine for the environmental auditor.

But customers are hardly going to pick up the phone because they’ve read that you “minimise waste by
evaluating operations and ensuring they are fit for purpose”.

By all means upload your policy and list your achievements somewhere, but in general you won’t get many
customers visiting it. There are of course exceptions, but you need to get more creative.

Apply instead the same principles of how you currently communicate quality in your website, and think which
aspects of sustainability your customers will value, and how you can put them across throughout the website
to reinforce your quality message.

Your messages should start with the customer benefit, and finish with the reason. You can describe:

✓ a quieter and warmer bedroom (because it is better insulated and uses biomass fuelled heating)

✓ a tastier menu (because of carefully selected, locally sourced and organic ingredients)

✓ a more personally and uniquely designed hotel (decorated with local crafts and giving a sense of place)
Case study If you have it, flaunt it
Soria Moria, Cambodia, is a boutique hotel, created by a young Norwegian couple in 2007

What we do: They contribute positively to the local economy in many ways, standing out for being the first employee-
owned hotel in Cambodia. In 2012 they were finalists of the Tourism for Tomorrow Award and winner of the Virgin
Responsible Tourism Award in the category “Best accommodation for local communities”.

How we tell: They support their claims with evidence. They display the logos for the awards gained, clearly and easy to
read, on their homepage. The logos are clickable so they can be seen in a bigger format, and some of them are linked
to the awards website. They wrote a brief note for each accolade explaining why they gained it, providing information
for those who don’t know anything about the awards. By doing this they have made their practices more reliable and
trustworthy.

Our top tip: Show your logos on your homepage. Link the logo with the award’s official page. Many hotels list the
names of the awards gained, but miss an opportunity to inform guests by not having an explanation of what they mean.
Case study Forget the bed. Things to do matter the most
David and Felicity Brown are the owners of Hoe Grange Holidays, Staffordshire Peak District, England

What we do: While our overall slogan is environmentally sensitive self-catering


holidays, we have divided our website according to the needs of different
markets.

How we tell: We tell people what to do that is fun, according to their needs.
Our website is more effective by quickly directing people to what’s there
specifically for them. Families want to know about things to do, so we
communicate about footpaths for circular walks, wholesome food, quirky places
to visit, contributing to feed the animals, family days out and rainy days out.

The accessible market demands evidence of just how accessible we are. So we


put emphasis on comfort for everyone for those with limited mobility, hearing
loss or partial sight, such as being able to bring your own guide dogs, the
ratings for accessibility and equipment available. We then give peace of mind
with our accessibility awards, before moving on to what all this security allows
you to do with your time such as using our amazing Boma 7 off-road wheelchair.

We have done the same for bring your own horse and pet friendly holidays.
After spending time understanding what those visitors enjoy doing, we have
made sure we provide the facilities these animals need, and then found out all
the fun things they can do nearby with their favourite four-legged friends.

Our top tip: Instead of showing pictures of empty rooms on your website, tell
your customers what they can do while staying with you.
Social media
Get seen by new customers and remembered by old ones.

Social media gives you endless possibilities, but you need to know where to spend your time. The
choices are eye watering: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest… each has a different
purpose, and maintaining them all could be a full time job. So be selective.

The good news is, most social media sites are free, and your local tourism partnership is likely to run,
or know about, training available in your area. If you have something interesting to say and you are
internet savvy, you will develop a group of followers.

Social media are channels - sustainability is the content. Conservation and community messages
provide you with content to share with customers. Talk about forthcoming events, not something in
the past - otherwise you simply tell customers what they missed. You will need to use last year’s
photos to announce what’s coming this time around.

Messages must be short and light-hearted. You need positive messages that customers feel
compelled to like or share - moralising messages get ignored. Funny messages work best, as well
as those your target market identifies with.

Give customers incentives to follow you on Facebook or upload their own photos about your
property - whether there is free wifi, a free coffee or entering into a prize draw for example.
Case study Sell it as 'fresh, simple, pure' food
“We blog our farm to table and sea to table news.”
Head chef Thomas Tennant and his team at The Genuine Kitchen, Cayman Islands, are recognised as playing a playing
a prominent role in supporting the local economy by featuring ingredients from local.

What we do: In partnership with the government,


local entrepreneurs, farmers and fishermen Michael's
Genuine Kitchen is engaged in activities that are not
only focused on enhancing the customer culinary
experience but also make a difference to the
community and environment. The restaurant is a
member of Cayman Sea Sense, monthly Farm-To-
Table Dinners with Slow Food Grand Cayman and
work actively with local divers who hunt the invasive
lionfish species by creating dishes on the menu.

How we tell: ‘Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink show,


share and engage, not just tell, people about what
they do through their website blog - http://
thegenuinekitchen.com/ which is linked to Instagram,
Twitter and Facebook. The company uses their blog
to share event and staff news; and show videos and
pictures of the food journey from ‘farm to table’ or
‘sea to table’.
Case study Sell it as 'fresh, simple, pure' food

The blog is search optimised through the use of keywords and links to multiple social media based movements
such as Slow Food International whose Facebook has over 52k followers. This makes the information on the site
‘spreadable’ enabling the stories and videos to go viral and be stumbled on by potential customers on shared
interests sites.

Through the blog Michael’s Genuine brings the restaurant experience to life by linking sustainable causes to the
pursuit of quality in an experiential way without ramming it down customers’ throats.

Our top tip: If you support a particular cause and are walking your talk - take a picture, film it, blog it, link it to
other shared interest sites and make it shareable and searchable. Your customers want to hear about you and if
they had a great experience with you they will share the experience with others.

A blog is an effective search optimisation tool when used correctly. Make sure you include links to sites that
mention your business and reinforce your brand values. There is value in helping people make good choices by
educating them and helping them to share that education with others.
Case study Keep expanding the market
“We use social media to keep in touch and attract followers and customers.”
Kayleigh Baddeley-Read is owner of Deerly Beloved Bakery in Norwich, Norfolk, England, a vegan bakery specialising
in cakes and pastries farmers, fishermen, and other local producers.

What we do: We adore baking and experimenting to make delicious, cruelty-free, vegan treats. We only use real,
wholesome fair-trade and 100% vegan ingredients.

How we tell: We love to share with people through social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and our blog.
Besides posting a photo of our wholemeal cake just baked, we also share photos and comments of when we join
local events and show proudly our products, talk to people face-to-face about how vegan wholefoods taste good,
while supporting healthy lifestyles. This makes people who just met us, either at events or social media followers,
get excited and try new recipes.
We also share photos of our press coverage such as when The
Norwich Resident magazine wrote an article about us and we
showed it on our blog with a comment inviting locals and
tourists to come, see and feel for themselves the benefits of
eating healthy.

We also post practical videos to show recipes with seasonal


ingredients, so people can eat healthier, get creative and bake
from home.

Our top tip: Social media can be intimidating at first, but think
about it as a dynamic tool that is there for you. Use it to
increase your market to attract, share and have fun keeping in
touch with followers who might become customers and
customers who might become followers!
Online distribution channels
Get others to do your selling.
Direct selling may seem more profitable if you have a high turnover, but paying a commission for someone else to do
your selling can have its advantages.

The internet has allowed a new breed of distribution channels. Mainstream online travel agents such as Expedia and
Booking.com are showing more interest in differentiating the unique characteristics of accommodation and the carbon impacts
of travel, but, so far, we have not seen that showing your sustainability credentials impacts on your sales. For these large
agencies, the number of currently certified products is too small to make any difference, and certification isn’t a differentiating
factor.

Online booking now account for 47% of total travel bookings worldwide, and much of the rest is business travel handled by
specialist corporate-travel agents.

TripAdvisor has developed GreenLeaders, a programme that aims to help travellers plan greener trips by highlighting
accommodation businesses that engage in environmentally friendly practices. Each award is shown prominently on the
property’s listing on TripAdvisor. Travellers are prompted to comment online on the green practices they experience during
their stay. The number of properties is growing, but the impact this has on customer ratings or bookings is currently unknown.

Be prepared, as the trend for online and mobile bookings will continue to grow. First time sales will be online, so you then
need to get their data and provide reasons to remain loyal to you, without invading their privacy or spamming.

Because the bigger online travel agents can sign up more hotels and negotiate bigger discounts, the small specialists need to
find more customised products. Specialising in more sustainable products is an option, currently cornered by two suppliers,
responsibletravel.com and greentraveller.co.uk. Both emphasise the unique products and experiences rather than the fact of
being certified.
Case study Facilitate bookings
“We make it easier to travel sustainably.”
Lonneke de Kort is Manager at Bookdifferent, a non-profit organisation running an online booking system for
accommodation

What we do: We are a booking engine that helps all customers choose hotels based on sustainability information, from
more than 600,000 hotels available. Our philosophy is that the more often you choose green accommodation, the more
incentive other hotels have to go green too. Our site has great customer loyalty and excellent media reviews.

How we tell: When you search for a hotel, you come up with three bits of information that should help you make an
informed booking:

For every destination, the booking engine first shows you the environmentally - certified hotels. The portal uses data
from certification schemes to highlight first in the search engine the more environmentally-friendly accommodation in
each destination (over 650 in the UK, nearly 6,000 across the world, from the 600,000 in the database).

All hotels have a carbon footprint value, independently assessed


based on comparative data.

Bookdifferent has the past customer comments and lowest price


guarantee that come by being powered by booking.com. In
addition, Bookdifferent gives a large proportion of its’ profits to
charity - which charity is entirely up to the customer (from the 100
chosen so far). This increases the customer’s feel good factor about
travelling, without adding to their price.

Our top tip: Find ways for your customers to have fun while helping
out at the same. Don’t overcomplicate the message - less is more.
When do I talk about sustainability?
What to talk about at different points in the journey?
When do I talk about sustainability?
When do you talk about sustainability to your guests? What message do you send at
different points in the customer journey?

Marketing is not something you do only to attract first-time customers


through your website. You market your company all the time.

Your customers need different information before they book, after


booking, or upon arrival. You have to customise the messages you deliver
at different points in time. Good marketing helps customers make
informed decisions.
Prior to booking/purchase
Tell customers why they should buy from you
Between booking and arriving
Tell your customers how to prepare for their visit
On arrival
No second chance to make a first impression
During the stay/visit
This is your best chance to create loyal customers
After the stay/visit
Stay in touch with your customers
Prior to booking/purchase
Tell customers why they should buy from you.

Often we think marketing is all about this moment, communicating pre-purchase to first time consumers.

Browsing for options is time consuming and customers take decisions quickly, reading less information. So
you have little time to explain why your product is better value, better quality, or simply a more appealing
proposition, because of the sustainability work you do.

As a business manager, you can use sustainability for two reasons:

To create an impression. Branding uses images, text and other cues to create an impression that yours is the
kind of business the client identifies with. This is all about creating feelings amongst your customers.
Sustainability in its broader sense can help say that you are one of the good guys, that you can deliver on
your promises. But that in itself doesn’t pay the bills, so…

To help customers take decisions. Provide an incentive to your customers to buy now. Think specifically
about what are the different attributes that make your customers choose between you or someone else. What
are the needs they are trying to satisfy at this point, and how does a more sustainable product meet these
needs?

For example, hotel chains are going beyond saying they have a corporate social responsibility policy and
certified management system. They now calculate the environmental cost of your overnight stay or business
meetings, to promote themselves as lower carbon than competitors. But then these hotels also need to tell
customers how to get there with low CO2 and importantly what to do there without needing a car.
Case study We tempt you with the bird watching,
then make you do all the other
“Get them through the door… you can tell them much more!”
John and Marje Rickerby, at the self-catering Rose Cottage Dutlas, Powys, Wales, constantly remind customers to be
sustainable during their stay

What we do: Our effort to encourage wildlife, birds in particular, is the only
sustainability message praised by our customers in TripAdvisor reviews. Our
sun room is our main attraction, you can see multitude of birds, and often
otters.

We have chosen however to go much further in the cottage once customers


arrive, although we understand not all of them will feel comfortable with it.
It’s a personal choice that we realise would not necessarily attract customers,
but we think doesn’t put them off from coming back.

How we tell: We make it pretty impossible for our customers not to recycle-
with 7 waste sorting bins and signs telling them that unsorted waste goes to
landfill.

An energy meter that tells them their consumption, and the heating settings
and notices encourage being thrifty. In the bathroom we tell them to save
water, in the sun room we have environmental magazines and videos.

Our top tip: Find a way of combining the more marketable aspects of
sustainability, communicated upfront, with any other messages you
personally feel you need to share, which you might want to drip feed during
the stay.
Case study A little taste before your most important day
“Our wedding fair is the perfect venue to meet local artists and plan your dream wedding.”
Celia Gaze is the Managing Director of The Wellbeing Farm in Bolton, Lancashire, England

What we do: We run a multi award-winning farm-based hospitality venue. We focus on rustic barn weddings,
corporate events, a cookery school powered by a wind turbine, llama trekking and we serve vintage-themed
afternoon teas at weekends. We are also a working hill farm and we have incorporated recycling, food waste
reduction, composting and energy saving into everything we do.

How we tell: On site, we communicate our sustainable practices to the public through signage and noticeboards
throughout the farm. When people book onto cookery courses, we talk to them about the provenance of food and
animal welfare just as much as how to cook delicious, rustic, artisan style food. And for a more personal real taste
beforehand, we host free wedding fairs.

These offer a networking opportunity where potential customers can


support the local economy and find everything they need – from
dressmakers to musicians, from set designers to hair stylists. We offer them
a place where they can see for themselves what authentic Lancashire
weddings are all about.

Our top tip: ell customers beforehand why your business is special. Offer
them a real taste experience where they can get engaged, see for
themselves and choose.

But for our weddings, messages and pictures on our website and social
media emphasise our unique venue as the ‘perfect country-chic’ – using
straw bales as seating – to “let your imagination run wild”.
Between booking and arriving
Tell your customers how to prepare for their visit.

Customers need to know what to bring with them and what to expect. Knowing at this stage what is
acceptable behaviour will really help - whether this is information on the dress code, or how to respect other
users that will be there. This is the time to do something to make travel to you, and while staying with you,
more environmentally-friendly.

For example, provide information on public transport (timetables and destinations), local travel information
websites or phone services, a list of car-free things to do nearby and explain how you will help your visitors to
find any public transport information they need during their stay.

If you want to encourage your customers to come by public transport, give them an incentive to leave their
car at home. We have seen entry discounts to tourist attractions and hotel rooms, free coffee and cake on
arrival or bike hire.

But what’s actually more important is to give them a list of things to do without a car when they are with you!
Encourage customers to book activities now, particularly where there is limited capacity, such as theatres,
concerts and certain restaurants. Tell them what to bring themselves, and what they will find in your business,
from walking books and poles to reading material. All of this adds to a sense of customer care.

Equally if you can source local goods and pre-cooked homemade meals for their stay, this is the time to
encourage pre-booking - particularly beneficial for self-catering properties in rural locations, but not done
often enough.
Case study Green travel incentives
The Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth, Wales

What we do: We are a visitor and educational centre for locals and tourists
alike. We reward visitors who arrive car free with 50% off our standard entry fee if
they travel by train, and £1 off if they arrive by bus, bike or on foot.

How we tell: Because of our rural location our visitors often don’t think beyond
jumping in the car to get here. We make it easy for them to make alternative
choices by presenting our green travel scheme and incentives online. We
provide detailed information on travelling by train, bus, bike and foot, include
photos of what you can see on the way here if you cycle or walk, and what you
can do in the local town while waiting for a bus. We recognise car free travel is
not an option for some people, so we also promote www.liftshare.com which
offers a cost saving incentive.

Using incentives has really worked for us with more visitors now travelling by a
greener alternative. Over 6% of visitors now arrive car free and over 70% of
students use liftshare for courses. It also has a positive impact on our image as
visitors feel we care.

Our top tip: With many tourism businesses in rural locations in Wales, visitors
often don’t consider an alternative to the car, it's too hard. By providing detailed
information on your website and offering incentives it makes it easier for them to
make alternative choices and saves them money - all customers love a bargain!
Case study Know your customers
“We impress customers by exceeding their expectations.”
Kay and Chris Dartnell are the Owners of Wheely Wonderful Cycling in Ludlow, Shropshire, England

What we do: We offer tailored cycling tours to fit customers with different interests.
Our themed tours use local or historic places to stay (40% of them are members of
green organisations and ALL of them serve local food), local restaurants and craft shops
and visit a range of tourist attractions. We emphasise the sense of place, authenticity
and quality aspects of our tours.

How we tell: We create a rapport with our customers beyond selling them a service.
Our tours are customised by involving the customer in the decisions – where to stay and
eat, and what to see by cycling or walking.

Later, customers only need to follow our instructions to find us, in which we include how
to arrive to the departure point by public transport. We also keep them posted about
weather changes or local events they might want to see.

Thanks to the information we provide while booking and the options customers choose,
we already know what they expect on arrival. This is evident when we welcome them
with tailored maps, with for example, the places they chose and similar attractions.

And for the more curious, we include paths that only locals know – for example a
historic route used to move sheep mapped out by pine trees that can only be noticed
by air.

Our top tip: After booking, keep your customers posted and use the information you
have of them to exceed their expectations on arrival. You will increase their loyalty and
gain repeat bookings and word of mouth recommendations.
On arrival
No second chance to make a first impression.

This is the acid test moment - will your customer really think all that talk was just greenwashing? Recovering
from a bad first impression will be hard. The look or feel of your business, from accommodation providers
and attractions, to conference venues and restaurants, sends a message about whether you really care
about sustainability.

Your building communicates much more than any words, so look for cues as to what might send confusing
messages:
- Will your entrance send the message of wasteful lighting and heat pumped out of the front door?
- At reception, do you promote hiring 4X4s or bicycles?
- Is there a patio heater, when you make claims to reduce carbon emissions?
- Is the bedroom air conditioning set at 18 degrees or the heating at 24?

In businesses where customers will not talk to the staff that much, it is the building that communicates on your
behalf. The amount of text and location of these communications needs to help the customer guide themselves
through the building. If they are walking, messages have to be extremely short. If they will encounter the
message sitting down, you can tell them more. If you have international clients, consider the complexity of the
words you use and try to be more pictorial.

Smaller businesses, like self-catering properties, get to talk to customers one to one, and it’s on arrival they get
a chance to share their values while showing guests to their accommodation and explaining how different
aspects work such as the utilities and heating.
Case study First impressions matter
“Our efforts welcome customers.”
Mark Agnew is the Manager of Gylly Beach Café in Falmouth, Cornwall, England

What we do: We run a family business that offers locally sourced food, promotes green local activities and all staff members follow
the 3 Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle). We also use local wood and plants, and warm energysaving light bulbs to offer a cosy, welcoming
environment. We share our sustainability practices and local activities on our website and social media, but we know that when
customers arrive, it’s the food and the visit experience that matter.

How we tell: Our communication on site is all about having a quality experience. As soon as customers arrive, they can feel this.

From our warm decoration to our passionate team service, from suggesting local activities that make Cornwall special, to fresh, tasty
food. Our blackboard is full of local information and our menu introduces our organic and seasonal ingredients to make it clear we
care about our products and suppliers.

We also use humour in “Time & tide waits for no man. Good food takes a little longer”. This is used to reinforce the message of quality
through slow food and patience. We make their waiting time a reason to enjoy food even more, while relaxing in our atmosphere with
our dedicated service.

Our top tip: Offer a welcoming environment where your sustainability helps to create a unique first impression, for example, your cosy
atmosphere with local wood and plants. Also, provide subtle messages where sustainability means quality. For example, locally
sourced food tastes better, is healthier.
During the stay/visit
This is your best chance to make loyal customers.

Decide how much you want your communication to affect the customer experience, or whether it is just in the
background, depending on the kind of business you are.

Some five star hotels are reducing all information displayed to ensure the perception of quality is not affected, while
other businesses opt to provide short messages throughout (for example, providing notes in the shower about
reduced water consumption or by the bedroom door explaining about not leaving the lights on to reduce electricity
consumption.

For accommodation providers, the bedroom browser is the best place for all the background and more technical
information - the type that wouldn’t bring your customers through the door, but helps reinforce the range of things
you do. The committed few that read it are likely to appreciate it.

For your bedroom browser, you could have two lists:

“These are the things you can see” - stroll through the vegetable garden, taste our filtered water that saves on glass
transport and waste, our clever lights come on automatically when needed

“These are the things you can’t” - with your help we raised £500 for our local wildlife club, we have saved enough
oil/gas/electricity to do x, we have saved enough water to do y, the carbon emissions we reduced would be able to
run z…

Upgrade your towel reuse message to show that this is now normal.
Case study It's the retreat, not the sustainability policy
that attracts customers
“We promote rejuvenation and experience as the objective, and show sustainability as the
means”
John Blythe and Annette Main of The Flying Fox retreat and activity centre in Whanganui, New Zealand

What we do: We welcome you to our family home, an organic orchard and three
guest cottages, surrounded by native bush and a national park, offering the
opportunity to reconnect with nature and enjoy a range of outdoor activities on
and along the Whanganui river.

How we tell: Although we make no secret of its social and environmental


conscience and practices, the emphasis in our communications with potential
guests places the focus on relaxation, an unspoilt environment, fun activities and
creature comforts. We provide explicit reassurance to potential visitors on our
website that they will not be ‘roughing it’ or forced to go without communication
unless they wish to:

Once visitors are on site, we give a tour of the grounds and facilities, pointing out
all of the locally sourced reclaimed and reused materials, the low impact heating,
water and electricity solutions, the reminders not to pollute the water system with
detergents or chemicals and the orchard from which local grown and home-made
food and drink can be purchased in the on-site store. Seeing the benefits of these
practices first hand makes even the less green-minded guests more likely to
appreciate the efforts made and to contribute to their upkeep.

Our top tip: Don’t deter potential customers by talking about solar panels or
grey water systems on your main home page. Emphasise the unique and unspoilt
nature of the place and provide reassurance that their holiday needs and wishes
will be met. You can show off the compost heap once they are on site!
After the stay/visit
Stay in touch with your customers

Seasonal and event-related sustainability messages about your business and surroundings provide a
purpose to remind customers about your business, and encourage repeat bookings.

Sustainability-related messages help you make human connections that build on trust and a sense of
belonging:

✓ If you told your customers that the money saved from reusing towels goes to planting trees, tell them
how much you have fundraised so far.

✓ If your customers saw you put up bird boxes or bird feeders, tell them how many are occupied, or which
birds you can now see in the garden.

✓ If you provided scholarships to study for local children, tell them how well they are doing.

A large family hotel chain publishes a yearly newsletter that amongst other things provides an update of
births, marriages, retirements and deaths amongst their personnel. It’s one more way to communicate that
their staff are employed for the long run and to encourage customer loyalty that for them, really works.

Have a monthly dish where all ingredients come from a different farm, and invite the farmer to eat at your
business the first Saturday of the month - make an event of this to create a local connection and a reason
to remind customers to keep coming back
Case study
Spirit of the land
“We use images to remind you of us and think of nature conservation.”
Orange County Luxury Resorts is a family owned accommodation business since 1921 in the South Indian state of
Karnataka

What we do: Inspired by the spirit of the lands of Coorg and Kabini in Southern India, we endeavour to ensure
a life-time experience by ‘providing exquisite holiday experiences while respecting and preserving the purity of
nature and culture of the land’. We were rewarded by the ‘Pure Awards 2013’ for the most original online
marketing campaign named ‘Lifescapes’. Pure awards’ honours high-end experiential travel experiences whose
participation is by invitation only.

How we tell: Each month we email our 70,000 subscribers an outstanding picture together with a beautiful story
about our destination. These illustrated photo-essays show impressively how these outstanding pictures with a
compelling story are being featured on the website as well as in the newsletter. These photo-stories take you
beyond imagination to a time where wildness, silence and harmony still have a place to be.
Case study
Spirit of the land
This is meant to encourage them to take part in the unique everyday life of Orange County, and provide a meaningful
reminder of our place. The concept behind Lifescapes is to put forward the idea of ‘conservation through a
meaningful conversation’ with our guests and these photo-essays give us that perfect opportunity.

But this is not about selling you special offers or sounding desperate for business, it is about sharing a passion for the
landscape: our campaign is meant to become another superb journey after visiting us. People like the photos and do
not unsubscribe from the mailing list because a beautiful photo of nature does not offend. But at the same time this
type of communication is commercially successful, as immediately after the mailout we get four or five enquiries.

Our top tip: Your newsletters should not be spam, they need to have meaningful content. Sustainability helps you
with that, then you need to think how to be creative and innovative with how you present it. Create an emotional
message that touches the customer’s heart and mind. Make your company be memorable. You will soon realize that
you generate more bookings in return.
Need help with sustainability communications?
Visit our website www.travindy.com/consulting
or drop an email to anula@travindy.com!

Travindy is a consulting and communications agency offering a range of services to companies and organisations
working towards sustainable tourism. These include workshops, copywriting and strategic marketing development.
Travindy's online news magazine and weekly newsletter provide the world's most complete and independent sources of
information on what is happening sustainable tourism.
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Who we’ve worked with

The Essential Guide to Marketing & Communicating Sustainable Tourism


Written by: Xavier Font | Edited by: Anula Galewska, Jeremy Smith | Travindy | www.travindy.com | March 2017

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