Goodness Still Sells: The Media’s Role in Re-Branding Ecotourism

G d Goodness Still S Sells ll

The Media’s Role in Rebranding Ecotourism

By Frances Figart The International Ecotourism Society Society’ss Global Ecotourism Conference 2007 May 14-16, Oslo, Norway

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The magazine for enlightened g explorers p

Providing communications solutions for sustainable travel professionals

Interview source categories • Industry association leaders • Tourism educators and academicians • Journalists and travel media • Ecotourism, nature-based and adventure tour operators • Ecotourism marketing and business strategists

Ecoto rism definition Ecotourism definition: “Responsible R ibl travell to naturall areas that h conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.”

– TIES

Is ecotourism a brand?

Tourism educators and academicians said: Yes, but poorly defined, Yes defined often misused term term. Too often confused with nature-based, cultural tourism, geotourism, sustainable development, pro-poor tourism.

No, but is a mass marketing term to describe outdoor and natural resources tourism and has loyalty and commitment from both consumers and professionals professionals.

“Ecotourism is becoming more of a benchmark than a brand influencing the development of other tourism forms in the direction of being more responsible.” – JUAN LUNA-KELSER, GWU

Journalists and travel media said: Yes, it conjures up certain associations for consumers (though the specifics vary widely) and implies a set of values that allow consumers to make assumptions about the related product.

No, it’s more a philosophy, or movement, like volunteerism. Seen as term that waxes and wanes in popularity around the world world.

“‘Ecotourism’ means something different in each country.”

– RON MADER,, PLANETA

Ecotourism, E t i nature-based t b d and d adventure d t tour operators said: Yes, it is an effective brand when applied to specific travel services and products like a hotel, nature park, or a highly defined tour company.

No, undefined term in the sense that there is not one universally agreed-upon definition and it’s full of misconceptions and misuse.

“Overall, ecotourism has become a less effective brand as it has also become a general marketing term that is used in sales and education with a wide range of understanding throughout the world that is not tied to definitive services or products ” products.

– KURT KUTAY, WILDLAND ADVENTURES

Industry association leaders said: No: “It concerns me that if the term is commercialized as a

‘brand’ it will lose its true meaning – that it is actually a set of principles and practices that, when applied by tourism p ((that have their own brands), ), transform tourism companies into a catalyst for protecting nature and sustaining the well being of local peoples.”

– COSTAS CHRIST, ADVENTURE COUNCIL, TIES FOUNDING MEMBER

Yes: “Certainly Certainly, the brand gurus Trout and Reiss Reiss, Marty Neumeier and others would say ‘yes,’ to the extent that consumers are processing information and making purchase decisions on the basis of the designation designation.” – DAVID SOLLITT SOLLITT, TIES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Ecotourism marketing and business strategists t t i t said: id No, o, it iss a type ype o or ca category ego y o of travel, a e , (a la a ad adventure e u e tourism, ou s , nature-based travel) therefore not a brand unless coupled with a specific destination or company.

Yes, in the sense that a brand image is the perception held of something by someone else.

“A company or movement may seek to achieve a brand image or positioning in the minds of its target audiences. To do this, it must understand the beliefs and attitudes of the audiences, as they are the basis for the audience’s perceptions.”

– KIM WHYTOCK, KIM WHYTOCK & ASSOCIATES

What is a brand?

A network of associations representing the sum of all experiences between an individual and a product or concept.

Should be deliberate result of strategic considerations on the part of a group of professionals about a product or concept’s value. al e SOURCE: YPB&R

Three entities involved in how ecotourism is positioned as a brand image

• Ecotourism – the product or concept being projected • Ecotourism community – the entity that strategically positions the product or projects the image • Ecotourism consumer – the target audience and receiver i of that projected image

Ideal Ecotourism Community

Ecotourism Consumer

Reality Ecotourism Community

Travel Media

Ecotourism Consumer

Four entities involved in how ecotourism is positioned as a brand image

• Ecotourism – the product or concept being projected • Ecotourism community – the entity that strategically positions the product or projects the image • Travel media – the medium or vehicle through which the image is projected – the projector • Ecotourism consumer – the target audience and receiver of that projected image

Remember: “A company or movement may seek to achieve a brand image or p positioning g in the minds of its target g audiences. To do this,, it must understand the beliefs and attitudes of the audiences, as they are the basis for the audience audience’s s perceptions perceptions.”

– KIM WHYTOCK, KIM WHYTOCK & ASSOCIATES

So before we project an image (via the media) we must first define our audience.

Who is the ecotourism consumer?

They have been called “cultural creatives,” “awakening awakening consumers” consumers and “metrospirituals.” metrospirituals.

When they travel, they are “enlightened explorers.”

There are 49 million U.S. consumers who are using their value judgments and ethical beliefs to make purchasing decisions decisions.

Green Team USA has identified them as “awakening consumers,� and they are changing the face of the travel industry.

Awakening consumers are the driving force behind ecotourism, responsible tourism, sustainable tourism, nature-based tourism and several other rapidly growing growing, “enlightened” travel categories.

“Responsibility and authenticity go hand in hand hand, and as we as a society become more disconnected from nature and quality q y of experience, p ,p people p crave that authenticity more than ever before. The media is picking up on this.”

– PETER KRAHENBUHL, SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL INTERNATIONAL

Who are these new consumers and where h are they th coming i from? f ?

“Marketers attribute the growth to a group they call ‘metrospirituals’ – hybrid-driving, yoga-practicing, baby- and echo-boomers for whom social responsibility and seeking out new adventures are a way of life life.””

–“EASY BEING GREEN” BY HEIDI S. MITCHELL, “THE NEW YORK TIMES STYLE MAGAZINE” FALL 2006.

Enlightened explorers are usually also: l • Organics: 68 million Americans buy organic products

• Enviros: 103 million Americans say they are environmentally conscious

• Politicos: 87 million Americans are active in p politics and their community y

The intersection of these is the awakening consumer consumer, comprising 23% of the U.S. population. – GREEN TEAM USA

What does this awakening consumer or “enlightened explorer� look like?

They y are united by y a shared set of values.

They may be any age, race, sex or occupation.

Female 53% Male 47% Median age - 42.3 Median household income - $59.3K Median home value - $249

Awakening g consumers or enlightened g explorers are more likely to: • • • • •

Spend $5,000+ on a vacation Own a passport Travel more abroad Combine foreign g business and p personal travel Plan travel online

Enlightened explorer values: Curiosity Adventure Wellness Sustainability

Curiosity Visit museums Learn about art art, culture culture, history Attend live theater or dance Enroll in adult education Buy cookbooks

Adventure Canoeing/kayaking S b di Scuba diving i Snowboarding B k Backpacking ki Bird watching

Wellness Jogging/running Takes yoga classes Visits a spa Eats organic foods Plays a musical instrument T d tto a garden Tends d

Sustainability Attends political events, protests Engages in fundraising g Donates to charitable organizations Member of environmental group W t or called Wrote ll d an elected l t d official ffi i l

Travel and the green movement • 77 percent of Americans say they worry about the environment "a a great deal deal" or "a a fair amount. amount " • 30 percent of the U.S. adult population make purchasing decisions based on their personal personal, social and environmental values.

• 58 58.5 5 million Americans say they would pay more to use a travel company that strives to protect and preserve the environment.

– SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL INTERNATIONAL

“There's nothing the media loves more than a good trend. All the "green issues" off various lifestyle f magazines include the requisite blurb on a high-end ecolodge, and most cover eco-travel as if it's an entirely separate entity from ‘conventional’ travel.”

– KIM LISAGOR LISAGOR, FREELANCE JOURNALIST FOR OUTSIDE OUTSIDE, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC AND OTHERS, CO-AUTHOR OF 37 PLACES TO SEE BEFORE THEY DISAPPEAR (VINTAGE, 2008)

“The hardnosed business realities of environmental catastrophes are starting to sink in to the public consciousness on all levels, so mainstream media are more and more looking at environmental problems.” – DAVID COGSWELL, TRAVEL WEEKLY

The public has a higher awareness of ecotourism s ecotourism’s brand identity today than just two years ago due to: • Awakening consumers or enlightened explorers growing in number throughout the world.

• Greater awareness of global warming via media such as Al Gore’s Gore s Oscar-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth.

Ecotourism’s alignment with “green” has strengthened g its brand identity y in the past year y “Ecotourism is not just for hippies anymore. It's for everyone who is riding the green trend trend. That shift in perception has opened it up to a much larger market, because the notion that ecotourism involves sacrifice is all but gone.”

– KIM LISAGOR, FREELANCE JOURNALIST FOR OUTSIDE, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC AND OTHERS, CO-AUTHOR OF 37 PLACES TO SEE BEFORE THEY DISAPPEAR (VINTAGE, 2008)

Travel to remote destinations is up Year 2000, 292 million traveled to developing countries, up 95% over 1990 Between 1990 and 2000, tourism to “biodiversity hotspots” increased more than 100% – UNWTO, Conservation International

Roles of the media and travel professional in brand perceptions of ecotourism The media have been perpetuating the trend, packaging ecotourism t i as partt off the th new green lifestyle. lif t l Travel professionals (all kinds) have taken advantage by highlighting their eco-attributes (even if minimal).

Ecotourism Community

Travel Media

Ecotourism Consumer

Are there ways a s we e as a comm community nit can better strategize to project the precise image of ecotourism to the consumer via the media?

“If If there is a ‘promise’ promise associated with ecotourism ecotourism, it's it s that both conservation of unique natural areas, and community development, will be part of the visitor experience.” i ” –KEITH SPROULE, TOURISM PLANNER, TIES FORMER CHAIR

“That is too generic since any tourism enterprise that does better to minimize its cultural and environmental impact is not [necessarily] ecotourism.”

– KURT KUTAY, WILDLAND ADVENTURES

A modest proposal for rebranding ecotourism accurately in the global arena It is first and foremost the responsibility of the travel professional and the ecotourism community at large to strategically control the brand image of ecotourism that is portrayed to the consumer via the media.

Journalists have responsibilities responsibilities, too 1. Learning about ecotourism, sustainability, the environment and ecology.

2. Not slanting stories toward an angle, beat or agenda.

3. Seriously covering ecotourism practices in a way that lends them credibility.

When asked about their responsibilities, journalists said: “Report what they see. Period.”

– EVERETT POTTER, POTTER FREELANCE JOURNALIST

Reporters need to ask for definitions of terms they don't understand. They need to verify claims with an impartial expert.” – KIM LISAGOR, FREELANCE JOURNALIST “Everyy person, p , including g everyy jjournalist,, has a responsibility to try to protect the earth for future generations.” – DAVID COGSWELL, TRAVEL WEEKLY

“Although tourism executives recognize that the health, sustainability, sustainability and profitability of their industry depends in large part on protecting th environment, the i t marketing k ti techniques often allow the travel industryy to appear ‘green’ without making fundamental or costly reforms.”

– MARTHA HONEY, CESD, FORMER TIES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, IN WHO OWNS PARADISE

The travel professional’s responsibilities 1. Practicing truly responsible and sustainable tourism,, not just marketing it - define the terms for your company - establish code of ethics, goals, guidelines - get certified - make yourself accountable “Clearly define what you believe ecotourism is; try to differentiate from the ecotourism wanna bees.”

– HUGH HOUGH, GREEN TEAM USA

2. Goodness sells: Marketing properly means telling success s ccess stories Destination: Wisconsin - more native American tribes than any state east of the Mississippi.

- more independent, certified organic small farms than any state in the U.S. - greater percent of land area that is under some form of protected status by the state (state parks, state forests, state sanctuaries, etc), than most of its neighbors.

- established its own certification program, unique to the state. – KEITH SPROULE, TOURISM PLANNER

3. Recognizing the multiple stakeholders involved in the process - buying locally on tour - appreciation or accreditation programs - crediting NGOs - awards systems - certification and eco-labels - demonstrate the profitability of ecotourism

4. Building relationships with members of the media based on trust and understanding - being sensitive to media needs and a ailable to ans available answer er q questions estions - presenting information in a press release and on web site press room - working within media deadlines - using preferred communication channels - offering “fun� fun information

5. Educating the media about ecotourism, sustainable practices and market trends 6. Supervising and controlling the interview and the end-product as much as possible “A good product is a good product only when it reaches the consumer.”

– PETER KRAHENBUHL, SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL INTERNATIONAL

“Make sure the media gets it right.”

– COSTAS CHRIST, ECOTOURISM PIONEER

How do you reach the awakening consumer? ?

• Use multiple communications channels to get the message out • Tell the experiential p story y – make them smell, taste, hear and see the product • Use innovative partnerships with other travel professional and non-profits

Effective brand is deliberate result of strategic considerations on the part of a group of professionals about a product or concept’s value. – YPB&R

“A company or movement may seek to achieve a brand image or positioning in the minds of its target audiences.”

– KIM WHYTOCK WHYTOCK, KIM WHYTOCK & ASSOCIATES

Ecotourism Community

Travel Media

Ecotourism Consumer

“Brands are most often defined byy corporations; they have much more control over how their brand is adapted and defined in different countries.”

– MEGAN EPLER WOOD, NATIVE ENERGY, FORMER TIES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

“However,, it is not impossible p for a movement or a community, such as the tight knit ecotourism community, working efficiently and ethically with the media through TIES, TIES to project an effective brand image of ecotourism in the minds of its known and well-defined target audiences.”

– FRANCES FIGART, MODERN TRAVELER MAGAZINE

Interview Sources Journalists and travel media Ron Mader, Planeta and Transitions Abroad David Cogswell, senior editor, Travel Weekly Kim Lisagor, freelance, Outside, National Geographic Adventure Everett Potter Potter, freelance freelance, New York Times Times, Conde Nast Traveller Michael Behar, freelance, Outside, National Geographic Adventure Ecotourism marketing and business strategists Keith Sproule, Tourism Planner, TIES former chair Megan Epler Wood, Native Energy, TIES former Executive Director Carol Patterson, Kalahari Management H hH Hugh Hough, h G Green T Team USA Kim Whytock, Kim Whytock & Associates

Industry association leaders David Sollitt, TIES Executive Director Costas Christ, Adventure Council, TIES founding member Peter Krahenbuhl, Sustainable Travel International Tourism educators and academicians Martha Honey, Center on Ecotourism & Sustainable Development Christine Vogt, Michigan State University Juan Luna Luna-Kelser, Kelser George Washington University Ecotourism, nature-based and adventure tour operators Kurt Kutay, Wildland Adventures Jorge Cazenave, Cazenave Argentina Ch i Lewey, Chris L RAVEN Interpretive I t ti Wildlif Wildlife P Programs

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