Rebuilding Through Sustainability: Destination Marketing

Summary

Jennifer Andre, VP of Business Development at Expedia Group Media Solutions, discusses sustainable tourism in a post-pandemic world. She highlights the importance of balancing environmental, economic, and socio-cultural impacts of tourism. Andre explains how Expedia is working with destinations to encourage sustainable travel practices, using data to guide travelers towards lesser-known regions. She also emphasizes the role of younger generations in driving sustainability and advocates for partnerships with organizations like UNESCO to scale impactful initiatives. The presentation stresses that sustainability can be simple, accessible, and beneficial for both travelers and destinations.

Takeaways

• 😀 Sustainable tourism focuses on balancing environmental, economic, and socio-cultural impacts to ensure tourism is beneficial for both travelers and destinations.
• 😀 Travelers are increasingly willing to pay extra for sustainability, with 60% of them open to paying more to ensure their travel is environmentally conscious.
• 😀 Gen Z and Millennials are the key drivers of sustainable tourism, with a growing sense of individual responsibility towards creating positive impacts post-pandemic.
• 😀 Sustainable tourism is an opportunity to help destinations recover and rebuild while promoting a more sustainable approach to tourism.
• 😀 Expedia Group Media Solutions collaborates with destinations to promote sustainable tourism practices and help travelers make informed choices.
• 😀 Data plays a crucial role in guiding sustainable tourism efforts, allowing companies like Expedia to target marketing efforts and help travelers discover lesser-known destinations.
• 😀 Expedia is working with organizations like UNESCO to promote heritage conservation and sustainable tourism on a global scale through the Sustainable Tourism Pledge.
• 😀 The Sustainable Tourism Pledge encourages accountability and equity within the industry, allowing smaller players to engage and contribute to sustainability efforts.
• 😀 Encouraging tourism dispersal—promoting less crowded and lesser-known destinations—can have a positive economic impact on local communities while preserving cultural and environmental integrity.
• 😀 By partnering with other organizations and using first-party data, the travel industry can scale up its sustainability efforts and drive meaningful change.
• 😀 Sustainability doesn't need to be difficult or expensive—educating travelers to explore beyond primary destinations and tapping into existing data can promote more sustainable tourism practices.

Q & A

What is the role of Expedia Group Media Solutions?

Expedia Group Media Solutions is the digital advertising arm of Expedia Group. It operates as a two-sided marketplace that connects partners with travelers globally, helping to facilitate digital advertising and tourism marketing.

How has Expedia Group Media Solutions been contributing to the recovery of the travel industry?

Expedia Group Media Solutions has been helping the travel industry recover by working with partners to rebuild destinations and promote sustainable tourism. They aim to support industry recovery while ensuring that the process is done responsibly, especially with an emphasis on sustainability.

What does sustainable tourism mean according to the presentation?

Sustainable tourism is about finding the right balance between environmental, economic, and socio-cultural impacts of tourism. It aims to provide high levels of tourist satisfaction while educating travelers on sustainable practices, and preserving the planet for future generations.

Why are younger generations like Gen Z and millennials crucial to the future of sustainable tourism?

Gen Z and millennials are key to sustainable tourism because they are more likely than older generations to consider sustainability when making travel decisions. Their increasing awareness of environmental issues and desire to take responsibility makes them the driving force for positive change in the tourism sector.

How does Expedia Group Media Solutions help promote sustainable travel?

Expedia Group Media Solutions promotes sustainable travel by offering tools that help travelers make informed decisions. They encourage sustainable travel practices, promote local cultures, and raise awareness about lesser-known destinations to reduce over-tourism and distribute tourism more evenly.

Can you give an example of how Expedia Group Media Solutions has promoted sustainable tourism?

One example is the collaboration with Atout France, the national tourism board of France, to promote tourism across the entire country in a sustainable way. They launched the 'I Rediscovered France' campaign to encourage travelers to explore different regions of France, beyond just Paris and the Riviera, promoting seasonal campaigns and reducing the impact on popular destinations.

How does Expedia Group use data to drive sustainable tourism?

Expedia Group leverages its vast data as both a publisher and an e-commerce platform. By analyzing consumer behavior and search patterns, they target marketing efforts to encourage travelers to consider less-known destinations, ultimately promoting tourism dispersal and sustainability.

What is the significance of Expedia’s partnership with UNESCO?

Expedia's partnership with UNESCO aims to promote sustainable tourism and heritage conservation through the UNESCO Sustainable Tourism Pledge. This collaboration encourages accountability within the tourism industry by requiring businesses to share their sustainable practices and provides a platform for both large and small operators to contribute to global sustainability efforts.

What are the key takeaways from the presentation?

The key takeaways include that sustainable tourism doesn't need to be difficult or expensive. Encouraging travelers to explore beyond primary destinations can reduce overcrowding and bring economic benefits to lesser-known areas. Additionally, leveraging first-party data can help guide sustainable tourism decisions, and partnering with other organizations working towards sustainability can amplify efforts.

How can destinations rebuild in a more sustainable way post-pandemic?

Destinations can rebuild sustainably by using the pause caused by the pandemic to reassess and reimagine their tourism strategies. By focusing on dispersal (encouraging travelers to explore less crowded areas) and sustainability, destinations can offer unique and memorable experiences while reducing negative environmental and social impacts.