High Value Tourism Low Volume Footprints

High Value Tourism: Low Volume Footprints
On Creating a New Model for Tourism That Doesn’t Cost the Earth
Anna Pollock, Founder Conscious Travel, CEO DestiCorp UK.

Keynote Presentation
PATA Adventure & Responsible Tourism Conference • Paro, Bhutan • 4 February 2012

Anna Pollock • email: annapollock@me.com • Founder, Conscious Travel
1

Bhutan: Happiness is a Place

I
must
begin
my
talk
with
a
personal
and
heartfelt
thanks
to
PATA
for
inviting
me
to
speak
at
this

conference;
to
Karma
Lotey,
President
of
ABTTO
who
was
instrumental
in
bringing
the
PATA

conference
to
Bhutan,
and
to
the
people
and
leadership
of
Bhutan.

You
have
all
contributed
to
the

fulDillment
of
a
long
held
dream
of
mine
–
to
visit
your
Kingdom,
a
place
where
happiness
and

community
well-‐being
are
the
primary
goal
of
its
leaders.

I
am
pleased
that
many
thinkers
and
even
a
few
politicians
around
the
world
are
Dinally

recognizing
that
GDP
is
not
an
accurate
or
appropriate
measure
of
well-‐being.
It
was
creation
of

the
Gross
National
Happiness
Index
combined
with
the
introduction
of
a
tariff
to
ensure
tourism

developed
in
a
slow
and
controlled
manner
that
caught
my
attention
some
3.5
decades
ago
and

has
inspired
me
since.

Bhutan
was
the
Dirst
and
only
country
to
do
what
I
now
believe
is
the
solution
to
the
ills
of
current

mass
tourism
and
that
is
to
protect
and
nurture
a
unique
place.
So
it’s
highly
appropriate
that
you

would
wish
to
study
this
topic
in
a
country
that
has
placed
such
importance
on
values,
protection,

and
well-‐being.

Bhutan
is
also
the
country
to
distill
the
beneDits
of
travel
in
one
meaningful
sentence
that
also

serves
as
its
brand
tagline
–
Bhutan:
Happiness
is
a
Place.

Having
begun
with
sincere
words
of
gratitude
and

admiration,

let
me
proceed
with
a
salutary
tale.

It’s
a
tale

from
another
mountainous
land
thousands
of
miles
away

from
here
where
monks
gathered
in
monasteries
perched

on
rocky

peaks
for
prayer
and
spiritual
enlightenment.

The
place
is
Meteora
in
Thessaly;
the
date
1971;
and
the

event:
adoption
of
a
new
prayer
into
the
Greek
Orthodox

Church.
The
prayer
was

an
attempt
to
seek
God’s
help
in

dealing
with
a
troubling
problem.
So
many
tourists
were

visiting
the
monasteries
that
the
monks
were
leaving.
The

2

short
prayer
was
entitled
“For
those
endangered
by
the
Tourist
Wave”
and
it
read:

Lord
Jesus
Christ,
Son
of
God,
have
mercy
on
the
cities,
the
islands
and

villages
of
our
Orthodox
Fatherland,
as
well
as
the
holy
monasteries,
which

are
scourged
by
the
worldly
touristic
wave.
Grace
us
with
the
solution
to

this
dramatic
problem
and
protect
our
brethren
who
are
sorely
tried
by
the

modernistic
spirit
of
those
contemporary
western
invaders.
1

And
that
prayer
was
offered
up
in
1971
when
international
tourism
was
one
Difth
its
current
size.
I

doubt
there
are
many
monks
left
there
now.

Now
I’d
like
to
think
that
if
it
were
a
Bhutanese
monastery
the
monks
wouldn’t
have
to
rely
on

divine
intervention.
Their
unhappiness
would
have
registered
in
the
Gross
National
Happiness

index
and
corrective
steps
would
have
been
taken!!

Tourism
to
Greece
has
been
going
on
for
centuries
and
that
destination
was
clearly
at
a
different

stage
in
its
development
than
Bhutan
but
the
story
is
both
relevant
and
cautionary.
Tourism
can

be
a
force
for
good
but
all
too
often
its
effect
resembles
that
of
a
Tsunami,
generating
high
impacts

and
low
returns
and
it’s
time
to
be
honest

about
that.

So
sticking
with
the
mountain
metaphor,

I’ve
used
this
image
to
convey
the

challenge
that
tourism
operators
face
as

you
leave
the
precipice
of
low
value,
high

volume
tourism
and
cross
the
abyss
to
get

to
the
richer
pastures
of
greater
yields,
more
sustainability
and
lower
environmental
and
social

costs.

I
have
divided
my
talk
into
three
parts:

1.

The
bad
news
–
what’s
wrong,
what
needs
to
be
Dixed
and
why

2.

The
good
news
–
the
change
drivers
we
can
harness
to
make
the
changes
that
are
so
necessary;

3.
A
framework
that
will
help
us
vision
a
better
future
–
a
destination
for
our
journey

So
let’s
face
the
challenges
of
our
current
situation
realistically
and
with
courage.

What’s
the
bad
news?
I
am
going
to
make
some
assertions
now
–
I
won’t
have
time
to
back
them

up
so
if
you
disagree
raise
a
question
in
the
interview
section.

1. In
about
60
years,
tourism
has
grown
nearly
100
times
from
less
than
10
million
to
1

billion
international
overnight
trips.

That
may
sound
like
good
news
–
and
the
growth
is

impressive
–
but
there
are
signs
that,
as
an
efDicient
economic
engine,
it’s
running
out
of

steam.
At
best,
it’s
producing
diminishing
returns;
at
worse,
it
contains
within
it
the
seeds

of
its
own
destruction.
In
plain
language,
we’re
killing
the
goose
that
laid
the
golden
egg.

3

2. What
started
as
the
aspiration,
a

luxury
enjoyed
by
a
wealthy
few,
is
now
a
universal

commodity
generating
small
and
diminishing
returns.
In
good
times,
we
encourage

overdevelopment;
in
bad
times
we
drop
prices
creating
a
vicious
cycle
that
beneDits

developers
who
have
little
allegiance
to
a
place;
but
at
the
cost
to
local
tourism
operators

of
mostly
small
businesses
who
must
ride
the
roller
coaster
of
boom
&
bust.

3. Despite
our
valiant
marketing
efforts,
we
cannot
control
the
factors
that
cause
the
ebb

and
Dlow
of
tourism
demand
–
be
they
the
economic
vitality
of
source
countries,
political

stability,
currency
exchange
rates,
or
lack
of
natural
hazards.
They
Dluctuate
like
the

angiogram
of
a
patient
having
a
heart
attack!

Overall
demand
may
continue
to
rise

globally
but
locally
is
highly
volatile,
and
subject
to
peaks
and
troughs
that
undermine

proDitability
and
resilience.

4. We
have
persuaded
politicians
of
the
beneDits
of
tourism
in
terms
of
spending
and
jobs

but
have
never
assessed
the
social
and
environmental
costs.
So
we
measure
success
in

terms
of
volume
of
visitors
not
net
beneDit
or

well-‐being
because
it’s
easier
but
it’s
also

misleading.

5. Just
at
that
moment
when
travel
is
considered
by
many
to
be
a
fundamental
human
right,

proDit
margins
have
never
been
thinner

and
resilience
–
the
ability
to
withstand
further

external
shocks
-‐
is
weak.

Consider
this
-‐
By
2030,
the
world
will
need
at
least
50
per
cent
more
food,
45
per
cent

more
energy
and
30
per
cent
more
water
—
all
at
a
time
when
environmental
boundaries

are
throwing
up
new
limits
to
supply.
It
will
also
need
to
have
reduced
its
production
of

carbon
by
over
80%.

At
the
same
time,
the
UNWTO
is
forecasting
a
doubling
of

international
trips
even
though
tourism
is
currently
dependent
on
fossil
fuel,
is
a
major

generator
of
carbon
and
user
of
water,
land
and
concrete.

It
doesn’t
take
a
Ph.d
in
economics
to
Digure
out
that
when
rising
demand
clashes
with

diminishing
supply,
prices
will
rise.

Airlines
can
shout
“unfair”
and
foul
all
they
want
but
someone
has
to
pay
the
cost
of

absorbing
the
carbon
travellers
generate
and
personally
I’d
prefer
to
pay
a
little
extra

now
than
impose
a
very
real
and
punishing
cost
on
my
grandchildren’s
well-‐being.

6. Nor
can
we
assume
that
government
support
for
marketing
and
infrastructure
will

continue.

Record
levels
of
public
debt;
the
demands
of

an
aging
population
in
developed

economies
and
the

explosion
of
youth,

who
will
need
to
be
educated,
employed
or

otherwise
kept
busy
in
developing
nations,
will
put
enormous
strains
on
public
budgets;

7. Traditional
“push”
marketing
doesn’t
work
any
more.
Power
has
shifted
from
the
supplier

to
the
customer
whose
trust
levels
are
at
an
all
time
low.
The
days
of
clever
marketing

spin
are
almost
over.
Your
customers
now
rely
on
each
other
for
information
and,
thanks

to
the
proliferation
of
new
channels
and
constantly
changing
technologies,
your

investment
in
marketing
must
go
up
at
the
very
time
your
returns
are
diminishing.

And
if
that
sounds
rather
daunting,
permit
me
to
layer
in
one
other
key
fact
–
and
that
is
at
this

point
in
history
most
leaders
and
experts
have
given
up
trying
to
predict
what’s
going
to
happen

next.
The
bofDins
and
spymasters
in
the
US
military
have
a
4
letters
to
describe
our
world
and
it

4

starts
with
a
V.

2

With
V
pointing
to
extreme
volatility;
U
pointing
to
uncertainty;

C
to
complexity;

and
A
for

extreme
ambiguity.

Now
bear
with
me
–
I
promise
this
is
going
to
be
a
positive,
uplifting
talk
but
we
can’t
expect
to
Dix

a
problem
unless
we
understand
what
caused
it.

I
started
my
list
of
“bad
news”
by
talking
about
mass
tourism’s
operating
model.
What
do
I
mean

by
that?
Simply
put,
it’s
the
set
of
shared
operating
assumptions
and
beliefs
that
are
often
invisible

and
implicit
but
shape
how
we
behave.
They
are
the
glue
that
holds
a
system
together.
Another

word
is
mindset
or
paradigm.

Tourism
is
a
relative
latecomer
to
the
economic
scene
–
literally
taking
off
with
the
arrival
of

methods
of
mass
transportation
–

the
railway,
the
passenger
liner,
and

the
jumbo
jet.
Being
the
young

sector
on
the
block,
it
looked
to
the

manufacturing
sector
for
ideas
on

how
to
organize
and
manage
itself

and
applied
the
model
of
an

assembly
line.
Elements
of
a
trip
-‐

accommodation,
transport,

entertainment,
dining
-‐
were

perceived
as
products
that
could
be

assembled
as
packages
that
could
be

positioned,
priced
and
promoted.

The
industrial
model
is
all
about

producing
more
for
less
and
it’s

worked
well.

The
UNWTO
conDidently
project
tourism
to
reach
1.6
billion
trips
by
2020.
Now

that’s
a
doubling

of
the
number
handled
just
three
years
ago.
Domestic
travel
is
growing
faster
and
could
easily
be
8

times
that
in
terms
of
movements.

Do
you
see
why
I
use
the
image
of
a
tsunami?

Despite
the
optimistic
forecasts
of
aircraft
manufacturers,

it’s
unlikely
that
these
projections
will
be
fulDilled.
There

simply
are
no
straight
lines
in
nature.

All
life
is
cyclical
and

growth
cannot
continue
inDinitely.
There
is
a
universal

pattern
that
applies
to
animal
or
plant
populations,

civilizations,
or
even
ideas.

It
regularly
appears
in
college

classes
on
tourism
as
applied
to
the
rise
and
inevitable

decline
of
a
destination.3

To
my
knowledge
it
has
not
been

applied
to
tourism
as
a
whole
but
I
believe
now
is
the
time

to
imagine
we
are
at
the
inDlection
point
globally.

5

So
that’s
how
I
see
the
global
dilemma.
While
the
situation
will
vary
from
one
destination
to

another
the
overall
pattern
will
be
repeated.

Having
got
the
bad
news
out
on
the
table,
I’d
now
like
to
tell
you
why
I
am
so
excited
and

optimistic.
There
is
a
cure
to
VUCA
and
there
are
forces
we
can
harness
to
“do
tourism”
differently.

First
of
all,
lets’
turn
VUCA
on
its
head
and
have
it
mean
something
much
more
positive

V
–
Can
stand
for
a
Vision
of
Tourism
That
Values
all
participants
and
the
Places
in
which
their

relationships
take
place

U
–
could

be
for
Understanding
–
we
can
examine
our
unexamined
assumptions
and
change
them

to
create
wealth
and
well-‐being
that
doesn’t
cost
the
earth

C
–
could
be
for
the
Creativity
and
Collaboration
needed
to
move
from
the
old
to
the
new.
I’ll
add
a

third
C
for
Caution
–
don’t
underestimate
tourism’s
destructive
force;
and

A

-‐
can
stand
for
the
Agility
we’ll
need
to
respond
to
mammoth
change
and
the
Action
we
will

need
to
take,

You
can
see
now
that
this
is
going
to
involve
an
awful
lot
more
than
changing
light
bulbs
and

washing
our
towels
less
frequently….

Nor
will
we
make
much
progress
unless
we
delve
beneath
the
surface
and
dig
deep
beneath

surface
trends
and
organizational
structures
and
processes
to
understand
what
really
has
to

change.

To
determine
whether
we
can
reverse
the
trend
and
create
high
value
and
low
impact,
we
have
to

start
with
two
key
questions:

• How
are
the
values
held
by
your
source
markets
changing?

• Through
what
lenses
do
they
view
the
world
and
how
are
they
changing?

Note
I
said
“in
your
markets.”

To
the
Bhutanese
in
the
audience
I’d
mention
that
your
values
and

trends
are
not
necessarily
the
same
as
the
ones
that
have
underpinned
the
western
worldview

and
helped
drive
the
growth
of
western
economies.

But
we’re
living
at
an
historic
point
in
time

when
the
worldviews
of
indigenous
peoples
are
still
closely
connected
to
place
and
spirit
might

converge
with
the
perspectives
and
values
held
by
an
inDluential
segment
of
“western”
cultures.

For
example,
here’s
a
list
of
assumptions
that
have
underpinned
society
for
the
past
250

years.

Take
a
minute
to
scan
them
–
maybe
you’ve
never
thought
of
them
before.
Some
you
might
agree

with;
others
you
may
not.

But
I
can
assure
you
everyone
is
being
challenged
right
now
and
the

world
won’t
be
the
same
as
a
result.
It’s
because
these
core
assumptions
are
now
being
found

wanting
that
I
can
retain
some
optimism
that
higher
values
and
less
impacts
from
tourism
might

be
achievable
going
forward.

6

Let’s
stick
to
territory
you’re
familiar
with
–
tourism
and
look
at
the
last
assumption
on
the
list4.

When
we
talk
about
tourism
as
an
industry
we
see
things
or
products
being
assembled
by

businesses
in
pursuit
of
proDit.
And
in
the
name
of
that
pursuit,
people
can
be
displaced
from
their

homes;

fragile
beaches
can
saturated,
coral
reefs
destroyed;
children’s
lives
wrecked;
forests
cut

down
or
cultures
that
have
provided
meaning
for
centuries
made
objects
of
entertainment.

But
this
isn’t
how
it
is
or
needs
to
be.
Tourism
is
really
a
community
of
people
in
relationship
with

each
other
and
the
setting
or
place
in
which
their
encounters,
and
their
experiences
take
place.

The
truth
is
that
tourism
operates
more
like
a
network
than
an
assembly
plant
with
rigid

processes
and
a
hierarchical
control
structure.
Apparently,
the
term
industry
was
introduced
on
a

recommendation
by
Henry
Kissinger
in
order
to
give
a
youthful
phenomenon
legitimacy
in
the

eyes
of
an
industrialized
society.

Tourism
is
all
about
people
meeting
people;
it’s
about
relationships
between
people
and
between

people
and
the
natural
world.

Tourism
isn’t
about
objective
things
that
can
be
produced
but
about
experiences
that
can
only
be

had
by
the
person
having
the
experience.

Our
guests
are
people;
our
employees
are
people;
our
suppliers
are
people;
investors
are
people

and
residents
of
the
host
community
are
people
too.

The
good
news
is
that
as
people,
our
needs

and
wants
and,
most
importantly,
our
values
are
changing
and
changing
fast.

In
a
network
change
can’t
be
dictated
or
imposed
from
the
top
or
a
central
source.
Instead,
change

spreads
like
an
infection.
It
can
and
will
come
bubbling
up
from
communities
–
perhaps
started
by

individuals
but
spread
by
connections
and
community
and
accelerated
by
passion
and

enthusiasm.
So
you
are
as
much
in
control
of
the
future
as
I
am.

Each
of
us
is
situated
on
the

frontline
between
the
old
and
the
new.

Every
decision
we
make
affects
the
total
outcome.

The
goal,

as
Carlos
Christ
encouraged
us
to
consider
in
his
endnote
presentation,
is
to
imagine
a

day
when
we
won’t
need
adjectives
such
as
responsible,
sustainable,
eco,
geo
or
even
conscious
to

7

describe
a
fringe
or
minority
form
of
tourism.
The
goal
will
be
for
all
tourism
to
be
living
up
the

principles
behind
those
adjectives.

CHANGE
DRIVERS
So
let’s
now
look
at
the
positive
forces
that
we
can
harness
to
bring
about
this
transformation
and

generate
higher
yields
with
lower
impacts.

The
biggest
change
driver
is
this
thing
called
“connectivity”
–
humanity
now
comprises
some
7

billion
souls

and
1
billion
are
now
on
Facebook
struggling
with
new
timeline!.

Another
i/2
a

billion
are
tweeting….

It’s
this
connectivity
that’s
changing
our
view
of
ourselves.

Thanks
to
the
technology
that
got
us
into
space,
we
each

know
that
we
share
a
common
home
and
that
we’re
all

connected.

Our
understanding
of
this
beautiful
planet
is
also
changing.

We
now
have
a
perspective
and
the
data
to
understand
that

planet
earth
is
a
living,
breathing
organism
capable
of
self-‐
regulation
and
adjustment.

We’re
also
recognizing
that
its
resources
are
limited
and
it
operates
according
to
some
physical

laws
that
cannot
be
broken.
So
we
may
have
one

planet
but
we
need
three
to
sustain
life
on
the

planet
at
current
levels
of
consumption
and
waste

production.5

The
recession
of
the
middle
of
the
decade
brought

about
by
the
near
collapse
of
our
Dinancial
system

has
shown
that
our
current
economic
system
is

seriously
Dlawed.

Connectivity
also
creates
transparency
and
harsh

truths
cannot
be
hidden
any
longer.

Connectivity
is
accelerating
the
diffusion
of
new

ideas.

Digital
connectivity
also
accelerates
a
demand
for
travel.

While
we
may
meet
online
in
digital

space,
real
connection
occurs
in
the
analogue
world.

We
each
leave
home
with
a
fantasy
and
often
then
experience
reality.

Sadly
more
and
more

travelers
are
coming
home
disappointed.

The
following
three
images
show
what
would
be
the

fantasy
of
the
beach
in
Thailand
made
famous
by
Leonardo
di
Caprio
in
the
movie
and
images
of

today’s
reality.
This
is
the
reality
today.

8

Experiences
like
this
make
it
painfully
clear
that
there
are
limits
to
growth.
While
we
may
all
think

we
have
a
right
to
travel,
exercising
that
right
means
that
fewer
and
fewer
other
people
will
have

the
opportunity
to
experience
“must
see”
destinations
without
crowds
of
other
people
being
in

the
frame
of
their
digital
pictures.

Sadly,
the
majority
of
operators
are
reluctant
to
let
go
of
a
mindset

that
enables
them
to
exploit
landscapes,
ecosystems
and
cultures

in
the
name
of
economic
growth.
In
the
week
prior
to
leaving
for

this
presentation,
Thomas
Cook
posted
this
blog
post
and
exciting

“infographic
which
identiDies
our
top
5
destinations
to
visit
before

they’re
gone”.

(Note;
the
original
wording
on
the
blog
has

subsequently
been
edited
out.
The
current
version
of
the
post
is

here.)

And
almost
on
the
same
day
a
story
broke
about
the
way
in
which

tourists
were
inDiltrating
remote
Indian
tribes
in
order
to
get
pictures
of
exotic
and
naked
tribes

people.

Thanks
to
all
that
connectivity
,
the
conversation
it
enables
and
the
growth
in
consumer
power,

this
kind
of
irresponsible
behaviour
will
be
subject
to
growing
criticism
in
the
future
and
the

impact
on
reputation
and
share
value
could
be
huge.

Before
this
age
of
transparency
perhaps
it
didn’t
matter
what
people
thought;

or
you
could
at

least
hide
the
truth;
now
it’s
the
key
thing
that
matters.
According
to
NASDAQ
some
60-‐80%
of
the

value
of
publicly
listed
companies
can
be
attributed
to
intangibles
such
as
brand
equity,
reputation

and
human
capital
i.e.,
the
capacity
of
the
people
in
a
company
to
be
creative,
adaptable,

innovative
and
relevant.

This
shift
in
how
we
value
companies
is
occurring
at
the
same
time
that
people
are
valuing
the

acquisition
of
things
less
and
meaningful
experiences
more.

The
clue
to
understanding
why
this
is
happening
lies
with
a
psychologist
Abraham
Maslow
who

many
of
us
may
have
encountered
in
marketing
courses.
Dr.
Maslow
suggested
that,
as
individuals,

we
spend
our
lives
pursuing
a
changing
set
of
needs.

The
Dirst
four
needs
–
physiological,
safety,

love
&
belonging,
and
self-‐esteem
–
are
described
as
deDiciency
needs.
Right
now
people
of
all
ages

are
realizing
that
meeting
their
“deDiciency”
needs
alone
doesn’t
bring
about
happiness.
The
latter

state
can
only
be
reached
by
committing
to
grow,
by
seeking
knowledge
and
wisdom
and
acting
in

service
to
others;
in
other
words
fulDilling
“growth
needs”

9

Here’s
a
map
of
Maslow’s
hierarchy
of
needs
to
seven
levels
of
consciousness6.

There’s
a
point
of

transformation
when
individuals
put
more
emphasis
on
community
and
the
common
good
than

the
satisfaction
of
purely
selDish
goals.
A
signiDicant
number
of
people
are
going
through
the

transformative
phase
right
now.
After
which,
stuff
or
experiences
aren’t
enough
–
they
must
be

meaningful,
have
purpose,
and
contribute
to
the
whole.

And
we’re
seeing
this
shift
taking
place
in
front
of
our
eyes
in
developed
and
rapidly
developing

economies.
It’s
important
because
this
shift
is
affecting
what
people
buy,
how
they
spend
their

time
and
which
companies
they
choose
to
work
for.

This
shift
is
neither
generation-‐,
age-‐
or
culture-‐speciDic.
While
it
is
partly
driven
by
an
aging

population
(older
people
generally
tend
to
become
more
interested
in
matters
of
the
soul
or
spirit

in
their
advancing
age);
the
Generation
known
as
Gen
Y
(born
after
1980)
seem
to
have
jumped
up

10

Maslow’s
needs
hierarchy
at
a
much
younger
age.

According
to
Tim
Elmore
in
Growing
Leaders,

some
61%
of
Generation
Y
feel
personally
responsible
for
making
a
positive
difference
to
the

world
and
expect
their
work
to
be
transformational
as
well
as
transactional.

This
shift
in
values
is
not
only
affecting
people
as
consumers
but
our
beliefs
and
assumptions

about
relationships.
As
we
mature
we
start
to
think
less
about
our
individual
selves
in
isolation

but
as
community.

Richard
Barrett
has
summed
up
this
trend
as
a
shift
from
“I
to
we”
such
that

Dirms
should
now
concentrate
less
on
being
the
best
in
the
world,
to
“being
the
best
for
the
world”

as
increasingly
they
are
being
judged
as
much
by
the
values
they
adhere
to
over
the
products
they

sell.

By
the
way,
this
is
why
Bhutanese
and
many

indigenous
peoples
are
around
the
world,
are

more
mature
than
their
visitors
from
the
so-‐called

developed
western
economies!
They’ve
always

known
that
well
being
has
relatively
little
to
with

money.
You
need
some
but,
after
a
certain
point,

more
isn’t
always
better.

And
this
is
why
Bhutan
is
a
destination
whose
time

has
come!

These
changes
in
value
are
having
an
enormous

impact
on
attitudes
to
business.
Until
just
a
few

years
ago,
it
would
have
been
heresy
for
anyone
to
have
denied
that
the
prime
focus
of
business
is

to
make
money.
But
the
business
literature
now
is
teeming
with
papers
and
books
suggesting
that

business
is
really
about
doing
good
and
making
the
world
a
better
place 7.

Edelman,
the
US
based

agency
that
measures
how
people
around
the
world
exhibit
trust,
has
suggested
that
the
Difth
“P”

in
the
marketing
lexicon
is
Purpose.
Edelman
found
that
86%
of
consumers
around
the
world

expect
business
to
place
at
least
equal
weight
on
society’s
interests
as
their
own
business

interests.

As
you
can
tell
from
the
title
of
Richard
Branson’s
latest
book,
Screw
Business
as
Usual,

some

major
assumptions
are
deDinitely
being
challenged

and
returning
to
“business
as
usual”
is
highly

unlikely
in
a
VUCA
world.

There’s
even
a
growing
group
of
companies
in
the

US
that
call
themselves
“Conscious
Capitalists”.

They
are
committed
to
capitalism
but
argue
that
it

needs
serious
“tweaking.”
The
group
includes

some
very
successful
enterprises
including
Whole

Foods
(a
supermarket
that
generates
the
highest

retail
sales
per
linear
foot
of
shelf
space
than
any

other
worldwide);
success
stories
such
as

Amazon,
Zappos,
Google;
pioneers
like
Patagonia

and
in
travel
&
hospitality
Southwest
Airlines,

Kimpton
Hotels
and
the
Joie
de
Vivre
Group

founded
by
Chip
Conley
–
hotelier
turned
very

successful
management
guru.
In
depth
research

conducted
by
Raj
Sisodia,
David
Wolfe,

and
Jagdish
Seth
and
detailed
in
an
excellent
book
called,

11

Firms
of
Endearment,
has
shown

that
their
Dinancial
performance
outstrips
peers
in
the
Standard

&
Poor
by
a
ratio
of
10:1.

Conscious
Capitalists
are
adamant
that
companies
that
set
themselves
a
purpose
higher
than
the

pursuit
of
proDit
end
up
being
more
proDitable
than
those
that
focus
exclusively
on
monetary

returns.

It’s
not
surprising,
given
people
can,
at
various
times,

be
bosses,
investors,
suppliers,
employees

and
customers,

that
consumers
are
also
becoming
more
conscious
(mindful,
awake,
aware
and

alert).
There
is
a
spate
of
literature
easily
accessible
on
the
impact
of
the
recession
on
consumer

values
and
their
Dindings
are
remarkably
consistent.
I
have
identiDied
several
of
these
studies
on

my
website
and
encourage
you
to
look
at
http://conscioustourism.wordpress.com/
theconscioustraveller/

In
short,
a
growing
number
of
consumers
around
30%
-‐
are
becoming
awake,
aware
and
alert;

they
making
considered,
mindful
or
conscious
choices
about
what
they
buy
and
whom
they
buy

from.

The
agency
BBMG
summarizes
them
in
this
way.

I
have
started
thinking
about
the
ways
in
which
these
general
consumer
trends
apply
to
the

market
of
travelers.
Again
I
welcome
you
as
a
visitor
to
my
web
site
on
the
subject:

http://
conscioustourism.wordpress.com/theconscioustraveller/
and
a
longer
paper
is
available
for

clients
on
request.

12

Hopefully
I
have
given
you
sufDicient
evidence
of
the
change
drivers
that
will
make
it
easier
to

create
a
viable
alternative
to
mindless,
often
destructive
mass
tourism
and
create
an
alternative,

conscious
form
of
travel
that
is
environmentally
sustainable,
socially
just
and
spiritually
fulDilling.

A
NEW
MODEL

So
now
let’s
get
to
the
creative
and
fun
part
–
the
last
part
of
my
presentation.
What
might
this

alternative
to
mass
industrialized
travel
look
like?
I
am
calling
it
Conscious
Travel.
It

integrates
the
thoughts
underpinning
sustainable,
responsible,
eco
and
geo
travel
with
the

perspective
of
consumer
value
shifts,
experience
design,
values-‐based
leadership
and
conscious

capitalism.

It
is
not
designed
to
compete
with
or
undermine
the
Dine
efforts
being
achieved
by

others
active
in
the
above
Dields
but
to
pull
together
a
holistic
approach
that
helps
operators
see

the
whole
picture.

What
I
want
to
do
is
sketch
out
its
key
features
and
invite
you
to
join
with
me
and
others
in

developing
it
further.

Let
me
start
with
some
broad
brush
strokes
that
suggest
how
a
new
model

might
differ
from
an
old:

FROM
PRODUCT
TO
PLACE
First
we
have
to
get
back
to
the
roots
of
tourism
and
why
people
travel.

The
Dirst
change
is
a
shift
in
focus
away
from
a
product
which
can
so
easily
become
a
low
value

commodity
to
a
place
that
can
be
valued,
celebrated,
expressed,
and
experienced

The
industrial
model
broke
everything
into
components
and
compartments
and,
in
our
case,

focused
on
products
(hotels,
rental
cars,
activities)
and
paid
attention
to
their
attributes.

It
feels
as
if
we’ve
cut
ourselves
off
from
the
juice,
the
spirit
of
travel.
This
sterile
industrial

mindset
takes
the
life
out
of
travel
which
is
all
about
a
journey,
an
adventure,
an
exploration
of

somewhere,
some
place
that’s
different
to
home.

13

So
a
focus
–
an
obsession
with
Place
–
and
what
makes
it
what
it
is
and
different
is
now
essential

for
two
reasons.

1. Places
are
scarce
and
therefore
precious.
Each
place
is
the
outcome
of
13.5
billion

years
of
evolution,
the
present
geography
of
the
setting,
the
history
and
culture
of
its

people
and
the
connections
and
relationships
of
its
residents.
None
of
us
can
create
that!

There
is
only
one
Bhutan;
one
Vancouver;
one
Samoa.

Now
I
was
never
that
good
at
economics
but
I
did
grasp
the
law
of
scarcity.
Diamonds
are

scarce
so
command
a
high
price.
And
if
the
market
gets
Dlooded
de
Beers
pulls
them
off

the
market.
So
if
Places
are
scarce
why
do
we
sell
them
at
a
discount?
How
have
we

allowed
cheap
and
mindless
travel
to
dominate
the
landscape
of
tourism?

2. As
human
beings
we
are
both
grounded
and
inspired
by
re-connecting
with
the

land,
the
landscapes,
the
seasons,
the
smells
and
sounds
of
a
place;
its
past

and

present;
our
aspirations
for
its
future.

The
Conscious
Traveler
–
and
that’s
the
one
you

want
–
seeks
out
the
different,
the
authentic
and
the
“real.
”
They
are
the
ones
that
want

to
visit
farmhouses
and
monasteries
and
get
involved
with
Bhutanese
life
but,

by
the
way

they
don’t
want
to
do
this
in
large
groups.
The
one
thing
these
travelers
hate
is
to
see

other
travelers,
who
are
called
tourists
around
them
if
they
can
avoid
it!!
The
experience

has
to
be
carefully
stage
managed.

Small
is
indeed
beautiful
and
slow
is
better
than
fast.

Dear
hosts
–
Bhutan
is
a
jewel
in
tourism’s
crown.
I’ll
be
blunt.
Thanks
to
the
foresight
of
your
past

and
present
King
and
his
government
you
have
been
wise
and
cautious.
I
know
you
now
need
to

increase
the
economic
beneDit
from
tourism,
but
have
conDidence
in
and
conviction
about
your

own
value
.

Don’t
be
pressured.
I
understand
there
are
65
hotels
in
the
Paro
valley
–
all
full
during
festivals
but

struggling
at
between
10-‐30%
occupancy
year
round.

You’ll
be
told
your
tariff
is
too
high
–
it
isn’t.
You’ll
be
told
you
have
to
grow
faster
–
you
don’t.

Furthermore,

as
you
grow
your
market,

you’ll

see
more
developers
and
hoteliers
want
to
build

more
capacity.
Don’t
let
this
happen
until
your
existing
suppliers
are
operating
healthy
and

Dinancially
stable
businesses.

Worse
still,
you’ll
be
pressured
to
put
in
the
services
that
developers
say
tourists

need
and
want
–

golf
courses,
tennis
courts,
casinos,
shopping
malls
and
MacDonalds.
But
I
can
assure
you
the
kind

of
traveller
you
need
to
attract
–
the
one
that
shares
your
values
would
be
appalled
and

profoundly
disappointed
if
we
found
them
here
–
wouldn’t
we?

Bhutan
is
special
because
it’s
still
different.
The
look
on
our
faces
yesterday
told
that.
We,
the

PATA
delegates
,
are
a
jaded
bunch
–
we’ve
been
there,

done
that!

If
some
individuals
in
this

room
cashed
in
their
frequent
Dlyer
points
it
would
feed
many
Bhutanese
families
for
years!
But

these
sophisticated
and
discerning
travellers
looked
like
kids
yesterday
–
our
eyes
were
wide

open;
jaws
had
dropped
to
the
Dloor!
There
was
magic
in
the
air.
They
felt
young
again!
Such
that

the
core
purpose
of
tourism
had
been
fulDilled
within
hours
of
arrival. 8

But
to
protect
this
place
you
also
have
to
engage
everyone

14

a. because
members
of
the
community
are
the
ones
who
will
meet
and
greet
and
talk
with

your
visitor.
They
are
the
ones
with
the
stories
to
tell;
they
are
the
ones
who
can
invite

guests
into
their
homes
for
rice
wine
and
butter
tea.
But
they
need
to
be
prepared
and

protected
too.
The
stall
holders
in
the
market
in
Thimphu
surprised
us
with
their
grace,

charm
and
quiet
dignity.
They
didn’t
pressurise,
pester
or
cajole
and,
as
a
consequence,

shopping
was
a
pleasure
not
an
afDliction.
But
if
tourism
grows
too
quickly
and
these

Bhutanese
are
exposed
to
enough
of
the
rude
behaviour
that
tourists
can
often
exhibit,

the
ambience
could
deteriorate
to
no
one’s
beneDit.

b. to
make
sure
everyone
beneDits.
And
this
is
where
your
policy
of
Gross
National

Happiness
can
be
such
an
effective
tool.
Make
sure
from
today
that
tourism
generates
net

beneDit;
make
sure
it
is
always
contributing
to
well-‐being.
Having
learned
more
of
your

GNH
program
since
I
got
here,
I
am
conDident
that
you
will
but
tourism
will
need
to
be

carefully
managed
as
well
as
marketed.

This
focus
on
Place
will
also
lead
you
to
think
of
more
creative
ways
of
enriching
the
visitors’

experience
and
making
sure
that
sense
of
magic
can
be
sustained
as
you
double
the
number
of

arrivals.
Visitors
in
2020
will
also
want
to
feel
the
magic
we
felt
yesterday.

They
want
to
learn

more,
understand
more,
get
more
involved.

To
enable
that
you
have
to
have
activities,
events
and

“attractions”
that
engage
all
the
senses,
throughout
the
day
and
at
all
points
along
a
visitor’s

journey
of
discovery
and
celebration
from
when
they
arrive
at
the
airline
check
in
counter
to

when
they
return
home
and
start
to
share
their
experiences
with
friends
and
family.

Please
remember
this.
People
don’t
come
to
Bhutan
to
sleep;
they
come
to
experience
its

uniqueness
and
be
changed
by
it.
Don’t
allow
your
strategy
to
be
driven
by
beds
but
experiences.

For
example,
the
conscious
traveller
doesn’t
want
huge
grandiose
light
shows
with
a
cast
of

thousands
and
needing
thousands
of
visitors
a
day
to
make
money.
They
want
the
small
scale,
the

intimate,
the
local,
the
handmade
and
quirky.
They
want
to
slow
down
and
stay
longer.

You
need

them
to
slow
down
and
stay
longer
and
that
will
only
happen
if
there
are
more
things
to
see
and

do
than
time
to
do
them.

As
an
example,
we
climbed
up
to
the
ruins
at
the
end
of
the
day.

We
were
happy
but
tired
and

hungry
and
a
little
concerned
that
it
was
a
stop
too
many.
The
tea
and
biscuits
at
the
top
of
the
hill

revived
us.

Thank
you!
Then
the
experience
of
that
magical
place
re-‐invigorated
and
re-‐charged

us.

But
having
100+
people
crawling
over
the
ruins
and
clicking
pictures
of
the
view
isn’t
the
way

to
get
high
yield
with
low
impact.

Think
of
creative
ways
of
shaping
experiences
in
that
setting
that
will
result
in
memories
that
will

last
for
ever
and
stories
that
will
be
told
and
retold.
How
about
camping
under
the
stars,

listening

to
tales
of
Bhutanese
legends
told
around
an
open
Dire
while
masked
dancers
appear
from
the

shadows,
their
silhouettes
Dlickering
on
those
sandstone
walls?

Greater
engagement
leads
to
more
meaning,
more
purpose
and
more
curiosity
which,
in
turn

leads
to
more
engagement,
more
relationships
and
more
appreciation.
More
appreciation
leads
to

more
value
and
more
value
leads
to
more
yield.

15

FROM
BRANDING
TO
PERSONALITY
The
next
pressure
you’ll
have
to
face
as
the
world
gets
news
that
you
want
to
grow
tourism
is
the

pressure
to
develop
your
brand.
You’ll
be
pitched
by
branding
agencies
from
here
to
Timbuktu
to

design
a
logo
and
come
up
with
a
clever
“tag
line”
–
those
few
words
that
are
supposed
to
entice

us
to
visit
but
which
99.9%
of
visitors
hardly
notice
and
or
ignore.

Again
resist!

Instead
really
get
clear
at
what
Bhutan
means
to
you.
Think
of
its
essence
or
spirit

that
makes
you
distinct.
What
makes
you
different
to
Tibet,
Nepal,
Sikkim.
What
values
do
you

share?

(Postscript
–
Bhutan
doesn’t
need
a
better
strapline
than
the
one
it
already
has
developed:

Happiness
is
a
Place).

All
that’s
needed
now
is
to
ensure
that
all
participants
in
the
Bhutanese

community
share
a
common
sense
of
place
and
can
express
that
to
visitors
in
a
variety
of

animated
ways.

Our
trip
to
the
museum
on
Friday
provided
a
glimpse
of
a
magniDicently
rich,
colourful
and

complex
culture
that
has
survived
for
thousands
of
years.
This
facility
needs
to
be
prized
as
much

as,
if
not
more
than,
the
few
5
star
resorts

in
Bhutan.

Think
long
and
hard
of
ways
to
express
that
personality
in
ways
that
don’t
turn
it
into
a
show
or

make
Bhutanese
feel
they
are
objects
in
a
museum
or
zoo.

At
the
same
time,
use

every
form
of
creative
expression
available
from
art
to
poetry
to
music
to

mime,
comedy,
design,
in
a
way
that
all
senses
are
stimulated.
When
you
wake
up
in
the
morning
a

guest
should
know
that
you
are
somewhere
distinctly
different
and
know
where
they
are.

A
successful
destination
has
to
be
managed
as
much
as
it
has
to
be
marketed.

The
role
of
its

leaders
is
not
to
dictate
but
to
orchestrate

in
the
same
way
that
the
conductor
of
an
orchestra

creates
harmony
from
different
players,
playing
different
instruments
but
all
expressing
the
same

tune.

FROM
PROFIT
TO
PURPOSE
Thirdly,
let’s
take
a
cue
from
the
conscious
capitalists
and
a
host
of
other
businesses
that
are

Dinding
out
that
proDit
follows
passion
and
purpose
and
not
the
other
way
around.

If
we
want
to
attract
customers
who
will
value
our
Places
and
the
experiences
we
design
for
them;

if
we
want
to
attract
employees
that
will
be
Dilled
with
passion
who
tap
into
their
innate
creativity

to
serve
a
guest
better;
if
we
want
to
attract
suppliers
that
are
aligned
with
us
and
a
host

community
that
is
supportive
we
will
need
to
communicate
a
deep
and
inspirational
sense
of

purpose
and
meaning.

Tourism
must
be
put
back
where
it
belongs
as
the
means
to
an
end
with
the
end
being
the
well-‐
being
of
all
involved.
This
is
why
Bhutan’s
time
has
come.
Your
Gross
Happiness
Index
and

associated
screening
tools
help
ensure
that
tourism
serves
the
greater
good.
Tourism
operators

cannot
be
quiet
and
not
become
champions
for
sustainable
practices,
cultural
regeneration
and

fair
wages.

Nor
can
they
sit
back
and
expect
to
be
spoon
fed.
They
must
become
the
agents
of

change
in
their
community
asking
not
what
the
community
should
do
for
them
but
what
they
as

tourism
operators
can
do
to
make
the
community
a
better
place.
For
more
on
that
topic,
see
Good

Morning
Tourism
Time
For
Your
Wake
up
Call
and
It’s
Simple
Conscious
Hosts
Create
PLaces
That

Care

16

If
you
are
a
hotelier,
a
travel
agent,
a
rental
car
company
or
tour
company,
it’s
vital
that
you

demonstrate
you
care
for
the
environment,
for
the
culture,
for
the
wellbeing
of
your
employees

and
the
host
community.

Now
in
this
respect,
Bhutan
has
a
head
start
through
its
approach
to
tourism
and
its
commitment

to
protecting
the
Place.

Bhutan
has
the
opportunity
to
become
a
leader
on
the
world
stage
if
it
puts
time
and
energy
into

following
through
its
commitment
to
community
well-‐being.

It
can
also
make
a
major

contribution
to
other
destinations
faced
with
similar
choices.
In
fact,
by
speaking
out
as
a
nation

on
its
struggle
to
balance
protection
with
growth,
the
entire
world
will
beneDit
and
Bhutan
will

more
likely
attract
the
right
kind
of
customer.

And
that
is
why
you
must
also
“walk
the
talk”
as
we
say
in
the
west.

We
know
you
care
about
your

country
and
your
environment
but
this
has
to
become
a
priority.
Tourism
operators
must
become

champions
for
good
environmental
practice
–
don’t
allow
litter,
especially
plastic
to
spoil
your

view.

As
demand
for
energy
increases,
invest
in
alternative
sources.
There’s
no
reason
why
all

your
tour
buses
can’t
be
“green”
and
your
hotels
produce
zero
waste
and
grow
more
of
their
own

food.

(Postscript
–
since
preparing
this
speech,
I
have
been
introduced
to
the
pioneering
work

undertaken
by
the
Yangphei
Adventure
Travel
and
the
Zhiwa
Ling
Hotel
in
Bhutan.
Without
a
doubt,

this
is
some
of
the
most
exciting
work
undertaken
by
a
tourism
company
ever
seen.
It
encapsulates

the
essence
of
what
it
means
to
be
a
Conscious
Host.9 )

The
world
needs
to
hear
more
about
the
concept
of
Gross
National
Happiness
and
there
is
a

growing
appetite
for
it.
In
fact,
you
will
have
more
success
attracting
conscious
travelers
and

Dilling
your
hotels
with
high
yield
guests
by
talking
about
that
in
the
right
circles
and
through
the

right
channels.
It’s
a
supplementary

approach
to
attending
tourism
trade
shows

and
working

through
the
trade
but
one
I
am
sure
will
work
if
thought
through
and
executed
properly.

SHIFT
FROM
PRICE
TO
VALUE
Let’s
get
out
from
behind
our
computers
and
put
less
time
into
spreadsheets
and
complex
yield

management
algorithms
and
more
time
into
designing
place-‐related
experiences
that
WOW;
that

fulDill
and
transform
a
market
weary
of
sameness
and
insincerity;
that
rejuvenate,
inspire
and

make
what
was
broken
whole
again;
and
that
rekindle
a
sense
of
awe
and
wonder
that
the
place

deserves.

Let’s
give
our
left
brains
a
rest
and
get
creative
–
how
can
a
visit
to
my
Place
(not
just
my

establishment)
stimulate
all
aspects
of
a
guests’
being
–
body,
mind,
emotions
and
spirit?
Note;
it

is
Bhutan’s
willingness
to
talk
about
and
focus
on
spiritual
fulDillment
that
is
its
true
point
of

difference.

How
can
we
design
and
deliver
multi
sensory
experiences
that
reconnect
people
with
the
earth

through
touch,
taste,
smell,
sound,
and
design?

How
can
we
bring
everyone
in
the
community
along
and
enable
them
to
share
their
love
for
and

knowledge
of
our
place
using
poetry,
Dilm,
prose,
music,
dance,
cuisine,
arts
and
crafts?

How
can
we
be
more
effective
in
supporting
our
guests
get
the
information
they
need
to
really

enjoy
their
experience
and
leave
wanting
more.
For
the
aim
has
to
be
to
slow
these
guests
down

and
help
them
savour
their
experience
.

17

Because
I
am
convinced
that
if
you
focus
on
these
things
as
a
community
and
not
on
the

percentage
point
decline
in
your
ADR,
the
value
will
rise.
It
won’t
happen
overnight
but
you
will
be

back
in
control.

FROM
VOLUME
TO
VALUE,
FROM
QUANTITY
TO
QUALITY
Perhaps
the
simplest
thing
any
destination
could
do,
is
change
what
it
measures.
Because
what
we

measure
causes
us
to
focus
our
energy.

We
have
to
re-deUine
success
from
the
volume
of
trips

to
the
net
beneUit–
the
income
from
visitors
less
the
total
cost
of
accommodating
them
times
the

level
of
social
beneDit.
Now
I
recognize
that
isn’t
easy
but
until
we
try,
we
will
lose
credibility.
In

the
meantime,
brainwash
our
politicians
and
discipline
ourselves
to
at
least
count
revenue
per

tourist
and
try
and
grow
that
and
not
foot
count
by
5%
per
annum!

And
secondly,
take
a
leaf
out
of
de
Beers
book
–
de
Beers
is
a
highly
successful
Dirm
that
makes
and

sells
diamonds.
Limit
supply!
You
wouldn’t
let
a
doctor
practice
medicine
in
your
community

without
a
licence.
Don’t
let
people
build
hotels
or
open
up
inbound
tour
operations
without
a

licence
and
can
demonstrate
their
values
are
in
alignment
with
those
of
the
community
as
a
whole

and
they
know
what
they
are
doing.

In
conclusion,
we,
your
guests
and

delegates
to
this
PATA
event,

have
been
privileged
to

experience
Bhutan
at
this
sensitive
stage
in
its
development.
It
feels

like
time
travel.
Bhutan

reminds
me
of
the
Bali
I
visited
in
1973
but
which
is
lost
in
that
innocent
form.
You
have
the

chance
to
learn
from
the
mistakes
of
others
and
polish
your
jewel
for
all
to
see
shining
while

contributing
to
happiness
in
Bhutan
and
inspiring
others
elsewhere.

The
tourism
community
needs
you
as
a
beacon
of
hope
and
there
are
many
in
this
room
who

would
love
to
help
and
support
you.
Unlike
the
banks
of
the
western
world
who
consider

themselves
too
big
to
fail,

Bhutan
is
simply
too
precious
to
fail!

Thank
You
Anna
Pollock
February
4th,
2012.

18

About
the
Author
and
Conscious
Travel
Anna
Pollock
is
CEO
of
a
consultancy,
DestiCorp

UK,
and
founder
of
Conscious
Travel
–
an

enterprise
designed
to
help
travel
providers
become
Conscious
Hosts
and,
thereby,
attract

Conscious
Travellers
who,
together,
can
create
a
viable
version
of
tourism
that
is
“environmentally

sustainable,
socially
just
and
spiritually
fulDilling.”

She
is
currently
developing
an
e-‐learning
program
(a
series
of
webinars
and
workbooks)
to
enable

operators
of
small
tourism
businesses
shift
their
perspective
and
adopt
practices
that
will
assure

their
Dinancial
viability.

The
program
is
based
on
the
assumption
that
Conscious
Travelers,
who
will
generate
the
greatest

yield
at
least
cost,
will
be
attracted
to
Conscious
Hosts.
The
program
is
designed
to
help
tourism

operators
wake
up
and
become
aware
and
alert,
mindful
of
the
changing
needs
of
their
customers

and
able
to
operate
a
Dinancially
sustainable
business
that
is
resilient
to
external
shocks
and
that

maximizes
net
returns
to
all
participants.

As
illustrated
below,
it’s
a
ten
step
program
based
on
addressing
ten
questions.
The
objective
is
to

build
the
inner
capacity
of
hosts
to
respond
to
change
and
work
collaboratively
in
communities
to

realise
greater
net
beneDit
from
the
tourism
economy.

1. MINDSET
-‐
How
do
you
see
the
world?
What
assumptions
are
your
actions
based
upon?

Are
they
working?
How
might
you
change
them?

2. BUSINESS
CONTEXT
-‐
How
is
Tourism
and
the
Business
Enviirnment
Changing
and
what

do
you
need
to
know
about
these
changes?
3. VALUES

&
PURPOSE
-‐
What
values

drive
your
approach
to
business
and
what
is
your

deeper
purpose
that
might
attract
the
right
employee
and
ideal
customer?
4. CULTURE
&
BRAND
-‐
What
is
your
corporate
personality
and
how
might
this
be
reDlected

in
your
operations
and
communications?

5. IDEAL
CUSTOMER
-‐
Who
is
your
ideal
customer,
what
do
they
seek?
How
do
your
Dinds

and
appeal
to
them?

19

6. ATTRACTING
&
ENGAGING
EMPLOYEES
&
SUPPLIERS
-‐Who
is
your
ideal
employee

and
supplier?
How
do
you
attract
them
and
align
them
around
your
core
values,
culture

and
personality?

7. STEWARDING
&
EXPRESSING
PLACE
What’s
so
special
about
your
place?
What
makes

your
destination
unique?
How
can
you
show
you
care
about
it?
What
are
the
essential

aspects
of
environmental
responsibility
that
you
must
adopt?
How
can
you
show
you
care

about
the
unique
culture
of
your
place?

8. EXPERIENCE
DESIGN
-‐
How
do
you
design
your
guests
experience
so
that
they
stay
long,

savour
and
spend
more
and
become
enthusiastic
advocates?
9. SOCIAL
MARKETING
-‐

How
do
you
attract,
engage,
retain
and
inspire
the
right

customers
using
the
tools
and
channels
relevant
to
them?

10. ON
BECOMING
A
CHANGE
AGENT
-‐

How
do
you
become
a
community
change
agent

who
develops
more
Conscious
Hosts
in
and
Conscious
Travelers
to
your
destination?

Contact
Information
Website:
www.conscioustourism.wordpress.com
Email:
theconscioushost@gmail.com

Linked
in:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/annapollock

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/conscioustravel
Twitter:
@conscioushost
Skype:
PembridgeAnna

20

21

1 Source: The Final Call, In Search of the True Cost of Our Holidays, Leo Hickman, 2007,

Eden Project Books, available here.
2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatility,_uncertainty,_complexity_and_ambiguity

3 For Dr. Butler’s recent views on Tourism Area Life Cycles, download a excellent summary

here
4 I am
grateful
to
Carlos
Christ,
the
keynote
speaker
at
the
end
of
the
day,
for

offering
this
explanation
as
to
where
the
term
“tourism
industry”
was
derived.
5 http://www.oneplanetliving.org/index.html

6
I
am
indebted
to
Richard
Barrett,
founder
of
the
Values
Center
and
author
of
the

New
Leadership
Paradigm
for
these
two
slides.
Richard
and
his
colleagues
have

developed
an
effective
methodology
for
measuring
the
values
held
by
companies

and
countries
that
is
directly
relevant
to
the
travel
community.

7
See
Conscious
Travel
blog
post
“Screw
Tourism
As
Usual”

8
For
thoughts
on
the
deeper
purpose
or
cause
of
tourism,
your
might
enjoy

Tourism
What’s
the
Point?
9
To
see
a
Conscious
Host
in
action,
please
read
http://www.zhiwaling.com/

index.php/gnhinbusiness/

22

High Value Tourism Low Volume Footprints

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