The official e-journal of the Tourism Society
FEBRUARY 2022, ISSUE 16
FEBRUARY 2022, ISSUE 16
The official e-journal of the Tourism Society
WHAT'S INSIDE THIS ISSUE: LORD THURSO - A PRESIDENT'S VIEW
ALEC
CURRY
-
PROTECTING
THE
PLANET
THROUGH CHILDREN'S LITERARY TOURISM DR
PETER
ROBINSON
PAPPALEPORE DEBATE:
-
AND
CALLING
SOLUTIONS
DR
TIME
FOR
ILARIA ON
THE
SHAON
TALUKDER
-
SENIOR
INDUSTRY
AND
"FIREFIGHTING" INSTEAD OF INNOVATING OUT
ACADEMIA TO WORK TOGETHER: PART II
OF THE CRISIS
GRAHAM DONOGHUE - MAKING A DIFFERENCE
OBITUARY - DAVID JEFFRIES OBE
ALISON BURGH - A STRUCTURED FIRST STEP
ALISON CRYER - ADRESSABLE TV
LEADERS
FOR BETTER TOURISM AND GLOBAL VISBILITY ALAN MACHIN - A CAREER IN TOURISM DR J. PATRICK GREENE - COVID FROM AN IRISH PERSPECTIVE FIONA
ANDERSON
-
HOW
TOURISM
ORGANISATIONS CAN BENEFIT FROM A MORE DIVERSE
APPROACH
TO
HIRING
AND
MARKETING TOM BUNCLE - TRAVEL IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD: WHAT WILL THE 'NEW NORMAL' LOOK LIKE? PART I
FEBRUARY 2022, ISSUE 16
The official e-journal of the Tourism Society
EDITOR'S NOTES Now that we have entered a new phase for rethinking
redeveloping tourism strategies; Dr Patrick Greene
how we can manage tourism in the post pandemic
describes how the Irish emigration Museum is coping
period; the focus seems to be on “living with the
with the welcoming back of visitors while also acting
pandemic” which ultimately puts the onus on the
with
practitioner as well as the authorities to ensure that
importance of the open mindedness in hiring and
Health and Safety regulations and protocols are adhered
marketing, confirming that trends are changing fast; in
to ensure that there is no danger of any virus
the first part of his article, Tom Buncle, writes about
threatening the client’s or visitor’s wellbeing.
what tourism will be like when we finally come to grips with
In
this
journal
we
have
included
a
number
caution;
“living
Fiona
with
Anderson
the
writes
pandemic”
and
about
the
delivering
of
professional hospitality and service to our visitors; while
contributions on the management, development and
Alec Curry looks at the importance of innovation in
implementation of a tourism activity that looks at adding
developing visitor experiences from children’s literature
value to the visitors’ experience but also has to be wary
on the other hand Shaon Talukder states how important
of their wellbeing.
it is that we all use the ability to innovate, to create new experiences, to add value rather than simply firefight.
The article by our President John Thurso looks forward to a well-paced development of tourism; the article by
I really do hope that you enjoy reading these articles as
Dr Peter Robinson and Dr Ilaria Pappalepore (Part II)
much as I have; I look forward to receiving your
looks at the importance of bridging the gap between
comments, opinions and even other contributions from
academia and the industry to develop policies and
all of you – this is what makes our journal so valuable
strategies that are based on in-depth research rather
and useful to us all.
than simply quantitative and historical data; Graham Donoghue explains how Sykes Cottages have taken this
Take care
opportunity to rethink their strategy and policy; in her article, Alison Burgh talks about Regenerative Tourism
Dr Julian Zarb
rather than sustainable tourism – using the concept of
Editor and Board Member
FEBRUARY 2022, ISSUE 16
A PRESIDENT'S VIEW By Lord Thurso FTS
in a special cottage or wonderful hotel, and above all enjoying lovely people who want to look after you is true luxury. The visitor economy is an important contributor to the Scottish economy but like any economic activity it should create
the
most
wealth
for
the
least
social
and
environmental cost; and it is major force for good. It creates jobs. It supports rural communities. It is a showcase for Scotland. It also helps create a sense of wellbeing. We all need to get away from time to time and refresh ourselves. The ability to enjoy a stay somewhere and leave the in tray and I phone behind, to enjoy a city if you live in a remote area or a rural retreat if home is the city. At
the
heart
of
VisitScotland’s
strategy
to
2030
published last year is Responsible Tourism which promotes sustainability both in terms of the environment and host communities. To give that real effect will require a shift in both emphasis for marketing and So much of 21st century life is about speed. Fast
product development. Already providers are responding
internet, fast travel, fast food, to name but three. But
with new offerings and a greater emphasis on place and
when it comes to tourism speed is not of the essence.
people. We know from research that the post millennials
Prior to the 1960s travel was largely for the leisurely
want sustainable tourism and will pay for it. We also
well off. The arrival of wide bodied jets, paid holidays
know they want experiences and they want to share
and package deals brought the arrival of fast and mass
them. So put all that together and the case for slow
travel. We all remember the cartoon of the bloke getting
tourism becomes compelling and profitable.
off a coach saying “if its Tuesday it must be Frankfurt”. The habit has stuck with many UK post lockdown holidays being a series of one night stands and days spent driving from one place to another. There is another way – Slow Tourism. It is based on the concept of minimising the travel part of the holiday, and thus the carbon emissions, by traveling to one place and then staying there and enjoying it. Apart from the obvious environmental benefit it also brings a societal one. Communities warm to visitors who come and stay in their midst and get to know them rather more than they do the car load that stops for a couple of quick snaps or a fast lunch before zooming off. It also helps to maximise the economic benefits of the visitor economy as a force for good. Slow Tourism like slow cooking is about richness of flavour. The three great luxuries in life are time, space, and human contact. Because modern living is time poor in cramped spaces and often without dealing with a human being, the perfect antidote is slow tourism. Taking the time to enjoy where you are, spending time
FEBRUARY 2022, ISSUE 16
CALLING TIME ON THE
the impact of their work.
DEBATE: SOLUTIONS FOR
Research topics: here the mismatch is often caused by
INDUSTRY AND ACADEMIA
the perception that academic research does not have a
TO WORK TOGETHER:
largely driven by commercial objectives. Much research
PART II
academia and rarely shared with industry – it would be
misconceptions on both sides of the debate: on one hand, use in everyday life, and on the other, that industry is on
sustainability,
for
example,
is
conducted
within
impossible to quantify the value of knowledge that has been lost to industry over the last three decades. The
By Dr Peter Robinson FTS TCN and Dr Ilaria Pappalepore
solution might seem obvious – presenting the research outcomes
Why aren’t we all doing this together then?
at
publications.
industry Our
several
conferences
workshop tales
of
and
in
trade
participants
however
proposed
research
Of course, it is easy to place the blame for this situation
recounted
at the door of those in industry who appear disinterested.
collaborations, as well as conference presentations and
The problem is much more complex.
industry articles that would have direct relevance to the sector but were declined by industry actors and/or
At the 2019 ATHE annual conference we ran two
conference organisers and publishers. Both sides of the
insightful roundtables on the subject of the ‘industry-
workshop debate - industry and academia – called for
research gap’, attended by both academic and industry
action to change the perceptions of those gatekeepers.
participants. There was a general agreement that there is often a mismatch between the research interests and
Reputation: There are many commercial consultancies
objectives
an
competing for projects. One reason cited by an industry
acknowledgement on both sides that this leads to missed
workshop participant for choosing a business consultancy
opportunities at both ends.
firm rather than a University partner was not about cost
of
academics
and
industry,
and
or language but rather the perceived reputation of the Several reasons for this gap were suggested, which are
supplier’s experience – which assumes that a) academics
summarised below:
have no real-world experience to apply and b) that academic institutions need to establish a reputation for
Language: the language of academic journal articles
work on a non-academic context. But both of these are
tends to be inaccessible to non-academic audiences and
perceptions rather than realities: many academics come
puts off industry users. Yet academic journals are still the
from an industry background. A good number have
preferred channel to disseminate research findings, due
worked as consultants. To suggest otherwise perpetuates
to peer-review requirements as well as key performance
a myth which is disingenuous to many people working in
indicators for academics. Some useful new means of
UK Universities.
communicating
research
findings,
such
as
The
Conversation, have contributed to making academic
Commercial Realities: Perhaps these are the biggest
research more accessible in recent years.
challenges: where commercial consultancies can quickly draw on freelance staff and internal capacity, HEIs are
There are opportunities to turn this challenge on its head
often less resource rich, and it takes time to find and
– outcomes from industry research can be subsequently
deploy capacity to projects which require a quick
turned into journal articles – thus the starting point is the
turnaround. Off-the-shelf research opportunities such as
collaboration, not the research output. If those research
funded PhDs take time to deliver results. Industry is rarely
outputs have an outlet through channels which industry
able to wait three years for research outputs to resolve
does value, and as a consequence influence practice or
immediate strategic challenges. But there are models –
policy, then there are also opportunities to illustrate the
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) for example –
impact of research. This also provides academics with an
which add real value to businesses, providing access to
opportunity to respond to industry, to produce more
research through the graduate and the academic engaged
accessible industry-facing outputs, to still produce the
in the project.
all-important peer-reviewed paper, and to also measure
FEBRUARY 2022, ISSUE 16
MAKING A DIFFERENCE By Graham Donoghue CTS, CEO, Sykes Cottages At Sykes Holiday Cottages, we’ve been working to make a difference for years but we want to do more. We already provide millions of holidaymakers with their dream holidays and happy memories that will last a lifetime. But we also want to look at how we can do more to make a positive social and environmental impact.
a simple solution that will ensure that every business in the UK takes responsibility for its social and environmental impact. The business-led campaign is driven by leaders who recognise that the law has fallen behind business culture. Sykes Holiday Cottages have signed up to support this
campaign,
joining
hundreds
of
like-minded
businesses. We also need to support local initiatives. Last year, we became a founding member of Cheshire for Good, a business community set up to help organisations increase the positive impact of their business for both people and the planet. Cheshire for Good was launched by Donna Okell with the aims of making Cheshire the most responsible business county in the UK. Through this organisation,
we’re
working
with
other
like-minded
organisations in Cheshire to share our experiences and learnings from our journey to becoming a responsible business. Being a force for good has always been important to us and we’re committed to doing whatever it takes to be better as a business and protect our planet. Finally, the highest standard of social and environmental This year we’ve introduced an Impact Pillar and Profit with Purpose strategy to ensure that as a business, we’re committed to making a positive impact for our people, community and the planet. We have four pledges that we’re working on which will engage with teams across the business, as well as our customers and holiday home owners. We want to: Plant 1 million trees by 2024, working with planting partners to protect habitats and biodiversity Inspire and enable 100% of the Sykes Family to take part in volunteering every year as part of paid leave Become a carbon neutral business by 2024 Enable 1,000 disadvantage families to go on holiday every year. We want to make a difference to families going through tough times, working with specialist partners and our holiday home owners to make this happen. Our impact on people and the planet is as important to us as shareholder profit. We’ve introduced new ways of working to make a positive social and environmental impact and do our bit to create a cleaner, greener, fairer future for all. One way in which we can all help to do this is to sign up to support the Better Business Act. The Better Business Act will amend section 172 of The Companies Act and is
impact that a business can have, and something that we would encourage every business to work towards, is a B Corp Certification. This is an accreditation that a business is meeting high standards of verified environmental performance, transparency and accountability. Sykes are committed to working towards this certification and becoming a leader in the movement for economic systems change. We’re looking forward to working to join the ranks of such inspirational businesses paving the way for a new way of doing things.
FEBRUARY 2022, ISSUE 16
A STRUCTURED FIRST STEP
programme allows destinations to evaluate their current
FOR BETTER TOURISM AND
performance and share some of their projects and
GLOBAL VISBILITY
inspiring examples to other destinations but also tour
performance
against
the
basics
of
sustainability
initiatives in sustainable destination management as operators and visitors. The program takes place in 2 steps:
By Alison Burgh FTS, Director, Acorn Tourism Consulting
-STEP 1: Sustainability Check
Sustainable, regenerative, transformative tourism are all important concepts but can feel like trends. We hear “It’s
Participants are invited to self-report on the Core Criteria
not about sustainable tourism anymore, it’s all about
of the Green Destinations Standard, recognised by the
regenerative tourism today”, as if sustainability is now
Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). They are
has-been
provided with extensive guidance and training on these 30
or
that
its
only
about
environmental
sustainability.
criteria to provide them with the tools for a high-quality submission but also implementing follow-up actions to
Maybe we need reminding that sustainable tourism, as
improve where needed.
defined by the UNWTO, is "Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and
First year participants are asked to self-report on 15
environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors,
criteria. Second year participants will have to self-report
the industry, the environment and host communities". Or
on all 30.
maybe it’s just easier to focus on one element. Submissions are evaluated by two trained Top 100 Sustainable destination management is not easy to
evaluators, and participants are required to achieve at
deliver and creates many challenges. Achieving Net Zero,
least 60% compliance before being invited to STEP 2.
becoming Nature-Positive, supporting local businesses through the pandemic and on their journey towards
-STEP 2: Good Practice Story
sustainability; destination managers have a lot on their plate and all these goals can seem daunting. It is
Green Destinations provides a template and training to
therefore important to focus on a structured approach to
write the best Good Practice Story. Participants are also
sustainable destination management. Before focusing on
invited to training sessions on storytelling, how it can play
regenerative or transformative tourism, let’s first focus on
a role in achieving sustainability goals and its importance
the basics. For example: does the destination have a
in tourism.
sustainability coordinator or team? Does it have a destination
management
sustainable
issues:
plan
economic,
that
considers
key
Good Practice Stories need to be submitted within one of
cultural
and
the categories available and can go on to compete for the
social,
environmental?
Green Destination Story Award – awarded every year at ITB Berlin to the best stories from the Top 100 list. They
At
Acorn
Tourism,
destination
can recount any project or initiative that has taken place
managers in the UK, Africa, the Middle East and South
within the destination (public or private sector initiative) to
America who are all facing the challenge of how to
find a solution to a particular challenge the destination
provide leadership in managing their destination more
was facing.
sustainably. roadmap,
We’ve
based
on
we’re
found a
working
that
globally
with
having
a
structured
recognised
set
of
Each story is evaluated by 2 trained evaluators. The 100
sustainability criteria, and some initial quick wins, has
best stories are selected for the annual Top 100 list and
provided them with clear guidance on how to focus their
actively
resources.
channels and partner organisations’ – tour operators,
promoted
through
the
Green
Destinations
NGOs, press, visitor guides, etc. The Green Destinations Top 100 Stories is a competition that was launched in 2014 by the Green Destinations
To find out if the Green Destinations Top 100 could help
Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation for sustainable
your destination promote its good practices and start the
destination
journey to being a more sustainable destination see the
development
and
recognition
and
supported by the Future of Tourism Coalition. This
is
Green Destinations Call for Applications.
FEBRUARY 2022, ISSUE 16
COVID FROM AN IRISH
increasing numbers from overseas. That is a critical
PERSPECTIVE
of tourism business and that is going to take time to grow.
indicator as Ireland relies on visitors from abroad for 75% With 100 million euros in support, airlines have reopened nearly 90% of routes to and from Ireland compared to pre-
By Dr J. Patrick Greene FTS, CEO and Museum Director, EPIC the Irish Emigration Museum
COVID levels. Government support has been crucial in keeping tourism
In June 2021 I wrote in an article for the Tourism Society
businesses alive- in particular the Employment Wage
Journal in which I reported that the Irish government had
Subsidy Scheme and the COVID Restrictions Support
relaxed pandemic control measures that would enable
Scheme. These are now being gradually unwound and
attractions to open after a number of periods of lockdown.
there is no doubt that many challenges remain.
A series of restrictions, such as mask wearing and social
pandemic has resulted in loss of life, anxiety and
distancing
were
depression in many people. Cultural attractions become
understandable and sensible. Hospitality venues such as
especially valued by the public under those circumstances.
restaurants and pubs continued to be limited, however, by
One good thing to have come out of the pandemic is a
the mandate that they close at 8 pm. That order made
transformed
EPIC’s event business unviable but to our relief, it was
significance of tourism for the entire country. Many
rescinded in January 2022. Now we have the prospect of
attractions from all across Ireland have benefited from
recovery after two years of disruption. A welcome
investment by Fáilte Ireland, the Irish tourism development
announcement is that the St Patrick’s parade and festival
organisation, using four experience brands: Ireland’s
will return on March 17th. Its cancellation in March 2020,
Hidden Heartlands, Ireland’s Ancient East, Dublin, and the
just a handful of days after the grim announcement of the
Wild Atlantic Way. The latter begins in County Donegal
first lockdown, was one of the first indicators that Ireland
and follows the coast for 2,500 km down the western
was battling a global pandemic.
coast to Cork in the south. It has proved an outstanding
stayed
in
place,
all
of
which
appreciation
by
government
of
The
the
success since its launch. EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum was named Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction for the third year running in the World Travel Awards. That has proved a valuable endorsement as we rebuild our business for 2022.
Photo credit: www.irelandscontentpool.com and Tourism Ireland
So what of the future? Participants at a recent webinar organised by AVEA (Ireland’s Association of Visitor Experiences and Attractions) were asked to indicate how they felt about prospects for 2022. 90% said they were optimistic or cautiously optimistic. There is a feeling that things are getting better. At EPIC we have seen a sudden surge in enquiries about events after a long time in which there was nothing. Parties of school students, including some from continental Europe, are starting to return. General visitors are predominantly domestic but with
Photo credit: www.irelandscontentpool.com and Tourism Ireland
FEBRUARY 2022, ISSUE 16
HOW TOURISM
research to provide insights into the experiences and
ORGANISATIONS CAN
found that most respondents felt underrepresented in
BENEFIT FROM A MORE
avid passion for travel. Those surveyed were acutely
DIVERSE APPROACH TO
are occupied by persons of colour.
HIRING AND MARKETING
Our industry therefore needs to evolve and proactively
preferences of black and minority ethnic travellers. They travel communications at home and abroad, despite an aware that very few senior positions in the travel industry
recruit and retain talent from diverse communities. By recruiting from a wider range of backgrounds, travel
By Fiona Anderson FTS, Director, GEC PR
brands can gain greater diversity of thought, less uniform thinking, and a team that better understands the needs of
In 2022, British travel firms would do well to follow recent data and focus on greater diversity across both recruitment and marketing.
a wider customer base. Similarly, to appeal to a greater range of holidaymakers, marketing should reflect them in messaging and imagery. Whether you have an in-house team or agency managing your PR and marketing, be sure that your communications team understands the target audiences and engages with them.
Just
incorporating
diverse
images
into
your
marketing lacks authenticity - and is a sure-fire way to result in tone-deaf marketing that could tarnish or ruin your brand’s reputation and damage sales. Among the many recommendations of the pioneering University of Surrey study (and you can access the executive
summary
for
free
here:
https://www.womenintravelcic.com/productcategory/digital-edition/ ) was that travel businesses must work harder to embrace a culture of diversity and inclusion. UK travel organisations cannot afford to ignore the diversity data. The research makes pretty clear that diversity is not a ‘trend’, but very much part of modern British life. Diversity of travel marketing and recruitment is The data has not always been available to inform the need for diversity across the UK travel industry, but recent research by academics, dynamic travel brands and professional services firms is changing that. The UK is a diverse nation, with some 14% of the population identifying as black or minority ethnic. Yet a 2020 PwC travel trade study stated that only 1 in 33 leaders in the travel, hospitality or leisure industry identify as from these communities. In Summer 2021, the University of Surrey School of Hospitality and Tourism Management partnered with the social enterprise Women in Travel CIC to conduct
vital, and is well and truly here to stay.
FEBRUARY 2022, ISSUE 16
TRAVEL IN A POST-
Some Things Don’t Change
PANDEMIC WORLD: WHAT
While our motivation for travel will remain the same, the way we travel will change.
WILL THE 'NEW NORMAL'
So, what might remain constant?
LOOK LIKE? PART I
Reasons to leave home will persist. We will still be motivated to get away, escape the frenetic everyday,
By Tom Buncle FTS TCN, MD, Yellow Railroad
relax, recharge our emotional batteries, reconnect with loved ones, experience adventure, inhale culture, watch wildlife, pursue hobbies, learn new skills, catch some rays, hang out with friends, and just be somewhere different for a while. This is good news for the marketing guys, because they can still appeal to the same motivations as before, according to different segments. They may need to sharpen the message when appealing to the FOMOs (fear of missing out), YOLOs (you only live once), SLOMOs (slow motion travel), and BLISTOs (bucket list ticker-offers). But this is essentially a creative challenge; it does not require a fundamental reevaluation of what makes people tick. And, of course, they can largely ignore the FOGOs (fear of going out).
Misguided Assumption
What Then Might Change?
The phrase ‘new normal’ entered our lexicon during the
There is hardly a soul worldwide the pandemic has not
pandemic,
wisdom.
touched in some way, whether directly in terms of illness
Understandably, businesses and destinations want to
or loss, or indirectly in terms of precautions and
get an idea of when they might return to healthy trading.
restrictions.
But just what was the previous ‘normal’? And what
psychological impact on how people approach travel, at
might a future ‘normal’ look like?
least for a while. I foresee a residual concern with safety,
more
out
of
desperation
than
This
is
likely
to
exert
an
enduring
hygiene, security, and health, which is likely to last over I am allergic to this phrase, much loved by the media,
at least the next one to two years. And this is likely to
because of its oversimplification of the glorious diversity
influence our attitudes to where we go, how we travel,
of humanity. More appropriate to describing a setting on
and what we expect when we get there.
the washing machine than complex patterns of human behaviour, ‘normal’ implies a homogeneity that doesn’t exist. I like to think I speak for more than just myself when I say none of us is normal. To suggest we are defies the marvellous differences between people, which make us think, see, and do things differently – a hotchpotch of values, attitudes, and travel motivation, which we marketing types try to make sense of through market segmentation. So, rather than answer such a question as if we were a homogenous species, I think it more instructive to look at what might stay the same and what might be different, as we emerge blinking into the sunlight of a postpandemic planet.
FEBRUARY 2022, ISSUE 16
PROTECTING THE PLANET
The research revealed that children’s literary tourism is an
THROUGH CHILDREN'S
imagination. Visitors to a literary tourism site layer the
LITERARY TOURISM
doing so give the landscape new meaning. The emotional
emotional experience characterised by interactive play and imaginative world of the text onto a real landscape and in connection that readers feel with the text is translated to
By Alec Curry MTS, Masters Graduate, Leeds Beckett University
an emotional connection to the landscape. Visitors then interact with the landscape by re-enacting scenes or holding soft toys of favourite characters (curiously, adults
The growing scale and urgency of climate change means
as well as children exhibit this behaviour!).
that as tourism practitioners we need to find ever more industry’s
As for environmental values, the same processes found in
environmental objectives. Our societies are well informed
children’s literary tourism – meaning, emotion, knowledge,
on what pro-environmental actions are required, and yet
and interactive play – are in fact all key elements of
there seems to be a disconnect between what we know
effective environmental education too. These striking
and how we behave.
parallels suggest that children’s literary tourism may
imaginative
ways
of
achieving
our
indeed be an effective tool in environmental education. However, appropriate design of an interpretive trail is key. Recommendations for practitioners include drawing on the cultural values of nature to foster a meaningful connection, harnessing
the
affective
capabilities
of
interactive
experiences and providing tools for visitors that extend the learning experience off-site. Of course, the link between literary tourism and the natural world is not new. In the Lake District, the Romantic poets of the early 19th century transformed the human view of the wilderness as something to be feared into something to be cherished, and in doing so spurred a tourism industry which in turn cemented this new worldview. Thus, if literary tourism effected a change in The research project I undertook in 2021 as a student on
the human relationship with nature before, perhaps it can
the MSc Responsible Tourism Management course at
do so again?
Leeds Beckett University looked at the role that cultural heritage
might
play
in
bridging
the
gap
between
knowledge and behaviour. The area of cultural heritage I chose to explore was children’s literature. Children’s literary tourism is an under-researched area, but there are many examples in the UK, ranging from Winnie the Pooh in the Ashdown Forest to Beatrix Potter in the Lake District. The research question asked how an interpretive trail based on children’s literary tourism may foster proenvironmental behaviours among tourists. Speaking to a number
of
environmental
educators,
heritage
practitioners and nature trail managers, the research was carried out in reference to my chosen case study: The Wind in the Willows. Published in 1908, this children’s classic written by Kenneth Grahame is well-known for its affectionate portrayal of the English countryside, home to Mole, Rat, Toad and Badger.
FEBRUARY 2022, ISSUE 16
SENIOR LEADERS
realise they could do from the comfort of their sofa is
"FIREFIGHTING" INSTEAD
an opportunity to leverage technology to drive footfall
going to be tougher than ever before. However, there is back to the physical locations – but only if prioritised.
OF INNOVATING OUT OF
The Digital Agenda
THE CRISIS
According to the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s
By Shaon Talukder CTS, CEO, Geotourist There’s no doubt about it – Covid-19 has changed the world forever. Technology drove the response to the pandemic at such velocity that it’s only now we’re able to measure & assess its impact. In some regards, not much has changed – the visitor agenda remains the same as it was pre-pandemic. People want roughly the same things from their visitor experience, but it’s not clear quite yet whether or not that includes physically being present.
recently
published
Digital
Attitudes
and
Skills
for
Heritage (DASH) survey, there is progress in the 12 months since the first survey. Confidence increased towards digital adoption internally to connect colleagues, but putting the “digital agenda” front and centre of the heritage sector for visitors is still limited. And what of tourism and, in particular, destination management? Where Is the Blockage? The DASH report asserts that leaders are ‘firefighting’ being in survival-mode rather than thriving. Much of their headspace is occupied with questions of funding and fulfilling day-to-day tasks. It seems that there’s no time to dream, to innovate and to digitally progress. Obviously operations occupy the lion’s share of digital focus, but those same principles apply to visitors meaning the opportunity to engage and connect with the new audiences developed during lockdown is slipping away. Easy Technology Drives Innovation The pandemic highlighted that technology can be easy and even seamless sometimes. Processes carefully tucked behind smooth UX, while users simply enjoy the experience. This equally applies to the teams tasked with innovating. Gone are the days when technological
Exit Through the Gift Shop? Possibly not. When our grim reality meant places were physically out of reach, it turns out that we virtually had the world at our fingertips. People turned to art and culture as an escape, to help with home-schooling and to make virtual visits that they’d never quite gotten round to IRL. For museums, heritage, music, culture and destinations, getting people to leave their homes to do what they
specs had to be translated by “tech-savvy” colleagues in order to sign on the dotted line. Off-the-shelf solutions now exist with tourism-DNA at their core, while digital disruption means they are more financially accessible than ever.
FEBRUARY 2022, ISSUE 16
OBITUARY
Other
DAVID JEFFRIES OBE
and thus a new trend took root. Meanwhile, David Jeffries
By David Jeffries' Family
information centres, hotel classification schemes and the
hotel
groups
and
several
holiday
operating
companies followed suit and launched their own products, also engaged with colleagues in the launch of tourist
Tourism pioneer and former Tourism Society chairman David Jeffries OBE has died at the age of 90. As a result of a series of marketing campaigns he originated at the English Tourist Board (ETB) in 1973-1985, weekends away became commonplace. This earned him the title “Father of the Short Break” among tourism professionals. However, this was just one feature of a long and distinguished career that spanned the British Tourist Authority, ETB, academia and consultancy. “Tourism has lost one of its outstanding leaders”, commented Michael Glen FTS.
Tudor rose symbol in English accommodation. William (Bill) Burnett MBE remembers meeting him when hovercraft services had just started from Margate to Boulogne. He enjoyed his company, and recalls a kind, thoughtful man with a good sense of humour and an amusing habit of unwinding paper clips. “On one overseas trip I jokingly suggested he should buy them duty free!” he said. David Jeffries career was firmly rooted in research. “He was a friendly, erudite man”, said Tom Buncle FTS. He enjoyed
concepts,
creativity
and
making
previously
overlooked connections. In his later career as Professor of Tourism at the University of Strathclyde, and Visiting Professor at Surrey and City Universities, he developed a framework for defining the tourism product. He first expressed a need for a definition in a paper to the British Travel Association in 1968, and it has been much debated since. In the last decade of his career, David Jeffries advised the European Commission and numerous governments of The first in his family to attend university, his degree in
developing countries, such as Nicaragua, Senegal and
modern (Hispanic) languages from Sheffield University
Western
procured him a graduate post in 1955 at the British Travel
textbook published in 2001, Governments and Tourism.
Association
“His recognition of the indispensable role of government
(forerunner
Authority/VisitBritain).
For
to
the
British
the
next
few
Tourist
years,
Samoa.
This
experience
culminated
in
his
his
and the need for cooperation and coordination at all levels
responsibility was to guide overseas marketing activity by
is as sound today as when he put his authorship pen to
researching the markets for visits to Britain.
paper”,
said
Ken
Robinson
CBE
FTS.
He
will
be
remembered as a thought leader in the tourism industry, In 1965, he was appointed manager of the organisation’s
who viewed the role of government as indispensable and
Paris office where he initiated several schemes. One
advocated cooperation and coordination at all levels.
encouraged Parisians to take weekends away in London. Another built foundations for language school tourism. A third transformed the perception of Northern Ireland by national media in France. Shortly afterwards, he was awarded an OBE at the age of only 37. David Jeffries returned to London in 1970 as founding Marketing Director of the ETB. There he stayed 13 years, leading several different marketing initiatives. He used the experience gained in Paris to build the ‘Let’s Go’ scheme for weekends within England. Hotels had mainly been used by business travellers and had very low weekend occupancy. By the peak of the campaign, around 1,000 hotels had joined Let’s Go.
FEBRUARY 2022, ISSUE 16
ADRESSABLE TV
reduces the costs, making TV advertising possible for almost any business. Advertisers don’t have to track their audience by channel, time or programme; the ad
By Alison Cryer FTS, MD, Represenation Plus
only plays out when the pre-selected audience is watching, so every penny invested counts plus the
Addressable TV is the revolutionary targeted approach to
advertiser is only charged if 75% or more of the ad is
TV
viewed.
advertising
which
levels
the
playing
field,
so
businesses of all shapes and sizes can benefit from the unrivalled power of TV. With addressable TV different ads can be shown to different households watching the same programme. This means businesses can now advertise on 100’s of the nation’s channels, but only to the audience that matters to them.
Sky has also developed unique insight tools to help evidence the effectiveness of their campaigns and track ROI, all available to view via a self-serve reporting tool, allowing brands to plan and reactively adapt in realtime. Bringing together TV viewing and web tracking data, Web
Attribution
an
Five Years after its launch Sky published a white paper
interest,
HERE which delivers insights collated from five years of
consideration, and sales performance. Advertisers can
learnings into the UK addressable TV market through
measure the exact impact a campaign has in generating
their AdSmart technology. Data is obtained through Sky
interest and subsequent traffic to a brand’s website and
Media and third-party research partners BVA BDRC,
apps. Alternatively, an advertiser can track and get
Differentology and Affectiva including ground-breaking
reports on sales if they can share customer data from the
facial coding and emotion analytics. The paper also looks
start of a campaign until a relevant period post-campaign.
at the wide range of categories and brands that have
In both reports those households that are known to have
used AdSmart and over 3000 businesses who have used
been exposed to an ad and either visited a website or
TV for the first time. The paper also covers the
become customers can be recognised. Thereby adding in
expansion onto the Virgin platform meaning a 40%
real clarity on the performance of a campaign.
reach of UK households.
unprecedented
provides
picture
of
advertisers
how
TV
drives
with
Addressable TV campaigns increase purchase intent by 7% overall, and as much as 20% for new to TV advertisers who benefit from the exposure and credibility TV delivers. Because the ads are targeted, they’re relevant for the viewers resulting in a 48% reduction in channel switching and 35% ad engagement increase. Since its launch in 2014, AdSmart, Sky’s addressable TV solution has been able to provide engaging, brand-safe and more relevant TV campaigns. The unique platform allows advertisers to select households based on factors like age, location and affluence. Its precision radically
FEBRUARY 2022, ISSUE 16
A CAREER IN TOURISM
words and images. Experiential tourism is not the ‘next best thing’. It has always been the very essence of all tourism. But rebooting tourism post-lockdown will gain
By Alan Machin FTS
more favour if communities realise the strength of its
Lockdown has shown the importance of tourism in social and mental health terms. Tourism is escapist, but at the same time it is about engagement, with new surroundings, places and people.
social and cultural offer. I retired after a lifetime spent 50/50 between work in public sector tourism and then teaching about tourism in higher education. Most of the work in tourism was regeneration
related,
in
places
largely
new
to
the
business. Partnerships often meant arguing the case for tourism with those who were sceptical. Some dismissed it as a creator of ‘tea-shop economies’. I soon realised that tourism was not only undervalued but often too narrowly regarded by many practitioners. In retirement, I began to write my first Making Sense of Tourism books, reviewing travel and tourism history. Some decades-long interest and new research resulted in a wealth of new information to add to existing studies. Tourism has not only earned money through leisure but long generated economic and social change. It has done so by educating people about new ideas among different communities. It offers what formal education and the media cannot themselves offer – the chance to see the world for themselves. How we treat the world and its peoples can be seen at first hand, learnt from, and better carried out. A better appreciation of tourism will reward everyone. Tourism is always about exploration. On a scale of one to
The images: Lifetime Information Streams places tourism
ten, visiting friends and relatives might be at level one,
alongside childhood contact, the mass media and formal
with fewer discoveries and challenges. A solo trek across
education as sources of knowledge. (See Making Sense of
Antarctica might come in at level 10. Most periods spent
Tourism: 1 The Beckoning Horizon p52, via Amazon). The
away
come
other shows tourists at Plimoth Plantation, Massachusetts,
somewhere in the middle. All result in experiences, of the
watching a member of the Wampanoag tribe making a
everyday or the once in a lifetime. Satisfied customers are
dugout canoe as in the 17th century. The visitors can not
the result we seek.
only see for themselves but ask questions.
on
holiday,
business
or
other
reason
It is fashionable to advocate experiential tourism. Is there any other kind? To me, it seems odd that we started referring to ‘special interest tourism’. All tourists travel because they have some particular interest to follow, from the hunt for a good beach to the chance to trek across Antarctica photographing penguins. Any trip that proves successful teaches us a little more about the world and our place in it. Tourism is always educational. We
would
not
exhort
potential
customers
to
get
educated. Offering ‘experiences’ is OK and we do it frequently. It is implied in the travel offers we make in
FEBRUARY 2022, ISSUE 16