Marketing Geotourism Assets

To ensure sustained demand and a sustainable place,

plan not for “tourism,” but for the best tourists.

• Market selectivity:

Concentrate on geotourism segments

Geotourism Principle 3

The Geotourists

SEGMENT SIZE

Geo-Savvys11%

Urban Sophisticates13%

Good Citizens11%

Traditionalists11%

Wishful Thinkers14%

Apathetics13%

Outdoor Sportsmen14%

Self-Indulgents13%

Percent of 154 million who traveled in past 3 years

$76.1

$63.8$68.5

$63.2

$67.9

$53.2$53.0$53.8

$70.3

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Mea

n

Geo

-Sav

vys

Urb

an S

ophisticates

Self-Indu

lgen

ts

Goo

d Citize

ns

Outdo

or S

ports

men

Apa

thetics

Trad

ition

alists

Wishful T

hink

ers

Trip

s in

pa

st

3 y

rs

$0

$10

$20

$30

$40

$50

$60

$70

$80

HH$000

URBAN

SOPHIS-

TICATES

SELF-

INDUL-

GENTS

HH INCOME

NUMBER

OF TRIPS

New Trends in Travel

• TIA-National Geographic Study in 2002

– 73% want clean, unpolluted environment

– 80% want outstanding scenery

– 61% believe their trip is better if it

preserves natural, historic, and cultural sites

– 62% (95M) key to learn about other cultures

– 54% want places off the beaten track, local

places

– 41% want an authentic travel experience

5

The July 2009 travelhorizons, the quarterly consumer

survey co-authored by the U.S. Travel Association and

Ypartnership states:

• U.S. travelers are more familiar with sustainable travel terminology

than they were two years ago but remain unwilling to pay more for

eco-friendly travel options

• Although consumers are reluctant to pay more to support green travel

service suppliers they are definitely paying attention to those who

are green, even in this down economy. Travel service suppliers

should therefore continue to adopt green practices that have a minimum

impact on consumers’ wallets.

• Awareness of the term “green travel” improved from 9 percent in July

2007 to 22 percent in July 2009.

• The majority (51 percent) of consumers will continue to patronize

“green” travel service suppliers regardless of an economic downturn.

• Greater than two-third (71 percent) say it is hard to find out about

environmental policies and initiatives of travel service suppliers.

Treehugger.com

by DiscoveryAttracts ecologically-engaged, creative, urban professionals who are willing to pay a premium for nicely designed goods and services made with the environment in mind.

Our largest group of readers:

• Are in their 20s and 30s (47% are 21-30 years old; 31% are 31-40 years old)

• Are students, designers, technologists and journalists

• Are either men or women (50/50)

• Are comfortable financially (25% earn over 90K annually, over 60% earn over 45K)

• Are looking for green products and services (85% report that they will spend “somewhat more” to “a great deal more” on green goods and services)

• TreeHuggers are a young, influential, and affluent demographic who make significant purchases online and turn to TreeHugger to find products and services they can trust.

• Reader base is largely female, aged 25 - 54.

• Very well educated (88% with college or

university education)

• They have a high average household income

(37% earn $100k+).

• Internet savvy and considered the expert on

green issues and tips among their social circles.

• Research their purchases online, even if they

may eventually make that purchase offline.

Is this your target market?

a Strategy for Stewardship

Geotourism

Virtuous

Circle

Place-based

tourism Community

benefit

Motive to

protect

Leakage; irresponsible

business practices

The Circle

Broken

Place-based

tourism Community

benefit

Motive to

protect

Obstacles to protection

Benefits too selective, or not apparent

12 Steps toward Destination Stewardship

Norway’s Queen Sonja at final signing of the

Norwegian Geotourism Charter at NGS

a historic inn, an unusual bird, a spectacular view, a

forest, a type of local beer, an adventurous hike, a

program for spending time with a local family, a place

where local musicians play traditional music, etc.

1. Integrity of place

2. International codes

3. Market selectivity

4. Market diversity

5. Tourist enthusiasm

6. Community involvement

7. Community benefit

8. Protection and enhancement

of destination appeal

9. Land use

10. Conservation of resources

11. Planning

12. Interactive interpretation

13. Evaluation

The Geotourism Principles

stewardship

Tourists—How to get more out of my trip; how to be a good visitor.

Presevationist/conservationists—

How tourism can protect (not

destroy) our distinctive assets.

Residents—How tourism can help us,

enrich our lives.

Politicians—How we can create

prosperity, boost our govt’s popularity.

Tourism promoters—How we can claim success.

Tourism businesses—How we can grow and thrive.

A constituency

of stewardship

West Virginia Sustainable Tourism Coalition• Travel Green Appalachia

– Program coordination and facilitation

• West Virginia Community Development Hub

– Fiscal agent, identify target communities, promotion, staff and logistical support

• WVU Department of Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Resources

– Faculty and student research, applied course work, GIS database, resource mapping, survey development and administration

• WVU Extension Director of Community, Economic Development, and Workforce Dev.

– Faculty expertise in research and teaching

– First Impressions Program

– Focus Group Planning

• West Virginia Division of Tourism

– Tourism development planning, marketing, industry communications

• George Washington University Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management

– Tourism strategy development, planning and implementation, faculty research and technical assistance, graduate student internships

• Bridgemont Community and Technical College

– Workforce training

• Collaborative for 21st Century Appalachia

– Training module, cultural asset map template, cultural-heritage foods identification

• The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia

– Cultural heritage tourism advisory council

• Tamarack Foundation

– Local artist network

• Natural Capital Investment Fund

– Financial support for sustainable small businesses

Sightseeing

Culinary

tourism

Cultural

tourism

From eco- to geo-

Nature-based

tourism

Heritage

tourism

Green

tourism

GEOTOURISM

Agri-

tourism

All place-based

types of tourism =

the ENTIRE destination

Greater Yellowstone

Geotourism Partners

With support from the:

•United States Forest Service

•Bureau of Land Management

•National Park Service

Stewardship Councils

• Coordinate geotourism strategy and Charter programs

• Promote the virtuous circle

• Gather content for Geotourism sites

• Advise on threats to geotourism assets and opportunities for enhancement

• Work with tourism office to promote and protect those assets

• Evaluate progress

Stewardship Councils Public/private representatives for. . .

• historic preservation • nature & ecotourism • farm/restaurant programs• beautification • traditional performing arts,

artisanry • indigenous and minority groups• urban renewal• local government • tourism and local business expertise• tourism promotion• other characteristics of the place

“Eco” on a

billboard?!!

Without rich information

about travel options,

tourists will rely on price

alone to make decisions.Source: Forrester Research, 2008

“The internet is the #1

source of travel planning

information and

purchasing.”Source: Randall Travel Marketing, 2008

Central Cascades

OnlineGeotourism MapGuide

Businesses and

the public can fill

out and upload

online site

nomination forms

Site

nominations

GeoConsensus System Overview

Content Contributors

Site Visitors

and Subscribers

Destination’s Geotourism

Website

Portal

editor

NatGeo

14M/monthGeotourism qualified

Stewarship Council

determines content modelEducation

• You need a Leader

• Know your Facts and Don’t Fake It

• Foster Collaboration – Create a Constituency

• Determine Your Focus Region

• Regional Stewardship Councils

• Get a Formal Commitment

• Educate, Educate, Educate

• Promote – use technology and social media to

identify, promote, and share

• Assess – bring in outsiders for a different perspective

• Plan – Fill In The Gaps

• Funding – Be Creative

• Monitor and Evaluate

Environment +

The geotourism equation:

culture +

history +

aesthetics +

people =

sustainable

economic

benefit

Supporting Destinations who seek

Sustainable Solutions

www.scenic.org

• The National Trust for Historic Preservation

http://www.preservationnation.org

• The National Sustainable Lodging Network

http://sustainablelodging.org/

Thank You!

Doug Arbogast

Travel Green Appalachia

www.travelgreenappalachia.com

dougarbogast@gmail.com

304-373-3669

@TravlGrnAppalac

Facebook.com/travelgreen

Foursquare.com/travlgrnappalac

Youtube.com/travlgreenappalachia