New Travel Opportunities Aplenty – But Beware ‘Sustainability’

Plenty of new opportunities will be created by tourism growth, but the crunch will soon become sustainability issues.

Experts also said growing corporate responsibility was a solid marketing tool.

Addressing the 55th PATA Annual Conference in Pattaya, Thailand, today, Banyan Tree Group Executive Chairman Mr Ho Kwon Ping said sustainability was not sufficiently understood and that shareholders need to better understand that profits run hand in hand with social responsibility.

Sustainable tourism immediately surfaced as the main concern in the keynote plenary session, “Changing Lifestyles – New Opportunities.”

Panellist Ms Dawn Drew, Vice President & Publisher, National Geographic Traveler, told the audience that “geo-tourism” can make a positive impact. People want an “authentic experience” she said and they are now willing to pay more to preserve a destination’s culture and environment. However, she cautioned against “Loving it to death.”

Mr Ho said: “I think there will be a confrontation between mass tourism and geo-tourism. This is a problem that needs to be resolved.” He added that governments should educate businesses to use self-restraint.

PATA Chairman-Elect, Mr Richard Beere, Director International Marketing, Tourism Australia, pointed out that it was easy to manage tourists who wanted to “look and see,” but the challenge was in “capturing the essence of the experience.” He said tourists were “looking for immersion”. He asked: “How will we manage a niche that will be a mass?”

Panellist Mr Alfred Fan Min, Chief Executive Officer, Ctrip.com, pointed to efforts made by China, where the government limits access to various destinations.

Asked who has the right to travel, as it should not become an elitist activity, Mr Ho said: “Travel is a fundamental human right.” He said that when people’s income begins to climb, they want to travel. “The market votes with its feet,” he said.

Mr Min pointed to the different income levels of travellers. He said education will help sustainable tourism, but some places will be inevitably be “sacrificed”. He added: “Protect what is most important. That’s success.”

Ms Drew said hotels should show transparency by telling consumers how they are reinvesting in a destination.

Mr Ho said the travel industry was the largest industry in the world, and was the “most fragmented” as it involved hotels, airlines and various other segments. He said the industry must get together to make a clear decision to avoid problems from the increasing numbers of travellers.

The expert session, “Changing Lifestyles – New Opportunities” was moderated by Mr Nik Gowing, BBC World’s Main Presenter.