It could be said that tourism is based on a combination of factors such as efficient advertising, convenient transportation, a hospitality infrastructure, local attractions, interesting geography and contrasting cultures. The higher these factors are rated, the better our potential as a tourist venue or destination. The product is then supported by outgoing, friendly and knowledgeable staff – thus actually fitting tourism in the service industry – and we usually leave it at that, without looking any deeper into the equation.

Were we to do so, and had we addressed the issue with a curious mind, we’d come to realize that the above definition of tourism is only its official public label, the Cartesian envelope allowing us to approach it as any other business, looking at facts, crunching numbers, analyzing attendance and computing revenue.

The true nature of tourism, however, remains hidden until we are willing to remember the fact that we are all tourists in our own time, and begin looking inside of ourselves to find out exactly what our visits and travels bring us that is so important we’ll spend those formidable amounts of money and time getting it. Yet the answer is simple: we are seeking and collecting memories. Suddenly, tourism emerges as the trade of emotions….

Strangely enough, that facet of our industry is rarely acknowledged, as if we resisted relinquishing control of a vacation to our weak emotional side. Whether we are in the visitor’s role or in the host’s, we tend to quantify our tourism in practical terms such as duration, cost, distance, luxury, services, accessibility, informational value, organization, signage, language, health, currency and so on. There are also the slightly less practical criteria of beauty, architecture, nature, urbanism, culture, festivals, celebrations. But in the end, every single point above serves only one purpose: it will, to a certain degree, contribute to forging memories that will last a lifetime.

Successful tourism would then be one that creates the longer lasting, most vivid memories, which in turn generate word of mouth, return business, flowing ink and melancholy. From a tourism point of view, the most successful trip is one we come back from only to feel nostalgic and have difficulty readjusting to daily routine. The more emotions are experienced during a vacation, the more money will be spent and the more likely we are to want to stay longer or come back again.

These emotions might be linked to breathtaking scenery, heart-warming welcome, exciting adventures, romantic dinners, cultural shock, a better understanding of our world, helping the poor and needy, fantasy-like luxury, impeccable service, chance encounters, remarkable weather, pristine waters and warm sandy beaches, nature at its wildest and urbanism at its craziest… Either way, they define a trip, solidifying the huge expectations placed on a vacation and justifying the tremendous associated expenses. The memories should last forever, serving their purpose long after the event has taken place.

So from an industry angle, the challenge seems simple: the more of these emotions we provide, the better our destination becomes.  To achieve this, a little adjustment might be necessary in the way we traditionally look at our tourism business. Focus might have to shift slightly from facts to perception. For example, the most extraordinary wilderness area serviced by rare grumpy rangers and lacking informative displays might not generate the same intense memories as would a less stunning area staffed by friendly people who make visitors feel like they are privileged for being there, can contribute to the protection of the site and will be part of the few who made it « this far » or « this high ». Similarly, the shear luxury of an expensive 5 star hotel staffed by invisible employees who, when they finally appear, make sure you understand that your tipping was not up to standards, probably won’t trigger the same emotions as a mid-range establishment where you felt welcome and were treated like family, with respect, discretion and complicity.

It turns out it’s not about the facts – number of stars, seating capacity, price range, size, duration, cost, etc., it’s about the way these will be presented, and perceived. It’s not about the shear beauty of scenery, it’s about how that beauty integrates with the human experience.

Because in the end, the response is not financial or factual, it’s psychological.

Tourism is an emotional industry. We should be selling memories, not tickets.

2007-03-04 18:14 • Posted in Schtroumpfissime: