by Elisa Spampinato
Marketing a destination, especially on the scale of a nation, requires a multifaceted approach to avoid reducing it to just a stereotypical image, such as natural scenery or historical landmarks.
A successful tourism campaign should convey the richness and diversity of the country, also capturing its unique cultural and social fabrics and both traditional and modern aspects without flattening its identity to one element or aspect.
Here are some successful and innovative examples.
A graceful and warm example of a change in patterns came from the Hawaii marketing campaign Hawai‘i Is Our Home, two years ago.
In the main video of the campaign, the iconic natural beauties of the country were presented from the angle of the residents and their relationship with their land.
The overall effect was to humanise a destination known primarily for its scenery, a path that has continued with the latest campaign The People, The Place, The Hawaiian Islands, this year, whose purpose was to ‘reinvigorate responsible travel demand from key markets around the world’ as presented in the official press release.
When culture is already a representative image of a country, cultural diversity is often not mentioned or explored.
The African continent is probably the most visible example of this. If we look at the Eastern African countries – a traditional destination region for safari and wildlife experiences – although we know as a fact that they are rich in culture it seems there is little space for the showcasing of local cultural roots.
However, things are changing.
The innovative Uganda marketing campaign The Pearl of Africa – Uniquely Ours, which launched in 2022, opened a window to the possibility of adding layers of cultural exploration to those traditionally emphasised.
If we want to take these initial reflections on the subject a step further, we must highlight the need to clarify the motivations that will guide our hard work.
Why should we add layers of culture to a destination marketing campaign, after all?
We have found more than one good reason for this to become a new priority for every National Tourism Board, and we would like to share them with you and inspire new innovative marketing journeys.
Tourists seek immersive experiences
Product diversification
Spreading economic benefit
Local Community engagement
Cultural Heritage Preservation
1. Tourists seek immersive experiences
Over the last two years, studies, market research and industry insight have shown a gradual increase in demand. It's clear now that tourists seek deeper, more immersive ‘meaningful’ and ‘authentic’ cultural experiences.
Among others, Booking.com’s Travel Report showed us that the percentage of people who want to have authentic experiences that are representative of the local culture rose from a considerable 66 per cent in 2022 to a mighty 75 per cent in 2023.
We are now confident that what was initially presented as a new trend, has possibly become a new need.
2. Product diversification
Having a greater variety of products available, i.e., providing more options for tourists, could also become a complementary strategy to fight overtourism when intentionally applied to a much broader territory. The interesting thing about this is that we don’t need to reinvent the wheel, just rediscover the ‘hidden’ roots.An exemplary case is that of Chile, which since 2019 has started to look inward and rediscover its Indigenous roots, starting from the Mapuche, the largest ethnic group of the country, representing 84 per cent of the total indigenous population or about 1.3 million people. I mention this case for its bravery in showing how tourism can also provide opportunities for reconciliation and peace-building for future generations.
3. Spreading economic benefit
Enhancing the cultural roots of a destination would necessarily include more local business owners, encouraging the growth of culture-related tourism entrepreneurship in a diversity of locations at the national level. In the medium and long terms, this will translate into a reduction in tourism leakage. Canada provides probably the case par excellence to support this motivation.
Built over a number of years and heavily invested in, recently, the Indigenous Tourism offered in this country has even strengthened its positive impact. The forecast for this new segment of future annual growth of 4 per cent puts the country in a privileged position, which diffuses benefits and supports both local and national economy.
4. Local Community engagement
The focus on Community inclusion has been recognised as a must in the sustainability journey; however, it has been shown to be often hard to reach. Prioritising the sharing of the cultural diversity of a country will allow more community engagement and participation.
A great example of this new direction is certainly Madhya Pradesh’s Responsible Tourism Mission, which has established a winning system to engage communities in their sustainable development through the sharing of their own culture and heritage with tourists.
5. Cultural Heritage Preservation
If we consider it as a value in itself, we should ensure that the ancient arts and ancestral knowledge our identities are built upon are not forgotten and lost forever. This includes musical traditions, arts and crafts and, obviously, languages. Since the last government change, Brazil has provided a great example of valuing the cultural roots of the country, highlighting its multiple identities, which range from the Indigenous knowledge of the Amazon tribes to the Afro-descendant Quilombolas communities.
-ENDS-
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About the Author
Elisa Spampinato is a Community Tourism Consultant, Connector and Storyteller. She has been involved in sustainable tourism since 2007 when she started working with local community projects in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.
She is a recognised and certified Sustainable Tourism professional and a Global Community-Based Tourism Ambassador and she has worked with rural and Indigenous communities in over 30 countries.
She is the Founder of Traveller Storyteller and she works with Tourism Boards and Destinations to support the self-empowerment of their Indigenous people involved in tourism by providing tools and training in Community Storytelling and Ethical Marketing.
Passionate about cultures and languages she is fluent in four and she is currently learning two more.
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