Travel is a major driver of economic growth and development, but as we all know, it can also have a significant impact on the environment and local communities. In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the need for sustainable and responsible tourism, which is tourism that minimises its negative impacts and maximises its positive impacts.
How Personalisation Can Help
One way to make tourism more sustainable and responsible is to personalise the travel experience. Personalisation can help reduce tourism's environmental impact by encouraging travellers to choose more sustainable options, such as staying in eco-friendly accommodations and participating in activities with a low environmental impact. Personalisation can also help to promote cultural understanding and respect, which can help to reduce the negative impact of tourism on local communities.
There are several ways to personalise the travel experience. Obvlo focuses on using data to understand the traveller's interests and preferences. This information is then used to recommend activities, attractions, and places to go that are likely to be of interest to the traveller. Another way to personalise the travel experience is to provide travellers with the opportunity to share their feedback and suggestions. This feedback can then be used to improve the travel experience for future travellers.
Examples of Personalisation in Tourism
Outside of personalising the recommendations made to travellers, here are some specific examples of how personalisation can be used to create sustainable and responsible tourism:
A travel company could use data to identify travellers who are interested in sustainable tourism. This information could then be used to recommend activities and accommodations that are more sustainable, such as staying in eco-friendly hotels or participating in activities that have a low environmental impact.
A tour operator could provide travellers with the opportunity to share their feedback about their experiences. This feedback could then be used to improve the tour operator's sustainability practices, such as reducing the amount of waste produced on tours or choosing more sustainable transportation options.
A destination marketing organisation could create a personalised travel guide for each traveller. This guide could include information about sustainable attractions and activities, as well as tips on how to travel more sustainably.
The Future of Personalisation in Tourism
Personalisation is a powerful tool that can be used to boost sustainable and responsible tourism. By understanding the traveller's interests and preferences, and by providing them with the opportunity to share their feedback, tourism businesses can create experiences that are both enjoyable and environmentally friendly.
As we've talked about in previous articles, personalisation is not new. Recent progress has made personalisation cheaper and more effective whilst also making it more expected from travellers. As technology continues to advance, personalisation will become increasingly important in the tourism industry. By using data and feedback to create personalised travel experiences, tourism businesses can attract more travellers, improve their bottom line, and reduce their environmental impact at the same time.