Sonia Huerta division manager of THR on Sustainable Economic Development

La Reunion (France) At the UNWTO and French Government Conference on Sustainable Development of Tourism in Islands a question was asked yesterday at a panel Is it possible to create value for everyone

La Reunion (France) At the UNWTO and French Government Conference on Sustainable Development of Tourism in Islands a question was asked yesterday at a panel Is it possible to create value for everyone?

Here are the responses and comments received by Ms Sonia Huerta division manager of THR moderates.

A place must be able to have a competitive tourist value chain of quality of services, experiences, environment, hospitality added to quality facilities. There must be a competitive supply of tourism supplies and services, so labour and goods need not be imported. As well, the environment needs to be protected, and value should be created for the local population. Measures to channel the profits of tourism into the local economy. Economic sustainability needs to be maintained and this cannot happen unless companies can pay a living wage to their employees. The value/effort formula should be used. 70% of the value perceived by the tourist comes from actual tourist experiences. In other words, to make people remember the good parts of their stay, tourists would be delivered a good experience. Sandy beaches and turquoise waters are everywhere, but having positive experiences will put a place over the top. If La Reunion can put their hospitality forward, it would be a competitive advantage. When quality is lacking, then the quality of experiences and hospitality become more important. Discomforts and insecurities are a huge disadvantage – if there are difficult visa requirements, if there is a feeling of lack of safety, for example. Price point is always a factor.

The business model of the island involves looking at what the tourist wants, what value they want, how we are going to communicate with them and get the product across.

The development model of the island – how much do they want to grow and at what speed? In which markets do they want to grow and with which products? What would be the general quality of services provided?
The competitiveness model of the island.

There needs to be a system of experiences that differentiate an island from another. Australia, Malaysia and Canada are doing a good job in implementing a system of experiences to promote tourism. It’s important to have a sound marketing plan that answers many questions: which is the vision we want as our result? What aspects play for and against? Which are the key issues? How do we want to be perceived? Do we have a clear brand position? What marketing strategies should be launched? A clear, well defined vision is critical.
There should be a system of experiences with a high level of comfort. Authenticity is important, in not losing local flavour and heritage. Exclusivity is key. Tourists should feel regenerated. Local culture and arts should be promoted, traffic should be minimized, and there should be constant innovation to create more value for the client.
Who are my clients today and who do I want them to be in the future? How can performance be improved? How are good ideas implemented? All problems should be addressed. Never let your destination lose its personality – keep authentic.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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