RESPONSIBLE TOURISM:

UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL FOR CITIES

Mariette du Toit-Helmbold

CEO

Cape Town Tourism

What is the impact of tourism on our

fragile world and its people?

Our world is changing rapidly

World economic downturn

Tourism is fragile. World events have a

ripple effect on our industry

Many of our core markets are still

recovering from a recession

Overall growth in tourism

and long-haul travel

Generational shifts and a change in demographics

Increased urbanisation

Shortened time availability

Going 'green' and searching for fulfilment

Consumer desire for authentic experiences

50% of the world’s population can no longer

see the stars...

The Use of Internet, Web 2.0 and Social Media

The moral dilemma of long-haul travel

People are questioning the

acceptability of flying long-

haul for recreational or leisure

purposes

Sustainability is no longer a nice to

have, but a need to have

It is now about the customer,

not the destination

Ethical consumerism has put

pressure from the travelling

public on tourism businesses to

be sustainable.

Responsible Travel is ‘about experiences,

fulfilment and rejuvenation’ rather than

‘places and things’ John King

Who are the Responsible Travelers?

“The quest of the

responsible traveller is to

learn, to be understanding,

to share, to contribute -

rather than to act as a

consumer who seeks

maximum gratification at a

minimum expense."Rolf Wesche and Andy Drum

Good Alternative Travel Guide

USA: book well in advance and prefer

pre-packaged tours; luxury ecotourism is

the fastest growing sector for conscientious

U.S. travelers and is remaining relatively

strong despite the economic downturn

Germany: world's largest

outbound market, highly experienced

travelers who are most likely to

purchase carbon offsets, seek more

stimulating travel, expect tourism

companies to offer environmentally

and socially responsible products

Dutch: experienced travelers, very high

propensity (81%) to travel abroad and a

preference for sun and beach holidays.

They seek good quality and high value for

cost and are interested in responsible

tourism products and destinations

British: savvy, experienced and avid travelers,

who regard holidays as a necessity rather than a

luxury. View responsible and ethical travel as

important. Within the EU, the U.K. ranks just

behind Germany in visits to developing countries.

South Africa’s major source market despite

decline in outbound travel due to recession

Why should cities take the lead in the

Responsible Tourism journey?

Cities are defined as the “prism through which

countries are viewed”.

Cities are the new super brands of the 21st century

Cities have history, heritage and a future.

Cities are “Capitals of the Mind” and they have

the ability to become lead brands for countries,

therefore leading responsible tourism

CAPE TOWN: A CASE STUDY OF

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM MARKETING

ONE OF THE WORLD’S

MOST BEAUTIFUL CITIES, Forbes.com, 2010

Cape Town has exceptional diversity in a small geographic

area, making it a destination with remarkable potential

to be a leader in responsible tourism

ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST SUSTAINABLE CITIES

Ethisphere Institute, 2008

THE WORLD’S TOP DESTINATION

Tripadvisor’s Top 25 Destinations in the World 2011

ONE OF THE PLACES OF A LIFETIME,

National Geographic, 2008

Cape Town tells the tale of two cities

Tourism has increasingly been recognised for its

potential to contribute to poverty reduction.

In a world where the story has become the unique

selling point, rather than the product, and where

people are yearning to get off the bus and immerse

themselves into the hearts and homes of people in

places with rough edges, we have an opportunity to

shape a new tourism destiny for our destinations

To be a great place to visit, Cape Town must

first be a great place to live

We will conserve only what we love, we will love

only what we understand, we will only

understand what we are taught. - Baba Dioum

It is time to redefine Cape Town beyond the

well-known beautiful stereotypes

A destination is a place where people want to be.

It is a special place, it is more than just bricks and

mortar; it is a place whose greatest assets and

experiences occupy people’s minds and hearts

Cape Town is in the process of rebranding We are

developing a a multi-dimensional city brand that

will provide a holistic view of Cape Town

incorporating business, education, the arts,

creative industries, human capital and tourism.

Cape Town’s brand must tell the real Cape Town

story and capture the hearts and imaginations of

a world bombarded with choice and homogeneity

It is cities with the confidence to define themselves in

the minds of their markets and own citizens that

stand out from the rest

Cities of the future will deliver something

different; they are not defined by their

size alone but by their ability to capture

the imagination and define themselves as

being the best at something

We are committed to be defined by our

Responsible Tourism offering

The World Cup assisted Cape Town in

furthering plans towards becoming

benchmark sustainable, responsible city

Low carbon emission public

transport, green spaces and

low energy solutions are all

being given top priority by

the City and its tourism and

business stakeholders

If we are to successfully

continue to grow our

tourism sector towards

job creation and skills

development, we have

to protect the very thing

that has created tourism

demand; the

environment and our

local communities

Sustainable practice and responsible tourism

govern all our marketing strategies

Responsible Tourism should be the very essence

of our product offering and not a stand-alone

category of experiences

Responsible Tourism is still considered

niche and not the norm

Travellers want a holiday, not a guilt trip.

Very few are prepared to pay

more for a responsible

holiday experience.

Green-washing is on the rise

Opportunity to develop a wider range of tourism

experiences and extend economic benefits

There are

many success

stories to

celebrate and

share with the

world, but our

journey has

only started

CONTACT CAPE TOWN TOURISM

info@capetown.travel

www.capetown.travel