We all can point it out a different category of travellers that are looking for different experiences abroad.“Bleasures and knowmads”, I didn’t even know these categories of travellers existed. But I am glad to be educated about it reading the Ultimate Guide for Sustainable Tourism today.
I realised that the demand for something new is incredibly high, and the tourism industry has to deal with it.
However, it’s also well-known the mass tourism needs to be controlled, so how can companies in the tourism sector can incentive sustainable tourism without overcrowding popular destinations?
We need to connect tourists with the destinations on a deeper personal and emotional level.
Connecting them with local history and culture and making them understand that is not okay ( or worth it) to overcrowd popular destination, for example. As consequence, we will have tourists more conscious about the importance of preserving their legacy. Firstly, Let’s have a look at different types of tourism demand that are open to these changes:
Bleasures
There is a new demand for tourism in the market – the “bleasure” – which is a combination of business and leisure, of course.
According to stats of the University of East London, 73% of business-related traveller feels that their personal wellbeing and health improves every time they find time for leisure during their travel business appointments.
I know for a fact, that some of my personal friends try to extend their trips in order to enjoy a bit more of the destinations they are visiting. Would be this a good indication that we may be improving the way of making sustainable tourism too? It’s very likely.
People in the tourism industry should be attentive to the idea that there are several ways of making these tourists extending their trips. Some of these tips are simple measures to be followed:
-Guarantee a minimum of “last minute” offers helps to target people who plan their “leisure time” at the end of their business trip;
– Facilitate the payment of your services and products. According to stats, 69% of the bleisures use credit card to pay for their leisure when travelling.
Did you know that…
“According to data from Expedia, 6 out of 10 business trips end up becoming a bleisure experience, and 65% of this type of tourist travel alone, so they will be more open to a lot of options compared to if they travelled in groups”.
Foodies
Are you a foodie? Foodie travellers are everywhere, and you know this type one. They are always looking for a gastronomic experience when travelling. The restaurants, local markets, quirky cafes, bars and pubs will connect them to the destination.
Most of them will prioritise sustainable and local cuisine that showcase the particular region, city, town or village they are visiting. I can’t remember the last time I have eaten fast food or chain restaurants.
That is the same vibe foodies will have. They will look for the local and inquisitive place to eat. Not to mention that “instagrameable” food is an on-trend thing.
Here are some tips on how to satisfy the foodies:
- Strength your relation with local producers, joining their gastronomic projects.
- Gastronomic tends such as superfood, healthy snacks and vegetarian food attract travellers that are committed with their food preferences.
Did you know that…
“The generation Z (said to become the largest demographic group in the world in a matter of a few years with 2 billion people), composed of individuals born between 1994 and 2010, allocates 24% of its budget to the aforementioned instagrameable food.
According to data from the study conducted by Dinamiza, 76.1% of the respondents said they took into account the gastronomy offer when choosing a destination for their trips.”
Knowmads
Here’s a category of travellers that is totally new for me. But it shouldn’t be something new because as an online teacher and freelance journalist, I totally fit this category when I work remotely wherever I go. We aren’t nomads anymore. We are knowmads.
Flexible people that enjoy working when travelling. Raise your hands if you fit this profile as well.
How to guarantee successful business with those travellers?
- As you can imagine, these tourists will plan their whole trip online. It’s fundamental to offer total connectivity in your facilities.
- Quiet spaces to promote a comfortable environment to work remotely is also essential.
Did you know that…
“The worldwide-known search engine Google has predicted that by 2020, virtually all people will be connected through the internet globally.
Given this scenario, it is essential to adapt the current tourism offer to new trends that point to the globalisation of work and the new way of relating work and tourism.”
Featured Image | Photo by Rahul Shah from Pexels
