07.11.18 News
Big cities gather to tackle overtourism
Tom Parry
Operators offering the chance to “live authentically like locals” by shifting visitors’ focus to quieter, less- discovered areas was proposed as an effective way to curb overtourism by a New York tourism chief. Representatives from the US city, Barcelona, Amsterdam and London took to the stage at WTM London to discuss methods that each destination had taken to tackle the issue, which has blighted a number of famous landmarks and caused protests in recent years. Describing his city’s approach, Chris Heywood, senior vice- president of global communications at NYC & Company, said its “five boroughs” strategy was to draw visitors away from the tourist hotspots of Manhattan to “move the spotlight” onto locations such as Queens and Staten Island. Promoting the value of visiting during the first quarter of the year – when attractions are quieter and hotel rates lower – was another policy, he said.
“It’s not just about the value of the dollar but the value of the experience for guests,” he added. Discussing the rise of Airbnb and homeshare platforms, Joan Torrella,
NEW FOCUS
Peru pushes adventure
April Hutchinson
Adventure tourism will be a core focus for Peru in 2019, with the tourist office set to host adventure tour operators and media from around the world at a new Adventure Connect event.
PromPeru, a member of the global Adventure Travel Trade Association organisation, will host small groups on different tours in the Ancash and Chachapoyas regions over the course of the 9- to 10-day event.
Flight connectivity will benefi t Cusco
“We’re really following the wider changes in consumer demands, as more people look for nature, wildlife and ‘soft’ adventure,” said Elisabeth Hakim, marketing coordinator for the UK and North American markets, PromPeru. “Certain parts of the country are now very well known, so showcasing
The panel was made up of representatives from New York, Barcelona, Amsterdam and London
managing director, Turisme de Barcelona, said the city’s council was working in partnership with these companies to limit their number of properties and ensure each was properly licensed. As a result, Torrella said Barcelona had cut the number of unregistered properties from 6,000 to around 100. Laura Citron, chief executive of London and Partners, said destinations should only promote themselves to tourists it believed would benefit them with “good, positive growth” – citing the British capital’s recent pursuit of millennial travellers.
That point was echoed by Frans van der Avert, chief executive, Amsterdam Marketing, who admitted striking a balance between the needs of local businesses and visitors was “very difficult”. “A city without visitors is boring and a city without inhabitants and businesses just feels dead – they need each other,” he said. With this in mind, Heywood also cited another programme introduced by NYC & Company aimed at educating local businesses in less tourism-heavy areas with classes on how to promote themselves better to visitors and the travel trade.
the different side of Peru continues to be key for us.
“Soft adventure is really the way we’re working now, and it fits especially well for our strong markets such as the UK and Europe, which seem really interested in the kinds of product we have.” The country is set to host the Half Marathon des Sables at the end of the year and the Dakar Rally in 2019, the first time in the history of the race that it will be held in just one country. Internal flight connectivity has also helped to spread tourism development around the country, said Hakim, such as the new Latam connection between Cusco and Iquitos, initially running July-November this year as a seasonal test route.
In brief
■ ISRAEL ON SONG Israel is seeking more hotel investment as international arrivals rise and the Eurovision Song Contest heads to capital Tel Aviv in 2019. The destination hopes to hit four million international arrivals by the end of 2018, having reached three million in 2017. Eurovision is expected to attract tens of thousands of tourists.
■ FIRST LADY’S DUAL ROLE Iceland’s fi rst lady, Eliza Reid, was at WTM London both on behalf of the country, and in her role as UNWTO special ambassador for tourism and sustainable development goals. She sat on the “100 Years of Suffragettes: International Perspectives for the Travel Industry” panel and discussed how Iceland is working to increase year-round travel.
■ KICKING OFF FOR JAPAN Japan is confi dent next year’s Rugby World Cup will help bring a record-breaking year for tourism. The Japan National Tourism Organization said it would use the tournament as a way to promote “more undiscovered” regions such as Kyushu and its snow sports offering in Hokkaido.
■ SERVICE STILL VITAL Businesses should invest in technology but not forget the basic principals of providing outstanding service. That was the message from a session during day two of the Travel Forward conference at WTM London. Nayan Peshkar, of Millennium Hotels and Resorts, said: “Technology should act as a force multiplier for sales reach. Having a mobile strategy is very important. If you don’t have a strong platform then you won’t attract a certain type of client.”
■ BUILDING ON A BOOM The city of Jerusalem has seen a 47% increase year-on-year growth in international arrivals. The Jerusalem Hotel Association said there are currently 10,000 rooms in the city. The hope is to double this within the next fi ve to six years and “build hotels at a range of price points”.
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