Travellers are seeking memorable and meaningful experiences more than ever. Therefore, getting the visitor experience right is essential to protect the industry, environment, communities and businesses.
Crafting a visitor experience needs to be carefully considered, by balancing the needs and expectations of travellers with sustainable practices.
Here are our six top tips for what you’ll need to take into consideration when you are designing visitor experiences.
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Purpose of travel
The reason people are travelling - along with whom they are travelling with - will influence visitor behaviours and needs. For example, if you take a business trip alone or with colleagues you have very different requirements and expectations compared with a family trip or a holiday with friends.
While the key touchpoints that can make or break a visitor experience may be consistent across all visitor segments, what people expect from these touchpoints will differ.
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Cultural differences
Many behaviours vary between cultures, and these can affect the way people travel. 'Normal' travel expectations are often formed in a person’s place of origin and can be influenced by social media, friends and family.
Not all travellers want to experience destinations in the same way.
Some travellers are more likely to opt for organised tours: this helps to ensure safer and more predictable travel arrangements. Alternatively, many visitors prefer travelling under their own steam. That way they have more opportunity to plan their itineraries themselves and discover ‘on-the-go’.
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The impact on 'conscious travelling'
The environment is constantly in the news, and the pandemic made the impact we're having on the world even more evident. Visitors are more conscious about making a positive impact and are leaning towards conscious travelling. They're more aware of how they impact society, the environment and the local economy.
Conscious travellers will want opportunities to make choices aimed at supporting local businesses, reducing waste, and opting for sustainable ways of travel.
According to the 2023 Sustainable Travel Reports by Booking.com, 76% of travellers have a desire to travel more sustainably, with 43% of travellers saying they’d be willing to pay more for sustainable travel options.
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The increase in regenerative travel and ‘voluntourism
The Skift Megatrends report found that travellers have been shocked into a new consciousness, with the maturing generations now becoming destination-decisive. This goes beyond sustainability, with travellers wanting to actively contribute to local communities, economies and ecosystems.
The 2023 Sustainable Travel Report found that 69% of travellers want the money they spend when travelling to go back to the local community, with 66% wanting to leave the place better than when they arrived.
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The need for greater transparency
There are strong signals that people want travel companies to be more transparent about how visitor money is being used to rebuild communities. A report by BCG highlights how companies must guide consumers by offering transparency on the environmental and social benefits of their choices.
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Industry targets and pledges
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) approved a resolution for the global air transport industry to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. That means hydrogen-powered aircraft and sustainable aviation fuels will need to be a priority for many carriers.
Travel corporations and organisations including the World Travel & Tourism Council, Accor, and the Iberostar Group have signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism. Travellers are likely to base at least some of their choices on what companies are doing to protect the environment.
Once you know what your visitors want and expect from their travel experiences, you can begin to design experiences that are aligned with their needs. Understanding what matters most to visitors and unlocking what influences their behaviour is key to designing and delivering great experiences.
Are you looking to design best-in-class visitor experiences? Get in touch, one of our CX experts would be delighted to help.
