subject: Sustainable Tourism Business Startup [print this page] Around the world, the business sector is focusing on creating better forms of sustainable tourism. Establishing a business in the sustainable tourism niche requires owners to review their practices, create sustainable services and find markets for their specialties.
Understanding sustainable tourism is important when starting a new business or modifying current tourism options. Wikipedia defines sustainable tourism as "an industry committed to making a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate future employment for local people."
Tours and guides are an important segment of every region's sustainable tourism industry. Providers offer services such as boat cruises, fishing guides, sailing charters, scenic trips, wine tours, city guides, wildlife expeditions and other trips.
Attracting clients is vital to sustainable tourism-based businesses. Some common tools for promoting tourism businesses are websites, online advertising, article marketing, social media, online press releases, and business networking.
Posting periodic trip reports, blog posts, news, photos and videos are excellent ways to attract clients. Each of these types of information encourage audiences to follow business happenings as well as to share links with their friends.
Press releases are among the top promotional tools for sustainable tourism businesses. Numerous online resources offer templates and press release writing tutorials. In addition, many web designers and online marketing consultants offer press release writing services for small businesses.
Press release topics can include a variety of subjects. Upon starting a business, an initial press release is usually a good idea. Other press releases can follow, including important events such as additions of staff, acquisitions of equipment, awards, significant milestones, expansion of services and other topics.
Publishing articles online can have a big impact on sustainable tourism businesses. Articles can be posted to ezines, tourism blogs or other destinations. Articles can help establish credentials while providing a steady source of web traffic to a business website.
Niche web directories are excellent online resources for driving traffic to a sustainable tourism business. Some web directories offer either free or paid listings, with varying plans to suit every budget. Directories that show up in search engine results for important key phrases are more likely to be effective places to advertise.
Networking within the local business community can have a big impact sustainable tourism businesses. Supporting businesses such as marinas, restaurants, ice cream and coffee shops, bakeries, wineries, motels, inns, lodges, bed and breakfasts, art galleries and others are often willing to cooperate in marketing efforts. Potential ways to co-promote businesses include website link exchanges, online ad banners, shared advertising efforts, guest blogging and other tactics. In return, tourism businesses can recommend partner businesses to their clients.
Joining local and national organizations can also bring new clients. These include local groups such as chambers of commerce, trade associations and others. At a national or international level, there are a variety of industry organizations that offer business promotion services to members of the sustainable tourism industry.
While these practices are time consuming to accomplish, they offer long term benefits. Most successful sustainable tourism businesses rely on a combination of methods to recruit and retain customers.
