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uality Edge uality Q 21 Issue www.visitengland.com/biz www.visitengland.com/biz

Illustration: Rob Patterson

« accommodation friendly

to stay in environmentally environmentally in stay to

consumers would prefer prefer would consumers Research shows 58% of of 58% shows Research

Selling Feature Selling sustainability In an ideal world, becoming sustainable should help both the planet and your business. So how do you go about implementing a plan and successfully marketing that approach to customers?

ccording to VisitEngland data renovation of our barns into holiday economically,’ she says. ‘Running a truly on English consumers, 58% of cottages. We cleaned traditional bricks for is cheaper and more people would want to stay in re-use in the building work and it went profitable than non-sustainable models.’ accommodationA with green awards and from there. We didn’t even need a skip, and The savings you can make run into environmentally friendly practices. But so you realise that everything can go in a thousands of pounds. ‘Many of our where do you even begin with an approach circle and be re-used, just in a different members see running-cost reductions of that takes in everything from biomass way. Now we are years on but still up to 20% in the first year,’ says Andrea. ‘A boilers to locally sourced food? The developing and looking for ways to be very large brand hotel told us that their answer, according to many accommodation greener. Sustainability means thinking six-figure electricity bill has been reduced providers, is to take it step by step. You about what happens in the long term. by 60% by switching to LED lights, and don’t need to start with a field of solar PV they had not yet completed the process panels – even modest changes, added Saving money throughout the hotel. There are so many together, can make a big difference. The good news for business owners is that aspects to sustainable tourism and it is ‘You can start by recycling, or getting choosing a sustainable approach is likely to beneficial to everyone: consumers, owners, involved in community projects such as be a money-saver. Andrea Nicholas, staff, the environment, wildlife.’ litter picking,’ says Jane Pond from East managing director of the Green Tourism View Farm Holiday Cottages near Norwich, Programme, says becoming truly Crafting a message a five-star gold-accredited business. ‘You sustainable requires patience, but it will Once you're taking steps to operate more can also plant more trees for bees, buy ultimately yield a higher profit margin. sustainably, you’ll definitely want to tell local produce or cycle more. It all helps.’ ‘Sustainable tourism is important for potential visitors about your efforts. A

Jane’s passion for sustainability began in businesses because it ensures their study of 14,000 people across seven «

Illustration: Rob Patterson Rob Illustration: a fairly unusual way. ‘It started with the viability, both environmentally and countries by market researchers TNS

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uality Edge uality Q 21 Issue www.visitengland.com/biz www.visitengland.com/biz

supplier because of their sustainability sustainability their of because supplier

few people select a product or service service or product a select people few bombarded with technical technical with bombarded sustainable activities activities sustainable for a long time. long a for

Guests don’t want to be be to want don’t Guests notices to explain explain to notices business or product as sustainable. ‘Very ‘Very sustainable. as product or business probably be remembered remembered be probably

and simple. simple. and words, use polite, friendly friendly polite, use words, fun sustainable activity will will activity sustainable fun that work well when trying to promote a a promote to trying when well work that

Keep it short short it Keep ‘at ground level’. In other other In level’. ground ‘at may well pass them by; a a by; them pass well may

n For Dr Font, it’s these subtle messages messages subtle these it’s Font, Dr For

about it yourself. it about talk about sustainability sustainability about talk

by doing things. A message message A things. doing by

engagement by 30%.’ 30%.’ by engagement

Most importantly, Most Children learn best best learn Children more impact than talking talking than impact more

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this room reused their towel,” increased increased towel,” their reused room this

approach. It will have have will It approach. leaflets and in advertising. in and leaflets food tastes great. tastes food

earth,” to, “Most customers that stayed in in stayed that customers “Most to, earth,” your sustainable sustainable your website, on promotional promotional on website, instance: locally sourced sourced locally instance:

from, “Reuse your towel and save planet planet save and towel your “Reuse from, experts – to talk about about talk to – experts bedroom pack, on your your on pack, bedroom benefit visitors. For For visitors. benefit

others – particularly particularly – others reception, in your your in reception, sustainability efforts efforts sustainability found that rewording towel reuse messages messages reuse towel rewording that found

green credentials credentials green When marketing, get get marketing, When in your your in possible explain how your your how explain possible He says, ‘For example, researchers have have researchers example, ‘For says, He

leaders. Talk about your your about Talk environment, where where environment, n

difference to the sound of your message. message. your of sound the to difference

Engage with opinion opinion with Engage people’s everyday lives. everyday people’s benefits to the the to benefits

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peers are already engaging, will make a a make will engaging, already are peers

As well as showing showing as well As Keep it Real toolkit. Real it Keep brief, clear and relevant to to relevant and clear brief, n

look normal, and telling visitors how their their how visitors telling and normal, look

tips from VisitEngland's VisitEngland's from tips sustainable messages messages sustainable around your premises. your around

Dr Font believes making sustainability sustainability making believes Font Dr Why not try some of these these of some try not Why jargon. Keep your your Keep jargon. where they’re happening happening they’re where

customer journey, at different points.’ different at journey, customer GETTING STARTED GETTING

relevant messages you can use along the the along use can you messages relevant

SUSTAINABLE MARKETING: MARKETING: SUSTAINABLE

create a series of less intrusive, more more intrusive, less of series a create

have a better experience. This way, you you way, This experience. better a have

according to how they help the customer customer the help they how to according

very important, delivering the message to to message the delivering important, very sustainability in a way that appeals to to appeals that way a in sustainability that are sustainable, and break these down down these break and sustainable, are that

says that, while sustainable practices are are practices sustainable while that, says So how do you go about marketing marketing about go you do how So word”. Instead, look at all the things you do do you things the all at look Instead, word”.

service from Leeds Beckett University. He He University. Beckett Leeds from service environmental friendliness of brands. of friendliness environmental sustainability, but avoid overly using the “S “S the using overly avoid but sustainability,

the responsible tourism communication communication tourism responsible the like more information on the the on information more like to get your message across. ‘Practice ‘Practice across. message your get to

Dr Xavier Font is director of respondeco, respondeco, of director is Font Xavier Dr 70% of people surveyed in the UK would would UK the in surveyed people of 70% But, he adds, there are more subtle ways ways subtle more are there adds, he But,

excited about sustainability. about excited and 2012. The same study also states that that states also study same The 2012. and “save planet earth” messages,’ he says. says. he messages,’ earth” planet “save

new customers to helping existing ones get get ones existing helping to customers new products more than doubled between 2007 2007 between doubled than more products trainers has conditioned them to send send to them conditioned has trainers

sustainable credentials, from how to attract attract to how from credentials, sustainable people buying environmentally friendly friendly environmentally buying people advice given by sustainability auditors and and auditors sustainability by given advice

toolkit. It has advice on ways to talk about about talk to ways on advice has It toolkit. personally. Meanwhile, the number of of number the Meanwhile, personally. ‘People often sound preachy, because the the because preachy, sound often ‘People

VisitEngland’s fully updated Keep it Real Real it Keep updated fully VisitEngland’s environment is important to them them to important is environment sanctimonious is a hard nut to crack. crack. to nut hard a is sanctimonious

customers? A good place to start is is start to place good A customers? Global shows that 95% say protecting the the protecting say 95% that shows Global

your customers without sounding sounding without customers your « COVER FEATUREFeature

Silver Caxton House guesthouse in The number of people buying Skegness, believe that it’s the smaller environmentally friendly products details that reinforce their sustainable doubled from credentials and delight their visitors. 2007-2012 ‘We provide a jar of marmalade as a thank you gift when guests check out,’ says ‘Sustainable Wendy. ‘It’s local and has our number on as a reminder of where it came from. We have tourism is had a number of guests return jars on subsequent visits to be reused. Some have also seen our number on the jar, so thought our USP’ they would call to rebook.’ Maggie Watson Wendy and Paul have also adopted a and Ian Ripper run sustainable, and very successful, approach Wheatland Farm, a to providing water. Formerly, they were VisitEngland putting 350 bottles out to recycle each award-winning month, something they had to pay for. Now self-catering they have a filtered water system and business in Devon provide water in glass bottles with toppers. SAYS MAGGIE, ‘FOR US IT'S about efficiency, These can all be cleaned in the dishwasher cutting waste, and investing in better ways and amount to a great saving. to do things, often locally. For the guests, it's about wildlife on their doorstep, surprise Consider certification at how “doable” green is, and knowing ‘There are so many their holiday money is keeping Devon the If you’re taking steps towards a more wonderful place they wanted to visit. They aspects to sustainable sustainable business model, you should feel good about that – and what could be consider getting certified. There are better than making visitors feel good? tourism and it's processes to go through, but they help ‘Anyone can be sustainable, but in our businesses prove to customers and suppliers experience it’s best to start pragmatically and beneficial to everyone: they are following sustainability guidelines. see what you can do profitably. You could buy green power, fix rather than replace things, The Green Tourism Business Scheme, consumers, owners, always buy the most efficient appliances, validated by VisitEngland, can award a and see how you can work with others to staff and wildlife’ bronze, silver or gold grading level; keep your guests happily holidaying locally businesses that sign up can also benefit from rather than driving for miles. Sustainability exclusive deals with green suppliers. tends to look a bit different in rural and urban settings. But there is always something to credentials,’ he says. ‘This market is very For Dr Xavier Font, businesses aiming at do. And while you're doing it, tell your guests sustainability should definitely join a demanding and people are not willing to about your efforts, even if these are small make sacrifices during their holidays. scheme. ‘Certification from a reputable scale to start with – you'll be surprised at the However, our research suggests that most scheme helps tourism businesses give interesting conversations it kicks off. people select for the independent evidence of their sustainability ‘Having said that, adopting a sustainable benefits they offer them. For instance, few efforts,’ he says. He does, however, repeat approach – especially for bigger projects – does require some work. When we ditched consumers choose a local beer or locally the point that businesses don’t always fully understand how to properly market our oil-fired heating, our own house was cold produced cake because they want to make a until we got a biomass system. The guest positive contribution to the economy, but a sustainable credentials. Again, that’s where accommodation was warm, though! Also, in large number will believe that a more VisitEngland’s Keep it Real toolkit can help. retrospect, we should have started closely sustainable product is higher in quality.’ It has plenty of advice on marketing monitoring things like power consumption sustainability, from businesses of all sizes. earlier. We thought, “We know we're trying It’s in the detail In every case, they’ve developed a green hard to reduce consumption, so what's the ethos that positively appeals to customers. point?” But measuring provides a baseline, It’s telling that Dr Font focuses on some of and when you measure something, whether the more modest and easily achievable electricity or waste, you start understanding measures, such as re-using towels. Wendy Go to www.visitengland.com/green your business better and ideas pop up for and Paul Seabrook, owners of four-star to discover more about sustainability. improvements that also help the bottom line.’

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