The document discusses experiential travel as a trend that enhances tourism by engaging visitors in authentic and memorable experiences while benefiting local communities. It outlines the Sustainable Travel International's initiatives for destination stewardship, including education, eco-certification, and community involvement. The document emphasizes the importance of creating differentiated tourism experiences to enhance customer satisfaction and economic value.

1. Experiential Travel:
Differentiating Your Destination While Spreading
the Benefits to Communities
January 10, 2012
Sustainable Travel International
Webinar Series

2. Sustainable Travel International
STI’s forward-thinking solutions strengthen the positive impacts of
tourism worldwide, with a clear focus on the bottom line for
businesses and destinations.
We look forward to working with you in 2012 and beyond!
Leave the World a Better Place®

3. Program Overview
• Destination Stewardship
• STEP: Education & Eco-Certification
• Carbon Management
• Philanthropy Development
• Partner Program
• Sustainable Travel Leadership Network
• Marketing & Communications

4. 2012 Overview
• Refining our offerings and
creating next generation tools
• Delivering increased value
and quality results
• Advancing the sustainable
tourism movement
• Expanding our global impact

6. Destination Stewardship
Overview
• Share in STI’s innovative and
strategic suite of sustainability
solutions
• Connect with destination
stakeholders across the tourism
value chain
• Work with STI’s special advisors
• Identify priority issues
• Develop practical solutions
• Foster a collective vision

7. Destination Stewardship
The STI Approach
• Assessment and Roadmap
• Green Communities
• Education & Monitoring
• Sustainable Futures

8. Your Speakers Today!
Judy Karwacki (MA, MBA) Nancy Arsenault (Ph.D.)
www.smallplanet.travel www.tourismcafe.org

9. Experiential Travel:
The Defining Global Trend

10. Experiential Travel
Photo Credit: GMIST Photo Credit: Celes Davar Photo Credit: Experience PEI
Engages visitors in a series of authentic, memorable travel activities,
revealed over time, that engage the senses, are inherently personal
and makes connections on a physical, emotional, spiritual,
intellectual or social level.
Source: Nancy Arsenault (2004). Packaging Experiences.

11. Experiences can be big and small!

12. An exciting gastronomic adventure exploring the
delectable and varied world of Vietnamese cuisine
A journey that takes in 'must see' sights of Vietnam while tantalising the
taste buds with some of south-east Asia's finest cuisine.
Highlights (10 days/9night):
• 3 Cooking classes including full day with local celebrity
chef
• Chef-led visit to a Fish Market and cruise on a local drift
boat
• Prepare and dine on a traditional ‘Royal Dinner’
• Learn Relaxing Tai chi in a park in Saigon
• Visit renowned Mai Gallery and private meeting with
owner Doung Tuong, who translated for Jane Fonda during
her visit to Hanoi during the war
• Interpretive walking tour of Hanoi’s Ancients Quarter
• Farewell Dinner at the legendary Hanoi Press Club

13. Explore multiple ethnic communities and discover their
cultural and ethnic expressions in dress and textiles
This is an extraordinary, close up journey into the communities where
we meet the people and artisans who create visual masterpieces.
Highlights (10 days/9 nights):
• Learn of the Indigenous Textile Traditions of Oaxaca
• Meet weavers and coops in remote communities to learn
of their unique traditions in weaving and dress
• Travel with the purple Murex dyers of the coast to see how
they extract this scarce purple dye
• Learn about the history and evolution of "traje" from the
Isthmus of Tehuantepec
• Meet weavers and dyers from Teotitlan del Valle who
continue to develop their ancient traditions

14. How is it Different?
“A tourism Product is what you buy ...
A tourism experience is what you remember. “
Photo Credit: Theresa
Storm

15. The Experience Economy
Authors: Joe Pine & James Gilmore (1999)
Greater
Differentiation
Higher Yield
Transformation
Experiences
Services
Goods ROE drives value pricing
Undifferentiated
Commodities • WOW Guest Experiences
Lower Yield • Good Partnerships
• Word of Mouth and Word of Mouse
Value of Economic Progression

16. Agri-Touism
Greater
Differentiation
Higher Yield
Great Canadian
Kitchen Party
(Experiences)
Wine
Tastings
(Services)
Bottled
Wine
(Goods)
Grapes
Undifferentiated (Commodity)
Lower Yield Inniskillin
http://www.inniskillin.com
Value of Economic Progression

17. Differentiating with
Experiences

19. Step 1:
Know your customer

20. Step 2: Know your community
and region

21. Step 3: Think about experiences that make sense
for your business
Photo:
Fairmont
Empress

22. Step 4: Choose a theme or story
http://www.northernedgealgonquin.com/bike-train.html

23. Step 5: Plan the experience ...
in detail!

24. Step 6: Establish the flow with
the itinerary

25. Step 7: Select partners, suppliers and
experience providers

26. Step 8: Think about market
positioning
Photo Credit: Travel Alberta

27. Step 9: Set the selling price
Cost-based Pricing Value-based Pricing
Fixed Costs (e.g. rent, Fixed Costs (e.g. rent,
$25 $25
overhead, HR, insurance) overhead, HR, insurance)
Variable Costs (e.g. guide fees, Variable Costs (e.g. guide fees,
$20 $20
fuel, F& B, momentos) fuel, F& B, momentos)
Total Costs $45 Total Costs $45
Profit Margin @ 30% $14 Profit Margin @ 30% $14
Selling Price $59 Value added @ 20% $9
Selling Price $68

28. Step 10: Marketing and
communications
Photo Credits:
Canadian Tourism
Commission
Photo Credit: Olivier Bekaert

29. Step 11: Prepare the team
and pilot the experience
Photo Credit: Kevin Loughlin

30. Step 12: Deliver and
evaluate the experience!
Photo Credit: New Brunswick Tourism Parks and Recreation

31. Marie France Doucet, General Manager
Le Pays de la Sagouine, New Brunswick, Canada
“Getting the
community
involved in
tourism instills
community pride,
particularly in
small rural areas.”

32. Download your
FREE
toolkit today
compliments of the
Canadian Tourism
Commission
Authored by:
Dr. Nancy Arsenault
English: http://en-corporate.canada.travel/resources-industry/toolkits
Francaise: http://fr-corporate.canada.travel/ressources-industrie/boites-a-outils

33. Q & A and Wrap-Up: Keep In Touch!
For more information,
including proposals and pricing:
Call Us:
+503-488-5500, +44-780-221-3931
Email Us:
jeremys@sustainabletravel.com
Find Us Online:
sustainabletravel.com
www.responsibletravelreport.com
facebook.com/sustainabletravel
@STI_travel

34. Webinar Follow Up
Help us serve you better
• Next webinar: STEP Dive Center Standard
January 25, 9am PST/12pm EST
• Presentation and audio recording will be
made available via email shortly after the
webinar
• Feedback Survey – please help us improve
our educational offerings. No more than 5
minutes of your time!