Neil Fincham-Dukes

#ipw2024 in Los Angeles is about to start! Sustainable Journeys are here to meet with people and places who want to enable UK visitors to explore the USA, California and Los Angeles in a better more responsible way, by sharing how to visit sustainably. Last year, in a pioneering move, Los Angeles joined the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), of which we're also a member. Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board is a key force in LA's vibrant tourism sector and joining GSTC underscores the city's commitment to harnessing tourism as a sustainable economic and community development tool. Generating significant tax revenues and supporting numerous jobs, the tourism industry is integral to improving the quality of life for all Angelenos. Under the former Mayor Eric Garcetti, the city launched the ambitious Green New Deal, aimed at achieving 100% renewable energy by 2045 and other significant environmental targets. This plan, along with the 2020 Tourism Master Plan (TMP), sets a comprehensive roadmap towards managing tourism growth responsibly—balancing economic benefits with environmental sustainability and community welfare. The TMP outlines strategies for a Sustainable Tourism Program, involving key partners like the Los Angeles City Tourism Department and the Department of Cultural Affairs, to mitigate tourism's environmental impact and enhance local stakeholder engagement. In addition, a GSTC Destination Sustainability Assessment launched for Los Angeles County, aiming to leverage the GSTC Criteria to boost destination sustainability and inform strategic stewardship initiatives. Adam Burke, President and CEO of Los Angeles Tourism, expressed enthusiasm about joining GSTC, emphasising the goal to ensure tourism in LA is managed sustainably, benefiting every community across the region. Randy Durband, GSTC CEO, commended LA for its proactive steps towards sustainability, noting the transformative potential of responsible tourism to preserve cultural and natural resources, bolster local economies, and promote global understanding and peace. By joining GSTC, Los Angeles sets a precedent for major cities to follow, highlighting the importance of strategic, sustainable tourism management in urban settings. This initiative not only promises to safeguard LA's diverse cultural and environmental assets but also positions the city as a leader in the global movement towards more responsible and sustainable tourism practices. I look forward to discussing with Francine Sheridan and Hayley French how we can focus on this approach to sustainable tourism to change the narrative with visitors to equally enjoy and care for the destination, supporting sustainable Los Angeles. Visit California Brand USA U.S. Travel Association #SustainableTourism The image is courtesy of LA non-profit The Gentle Barn Foundation Facebook. A hug with Crystal the cow is just one way to support the place you visit! Find out more: www.gentlebarn.org

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Face to face business meetings are still very important, but we all need to think more about how we offset the associated emmissions with business travel and conferences!! 🤔 If we all do our bit, we can continue to meet face to face and thrive, but it is important to follow through with offsetting your scope 3 travel related carbon emissions! This is a very good example of what can be achieved via ATPI HALO 👏 👏 #sustainabletravel #sustainability #businesstravel

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Preventing the destruction peaks of mass tourism panel discussion at World Travel Market (WTM) London Dolores Semeraro Carol Savage Gavin Brooking Anne de Jong Glenn Mandziuk MEDes. MCIP FRSA A few comments below from the panel It’s about meeting the real people not always going to the popular attractions says Carol We need a common measurement of tourism and are unable to reflect these peaks. It’s about giving back to the destination not just taking from it. We don’t talk enough about sustainability. Public and private sectors need to be talking as one In 2018 the word over-tourism was oxford dictionary word of the year not a good look for the industry says Glenn We need to take the traffic problem into consideration like London at the moment says Tootbus MD We don’t want our buses stuck in traffic. They are now doing Tootwalks to take away the potential pressure points first sightseeing bus using electric buses. And they’re not new either many were 25 years old - so circular economy. We have solar panels on the depot for all electric needs and harvesting rain water. We lead by example says Gavin The Good Tourism Institute focuses on educating the industry not greenwashing Why not talk about to the local communities about what they want. Not in the Guidebooks has today launched a New magazine called Green Horizons to celebrate the voices of these communities Not many stands at the show are promoting sustainability Glenn says. Net positive thinking - we need to be speaking the same language and communicating about the community all the time How do we avoid the ghost towns of off peak destinations. We need more sustainable marketing strategies in off season experiences to get the locals to open up. It’s a total joined up thinking involving tourism boards airlines hotels and tour operators. But by extending the season do it gradually Barcelona are running an advertising campaign now to promote outside the region and leaving out the city completely The recent news about anti- tourism stunts in Spain and the Ballaerics was more about those owning second properties pushing locals out of of affordable property #overtourism #tourism #panel #travel

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As Fergus Maclaren rightly points out, #tourism rarely gets considered in wider #sustainabledevelopment discussions let alone many country or #destination #strategies. I find often organizations spend too much time trying to get people to see the #value of #tourism rather than ensuring that #tourism and #travel is more #sustainable - improvements only happen with progress.

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A Saturday morning reminder on the crucial role The BTA members play in economic growth. It’s also a Saturday morning reminder of the diverse range of services that TMCs provide to corporates as they manage their most valuable assets, their employees, safely, efficiently, sustainably and cost effectively around the globe. It’s a Saturday morning reminder that TMCs are the glue that stick the deliberately fragmented content back together again to serve the corporate buyer and traveller. It’s a Saturday morning reminder that in the corporate space, booking in direct via a TMC is absolutely the best. #businesstravel #corporatetravel #yourbta #travelmanagement #indirectisbest

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REGENERATIVE TRAVEL - How do we make it sexy so consumers want to buy it, journalists want to promote it, travel buyers select the right suppliers and sell it and travel suppliers are doing their best to develop it? Do you work in the travel industry? Are you asking yourself why you should care about regenerative travel? Are you stuck on how to get started in a practical, meaningful way? "Tourism doesn’t have to be extractive, it can even be beneficial. Forget about net zero; strive for net positive! The combination of a beautiful destination with a flourishing ecosystem and great biodiversity whose community is happy to receive visitors; local suppliers that become partners; transformational and innovative experiences; excellent customer service provided by happy staff and happy local partners; shared responsibility; and new, exciting co-created projects will make your business, your local community and your destination blossom. " The RegenLAB for Travel run by Sonia Teruel can help you and your organisation with consultancy, training, workshops and all manner of support and guidance. Need a bit more motivation? Have a read of Sonia Teruel's blog post on 5 Reasons your tourism business should transition to Regeneration. #regenerativetravel #regeneration #sustainabletravel #sustainability #concioustravel #luxurytravel #adventuretravel

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A good summary of the challenges facing the UK tourism industry - which all points to great near term opportunities to boost economic growth under a new government.

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Regenerative tourism (RT) was spotlighted this week at World Travel Market (WTM) London, featuring a full afternoon session brilliantly curated and facilitated by Tina O'Dwyer, with presentations from top experts covering a range of topics: the need for a paradigm shift, meaningful stakeholder engagement, case studies, communicating and measuring success. Like many in the audience, I didn’t move from my seat for four hours, captivated by insightful and well-delivered presentations by Anna Pollock Elke Dens Rob Holmes Orla Carroll Debbie Clarke Orla Carroll Asta Kristin Sigurjonsdottir Someone later said that perhaps focusing on RT while #sustainabletourism is still not understood by many may cause further confusion. However, I believe there’s a growing audience that does get it, and is ready for deeper discussions instead of simply listening, again and again, why managing tourism responsibly is important. Some insights that summarise both RT principles as well as the session: - Tourism as Part of a Wider System: Viewing things in separation and fragmentation makes it easier to damage and extract from. We need to view tourism within a wider interconnected ecosystem, as this encourages protection, conservation and respect for the place, and will help build place resilience to climate change. -  Creating Conditions to Thrive: RT goes beyond simply "leaving a place better that we found it" and aims to make destinations whole again, reducing fragmentation so places and communities can flourish. We need to ask ‘how does this flourishing look like’ and ‘how do we help this place to flourish’? -  Engaging Local Voices: Involving locals as “guardians” of their places is essential, as they bring valuable insight and care. An interesting point from Elke: When locals say "tourists go home", it's not against tourists but a call to protect their place. - Giving Nature a Voice: Why not consider nature and culture as stakeholders in the decision making process? Just as we ask locals and businesses about their dreams for a place, let's ask how tourism can make a river or a Castle thrive? - Flipping Priorities: In RT, tourism serves the place, not the other way around. Rather than starting from segmenting the visitor to see what they want, ask the community what they want, and give it to the visitor as a default option. -  Rethinking Success: Why are the Top100 Destinations those with most visitors, and not the ones that deliver the most value for the community? Instead of visitor numbers and the GDP, let’s look at profitable local business; extend to which community is enriched: place preservation; authentic experiences; empowered visitors.     Data analysis by Anne Kawalerski from Bloomberg Green showed that RT it is very rarely discussed in tourism media, underscoring the need for more such conversations. Thanks again to Tina and WTM for advancing this crucial dialogue. #sustainability #inspiration #climateaction #climatechange #environment #nature

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DIRECT BOOKING STRATEGY 👇🏻 In our latest clip from The Hospitality Edge podcast, Sébastien Long, CEO of Lodgeur, shares his insights on pricing strategy across different booking channels and the importance of direct bookings. Key Takeaways: 1. CONSISTENT PRICING: Ensure guests pay the same price across all channels to maintain consistency and trust. 2. DIRECT BOOKING ADVANTAGE: Make it cheaper for guests to book directly on your website by not including channel markups. 3. LEVERAGE OTAS FOR LEAD GENERATION: Use Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) as a lead generation tool, and guide savvy guests to book directly for better rates. 4. BUILD AN EASY-TO-FIND BRAND: Choose a unique and searchable company name to capitalize on the "billboard effect" and organic searches. Gain valuable insights into optimizing your pricing strategy and boosting direct bookings. 🚀 💡 Listen to the full episode! 🎥 YouTube: https://bit.ly/4ewXWu3 🎧 Spotify: https://bit.ly/3XkaZsl 🍏 Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3yYcRgj 🔗 Other platforms: https://bit.ly/47j0fgg #HospitalityEdgePodcast #PropertyManagement #RevenueManagement #DirectBookings #BusinessGrowth #SebastienLong #Lodgeur #IndustryInsights #PricingStrategy

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As we mark Earth Day today and celebrate the first SCALE Green event tomorrow - it's important to remember that being more sustainable in our lives, homes, and businesses should be done every day. 🌱 Madeleine Parkin from the Abode Worldwide team writes about how short-term rental managers and hosts can be more sustainable, more consistently, every day - over on our blog. 💚 👉 https://lnkd.in/eexAvgc3

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The article ⚡ The Future of Tourism: Interview with Jeremy Sampson on the Need for Systemic Change in Tourism ⚡highlights several key insights and recommendations for the future direction of the tourism industry, as discussed by Jeremy Sampson, CEO of The Travel Foundation. Stefan Hartman The following points summarize the main considerations: 1️⃣ Systemic Change and #Sustainability: #Tourism industry requires systemic change that focuses on climate change and economic equity. Sustainability, although frequently discussed, often lacks concrete action and measurable impact. 2️⃣ Independent Leadership and Adaptability: To effectively address critical issues such as #overtourism and resource management, the industry needs independent leadership not solely driven by political or member-based interests. #Adaptability is also essential, as demonstrated during COVID-19 and ongoing climate crises, which has pushed the need for better planning and #resilience in tourism. 3️⃣ Collaboration and Prioritization: Creating meaningful impact through collaboration, including partnerships with #academic institutions, companies, and nonprofits. Underscoring the importance of prioritizing pressing issues and avoiding superficial solutions. 4️⃣ Use of AI and Innovative Tools: Emerging technologies, particularly #AI, can offer powerful tools to enhance planning, measure impacts, and foster creativity in solving complex tourism challenges. 5️⃣ Role of Academic Research and Practical Application: Importance of bridging theory and practice, urging journals like the Journal of Tourism Futures to focus on translating research into actionable insights for industry practitioners. Prof. Ian Yeoman 6️⃣ Overcoming Industry Fragmentation: The tourism sector's fragmented nature limits progress, requiring enhanced collaboration across regions and sectors to effectively address issues such as #stewardship, resource allocation, and #destination management. 7️⃣ Redefining Business Models for Sustainability: The tourism industry needs to view sustainability through the lens of risk management and opportunity, advocating for an honest discussion about these pressing issues to drive impactful change. These insights suggest a shift toward a more integrated, data-driven, and collaborative model for the future of tourism, which values sustainability as a core operational principle rather than a superficial add-on. https://lnkd.in/d-jFdjgB #FutureofTourism #FutureofTRavel

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NEWS: New research published today by Amadeus finds hoteliers expect to increase their investment in technology by an average of 16% over the coming 12 months, with one in five planning to invest over 20% more than they did last year. The findings are the result of a survey of global senior hospitality leaders representing a diverse range of properties and management groups. Several key themes emerged from the research, including a primary focus of investment on ‘improving operational efficiencies during times of high occupancy’. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gc-nut4j

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The State of the Short-Term Rental Industry: Are We Really Moving Forward? COVID-19 marked a significant milestone for the short-term rental (STR) industry, pushing us to adapt, innovate, and—hopefully—improve. Since then, we’ve seen an incredible surge in global industry events, talks, panels, new companies, and innovative tech. But have we really moved the needle toward a better, more trusted industry? Or are we just caught up in positive talk and flashy media without tackling the core issues? Looking at the industry as a whole—not individual success stories or setbacks—it’s worth asking: • What real progress have we achieved since 2021? • Are we genuinely improving, or are we stagnant, overlooking the critical issues that truly need to be addressed? • Could we even be damaging the industry in ways we don’t yet recognize? The events and discussions around STR are filled with promise, but what happens after the panel discussions end? Are we addressing the right topics? Are we making decisions that build a stronger, more reputable industry—or are we just skimming the surface? In my view, our industry’s reputation still falls short of its potential. To grow the right way, we need to critically assess the outcomes of our gatherings, conversations, and innovations. We must confront uncomfortable questions about where we are now compared to 2021 and ask ourselves: are we genuinely building a better industry? What are your thoughts on the direction we’re headed? Are we on the right path, or do we need to refocus?

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Tina O'Dwyer, such an incisive and practical exploration of the way in which #regenerativetourism can contribute to thriving communities and the systemic change that is necessary to maximise the industry's capacity for good. As we know, resistance to change is largely inherent in our governance structures, but the tourism industry is based on an outdated model which is unable to truly address our deeper challenges. As your post points out, we can be so much better!

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