How Governments Can Promote Tourism

Tourism makes a substantial contribution to a country GDP. Many countries have found innovative ways to earn foreign currency by marketing their tourist destinations abroad. To make increase tourism a country has to invest in infrastructure and provide a conducive environment for tourists. These efforts take time,but the payoff is worth it.

This article provides essential tips to help countries grow their tourist numbers.

Security

The threat of terrorism forces people to cancel travel plans. Many governments often issue travel advisories warning their citizens on countries they consider a security threat. A government that wants to promote their tourist sites needs to put measures to control the threat of terrorism. This will include measures like sharing confidential security information with other countries, vetting suspicious people entering their country and border control to reduce the risk of insurgents coming into a country. If you plan on traveling to Brazil, read here for more information on the Brazil e visa.

Infrastructure

A country that does not invest in infrastructure will see their tourist numbers decline. A country needs to engage in public-private partnerships to increase bed occupancy across the country. Tourists need world-class hotels to sleep in, and this need can only be met if a country opens its borders to foreign investment. Infrastructure extends to road networks connecting several tourist attraction sites and investment in social amenities like museums and art rooms.

Conservation

This one applies to those countries that have game reserves and marine parks. Poaching and human encroachment has led to a decline in wildlife numbers globally and countries need to engage in various conservation efforts. We now have many animals (like white rhino and pandas) who are becoming extinct due to poaching. The sale of ivory across the world has brought elephant numbers to its knees. If these countries do not invest in conservation efforts, they will see a loss in tourism as they will be no wildlife left to see. Countries owning game reserves can engage in partnerships with the local community in an effort to reduce human-wildlife conflict. The other option is to partner with various conservation groups to protect the few game reserves in the world. Pollution and the discharge of toxic wastes into the oceans has a direct effect on marine life. More needs to be done to reduce pollution; a ban on plastics has a direct effect on marine life.

Marketing and Advertising

There many tourist attraction sites that do not receive any media coverage and this means many tourists are not aware of their existence. A country needs to invest some considerable amounts of money in marketing efforts. A country like Kenya can promote its game reserves on international TV stations like CNN. Brand visibility opens a countries tourist sites to the rest of the world. Marketing also involves a country engaging in global tourism exhibitions and using their heroes to promote their brands.

Expanding Airline outreach

Globalization has eased how we travel,and airlines have made many countries across the world to be accessible. More airlines operating in a country mean more people visit a particular country. Partnerships between airlines help them share passengers. Tourism is not limited to airlines only but extends to cruise liners. The later carry large passenger numbers and travel across the world through the sea.

Foreign Languages

Languages like Spanish, English or French are universal, and many tourists speak one or both. For a country to grow its tourist numbers,they need to invest in foreign language classes for their locals. As more people speak the languages, they can act as guides and translators. It is often challenging traveling to a foreign country only to find that nobody understands you – from the hotel rooms to the cabs. Education on foreign languages can be included in the countries curriculum. Websites used to market tourism in a country should be multilingual – this will make your country tourist friendly.

Education on the benefits of Tourism

If the population does not understand the benefit of tourism in their country, they are likely to be less supportive of any government efforts to boost tourism numbers. The government can begin by first promoting domestic tourism in a country. This can be done during off-seasons when hotels and tourism attraction sites are less congested. Once the citizens sample what their country has to offer, they will be willing to extend this hospitality to visitors. One way to promote domestic tourism is to offer cheaper rates in national game reserves than those offered foreigners.

Clean Cities

To attract tourists make sure that your country is clean. This is not relegated to hotel rooms only but extends to various social amenities spread across the country. The government can engage the citizens in cleaning exercises – this also fosters a sense of responsibility amongst the citizens. Ban the use of plastic bags and provide bins in parks for garbage disposal. Make it costly to throw garbage around. Some countries have seen a decline in tourist numbers in beaches due to uncleanliness.

Digital Influencers

Almost every country in the world has men and women who have a global presence. This could be movie stars, spots men, peacemakers among others. A country can ride on the influence of these men to promote their brand across the globe. Having a sportsman win a marathon while carrying the national flag helps to put the message across that the country is welcoming to tourists. Promoting the countries brand extends to various social media campaigns. Some individuals have thousands of followers online,and a nation can ride on this influence. Digital influencers, however, can be a double-edged sword because if they misbehave or do something offensive, it reflects poorly on the country.

Conclusion

When you look at the amount of foreign currency that tourism contributes to a country, then you realize that a lot needs to be done to protect tourist sites. Terrorism has caused some areas in the world to be inaccessible due to the security situation. Travel advisories have had a negative impact on various countries’ economies, and a lot still needs to be done to curb the menace.