carbonneutraltourism.co.uk

Steve Bishop global lead of Design for Sustainability at IDEO a design and innovation consultancy suggests in terms of green marketing that “Instead of focusing on a green niche, focus on green behaviors that everyone can aspire to”. Read the article in the online version of the Harvard Business Review, here.

The BBMG Conscious Consumer Report provides insight into consumer attitudes towards ‘green issues’.  The warning is that marketers and business leaders should back up their ‘eco friendly words’ with socially responsible actions or face a consumer backlash.  Read the press release on BBMG’s website.

An interesting article (Rise of the Great Green Wash) in the Sydney Morning Herald which looks at the issue of green washing. The article reports that the British advertising watchdog (I think they mean the British Advertising Authority) in September 2007 received 93 complaints about ‘green claims’ in 40 adverts compared to 10 complaints about 8 adverts in September 2006.

Roger Blitz from the Financial Times reports that “The tourism industry has never had it so good but its senior executives are feeling strangely guilty about their success and fearful of a green backlash.”

A short article in the Financial Times asks leading advertising agencies about the predicted growth in green marketing.

Tourism is the world’s largest service industry.

I have been thinking about how companies are latching on to consumers concerns about the environment and how companies are branding and introducing services to meet these needs and in particular environmental concerns which consumers have.  This is ‘green’ (re-)branding of services in some instances is becoming known as ‘greenwashing’ and I was wondering what examples there are in the tourism sector?

Please email your thoughts to connect@carbonneutraltourism.co.uk

Visit Eastborne via new marketing campaign are trying to encourage holidaymakers to think about the environment and take less holidays abroad by taking holidays in the UK.  Read more about the campaign here.

A new market segment is emerging (it has been emerging for a number of years) the ‘eco-conscious traveller’ which has seen a growth in leisure and tourism businesses promoting their ‘eco-credientials’.

Some key characteristics of this segment (needs to be developed - please email me with suggestions):

• Considerable spending power.

• Activly seek out ‘eco-friendly’ leisure activities.

Do you know of any marketing agencies which specialise in helping to market ‘eco-friendly’ leisure and tourism businesses? If you do please email me: connect@carbonneutraltourism.co.uk