The main drivers of the socio-cultural change entailing the aforementioned trends are called the “creative society”, hereby referred to as “Tourists 3.0”. Such tourists are concerned about the impact of the tourism activity on the environment and the local communities, and are driven by the aim for contribution to make the world a better place, and for spiritual fulfillment above other motivations, which makes them the primary target to take into account in mission driven destinations.
Tourists 3.0 are engaged in communities and are very active in social media networks, where they are opinion leaders and change agents. Such networks are becoming the main and most trusted source of information for most consumers who increasingly trust other consumers rather than companies. It is through these social networks that consumers share their knowledge and are to share stories about the life-changing experiences offered in the destinations.
Unlike typical passive consumers, tourists 3.0 are willing to take an active role in their relationships with their favorite brands, through co-creation of products and marketing contents. They want to be active players in the brand’s marketing activities, mostly through the social media networks. They are the ones who hold the community’s trust, and so have the power to decide which brands are to be supported.
In the destination, they look for authentic experiences through which to develop new skills, learn about new realities, cultures, and ways of life, which open their mindset and ultimately change or influence his life. These are the so called life-changing experiences that set destinations 3.0 apart from others.
Beyond developing life-changing experiences, what challenges do you think that tourists 3.0 pose to the destination’s executives to leverage all their influence power?
