UNWTO leads Communication for Rethinking Tourism

23-05-23

UNWTO brought together branding experts, journalists and content creators under the central message of "putting people first" to rethink the narratives around tourism communications.

In the framework of the 118th session of the Executive Council in Punta Cana, UNWTO held the thematic session with the objective of assessing the evolution of tourism communications. At the meeting, communication experts explored current and future opportunities to more effectively present tourism as a key driver of development, both in traditional media and on content platforms.

"New Narratives in Tourism"

At a time when tourism is higher than ever on the political agenda, UNWTO is leading the change in tourism communications, focusing on the unique power of the sector as a driver of development and opportunity. In the words of Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili: "In recent years we have made great strides in making the importance of tourism more visible and appreciated, both by governments and by tourists themselves. But we need to make it even clearer. For this reason, UNWTO is working to build a new narrative around tourism as a force for development and transformation."

The Thematic Session provided a platform to connect content creators with publishers and new media platforms, with UNWTO as a bridge between the two.

Branding and Media Experts Lead the Change

• Representing global leader Interbrand, Pedro Zarzalejos, Associate Director of Strategy, and Borja Borrero, Executive Director for Iberia, EMEA and Latin America, traced the evolution of brands and analysed their impact on the tourism sector.

• Michael Collins, Founder and Director of Travel Media, provided expert insight into the changing relationship between Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) and publishers, journalists and content creators.

Instagram and Meta: Keeping Content Relevant

UNWTO first partnered with Instagram in 2021, first to help lead the recovery from the impacts of the pandemic and then to empower destinations to embrace digital storytelling. In Punta Cana:

• From Instagram, Ernest Voyard, Director of Public Policy, noted how creators are increasingly moving beyond aspirational travel-related content and instead focusing on issues related to sustainability and total destination immersion.

• At Meta, Sharon Yang, Director of External Affairs, noted that the platform has seen a shift towards creators offering informative content related to tourism and travel, again moving away from more aspirational images and films.

Putting Tourism on the Agenda: The Case of the Dominican Republic

Leading journalists and editors from the Dominican Republic evaluated how to place tourism on the editorial agenda at all levels.

• The debate was led by the Director of Diario Libre, Inés Aizpún, the Director of El Día, José Monegro, and the Ambassador of the permanent mission of the Dominican Republic to the UNWTO, Aníbal de Castro.

• The panel highlighted the importance of diversifying the main messages, from film and television tourism to gastronomic tourism.

Content creators: Raising awareness

To round off the session, UNWTO welcomed leading content creators to offer their expert insight on the changing trends in tourism-related content: Chloé Léger and Marion Payr, creators of Instagram, provided their experiences in the Dominican Republic from the point of view of tourism and travel creators. They noted:

• A growing interest in content that links tourism to issues such as women's empowerment, community development and wildlife conservation.

• An opportunity for creators to influence the travel decisions and behaviours of tourists, particularly for younger consumers to travel more responsibly and ethically.