The tourism and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) sectors need innovative water solutions to secure future business and save on costs for resources. Why not turn the impact investments into a new way of story-telling and offerings to visitors?
On an urban, regional or national basis it might seem at odds to focus the strategy on tourism with it’s massive water consumption and at the same time needing to secure its water resources for the future and the local communities.
However, by bringing tourism and water management into dialogue, a powerful synergy emerges: tourism can become a valuable ambassador for water conservation and become it is a best practise for cross-sectoral approach in destination marketing.
Water issues affect us all—sometimes there’s too much, sometimes too little, and sometimes it’s too polluted or unevenly distributed. We all see the reports on water-related disasters, like the murderous recent floods in Spain, where many of us are traveling to attend IBTM in Barcelona. It’s time to act, and both the water and tourism industries offer plenty of opportunities to collaborate and create solutions.
Water sector topics are complex and often unfamiliar to those outside the water industry. Around the world, efforts are underway to tackle water crises, from technical innovations to nature-based solutions like river restoration and constructed wetlands, which are great stories in themselves. Yet, what’s often missing is effective communication to foster understanding and support for these transformations.
To encourage a shift in thinking among the public, policymakers, and key economic sectors like tourism, it’s essential to share the “world of water” in all its diversity and importance. Here are a few ways “water” as topic can be woven into tourism:
- Accessible Technology and Innovation for Water Conservation: The latest technologies and digital tools for water conservation in hotels, venues, airports, and harbors should be made accessible to guests and the industry.
- Experiential Water Events: Conferences and festivals focused on water create immersive experiences that bring together visitors and locals through active engagement.
- Legacy Projects in Water Conservation: Conservation projects like mangrove restoration, constructed wetlands, and traditional water management practices can leave a lasting impact if wisely integrated into tourism offerings.
- Resilience Programs for Tourism Destinations: In areas with high summer tourism, resilience programs addressing heat and natural disasters should become an essential part of the tourism offering.
- Partnerships for Innovation and Start-up Funding: Collaboration and new funding opportunities pave the way for exciting, forward-thinking projects.
Water and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 14: Life Below Water) are valuable communication points for sustainability in tourism. They open up smart avenues for interaction, experiences, and protection of local communities.
An important part of this transformation in tourism and MICE is digitalization. It’s essential for understanding complex topics like water management and implementing sustainable strategies. Data and digital channels need to be thoughtfully connected to save resources and seamlessly link information, marketing, personalized experiences, and societal and political strategies.
I hope these thoughts can highlight some of the opportunities that emerge when water and tourism topics are combined, showing how tourism can become an active partner in water conservation.
Contact me to talk about Sponsorship and Speaking opportunities at Water & Tourism Forum Oman
FrauBlau, Johanna Fischer, j.fischer@tmf-dialogue.com or via LinkedIn
