Post on 11-Jan-2016
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
Quality and Sustainability
Keys for the future of Rural Tourism
Klaus EhrlichGeneral Secretary
EuroGites
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
What is “EuroGites”?
European Federation of representative provider
organisations in Rural Tourism in geographical Europe
100.000 organised services / 400.000+ total estimate
3,6 – 4 million guest beds
15% of accommodation capacity of Europe
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
38 organisations from 28 countries: AustriaBelarusBelgium (3)Bosnia-HerzegovinaBulgariaCroatia (2)CyprusCzech RepublicFrance EstoniaGeorgiaGermanyGreeceHungaryIsraelItaly (2)LatviaLithuaniaLuxemburgNorwayPolandPortugalRomaniaSerbia (2)SloveniaSlovakiaSpain (2)Switzerland (2)United Kingdom
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
Kielce 2003:
“The vision”
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
Rural Tourism 2012
• 100.000+ associated accommodation units in Europe 27
• Level of association 20-25% total offer between 400-500.000 units
• 20% “Agro”-tourism (working farms)
• < 20% rooms “B&B style”, > 80% self-catering
• 15% of accommodation capacity in Europe
• Diversification of target markets
• Trend product based on rural assets
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
Client-based
Expectation
+ Satisfaction
= Quality
Segments Profile
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Segment 1 Segment 2 Segment 3 Segment 4 Segment 5 Segment 6
Rel
ativ
e Im
po
rtan
ce A
vera
ge
Equipment
Surroundings
Leisure
Ambience
Booking
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
Trends 2012+• “LOHAS” customers: already more than 40%
• Domestic market prevails (> 85-90%), but high growth potential for international demand
• Changes of consumer behaviour: core services, price sensitive
• Individual packaging with high quality guarantee versus “All-Inclusive”
• Virtual Trust – Social Media substitute mouth-to-ear
• Internet shifts the power from travel trade to the client
• Mobile Internet + GPS
• Experience Economy: “tell a story”
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
The important factorsSatisfaction Deception
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
Satisfaction• Personal treat• Equipment level• Ambience / style• Clean • Meals / food• Surroundings• Decoration• Price-quality• Activities offered
Deception• Personal treat • False information• Equipment• Bad management• Clean• Meals / food• Too little information• Activities badly managed• Ambience• Price-quality
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
Criteria in Accommodation Services
-20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Personal treatEquipment
Ambience / styleCleanliness
Meals Situation - surrounding
DecorationPrice-Quality relationPrevious information
Activities Wrong or false information
Management
SATISFACTION DECEPTION
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
Factors for success
Positive• Holiday product• Recognized destination• Clear-cut image and brand• Proactive promotion • Extra-regional markets• Good Price-Quality relation• Segmentation / spezialisation • Effective commercial channels
Negative• (only) Weekend or short-break• Only generic “rural” image• Atomized individual promotion• Lack of reliable standards• Unflexible pricing• Isolated services without bounding to territory• Individual sales
Evaluation of EuroGites cuatrimestral surveys 2009-2012
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
The future of Rural Tourism?
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
Relevant for Rural Tourism “ “The client buys dreams, not just a room”The client buys dreams, not just a room”
• Value orientation = price-quality-relation
• The experience or activity comes first, place on the globe is second
• Many niche products: specialize on strong assets
• Internet is the most important source of information, evaluation and contribution from other travellers is important
• Visibility is essential - and easy for niche products through SEO
• Authenticity of the holiday (!) experience
Competition is world-wideCompetition is world-wide
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
Strategies• Satisfaction and visibility depend on the whole DESTINATION --
individual services are invisible from distance• Clear image based on real (!) USP • Reliable Quality – less is more
• Holistic approach: Accommodation is a complement, NOT (usually) the product
• Be sustainable … and COMMUNICATE it!
• Anticipate mainstream aspects (demographic and value changes, … )
• “Hear the grass grow” – know your client before he knows you
• Innovation in ICT and special segments• Improve qualification -> training
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
Vision for 2020: be AMBITIOUS
• Occupy the mind of customers: we stand for “green”, “healthy”, and “feel good”
• >20% of EU vacational overnights
• >30% international visitors
• Visibility through clear transnational brand
• Consumer-based quality and product development
• E-community driven, tailor-made holiday experiences
• Maintaining lively rural communities
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
Virtual trust – deliver what we promise
• Reflect CLIENT needs• Transparent and reliable• Umbrella system• Consumer feedback• Continuous adaptation and
improvement
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
Believe in ourselves
“We live where others only can make a holiday”
“The tourism image of our country is based on the heritage that we
preserve.”
AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012
Thank you
for your attention