A recent study revealed that places like Portugal experienced a 226% increase in visitors in 2022 compared to 2010. These alarming indications of overtourism occur everywhere, from Asia’s 316 million visitors to Europe’s 747 million visitors in 2024. While there were only 66.5 million visitors to the US in 2023, many North American destinations face similar problems. For example, the National Park Service (NPS) broke a record with 331 million visitors in 2024, the highest visitation rates in history.
The global sustainable tourism market, already valued at $1.71 trillion in 2023, is estimated to reach $7.19 trillion by 2032. These numbers indicate a shift in which travelers and local communities are becoming more concerned about the destruction of natural resources at popular destinations.
In response, eco-minded travelers, government policies, and media outlets are pushing “green getaways” into the mainstream. However, that presents a new challenge for travel and tourism marketers, specifically destination marketing organizations (DMOs).
In this article, we unpack insights into:
- The Challenge of Overtourism
- A Balanced Approach to Year-Round Visitation
- Strategic Marketing Approaches
- Where Do We Go From Here?
The Challenge of Overtourism
Overtourism has become a significant issue, especially in places like national parks and cultural heritage sites. Too many visitors can lead to:
- Destroyed natural environments
- Strained local infrastructure
- Low-quality visitor experiences
- Negative impacts on local communities
Fortunately, the threat of a climate crisis is no longer disregarded. A recent report on Climate Change in the American Mind: Beliefs and Attitudes found that 73% of Americans acknowledge global warming is happening. Additionally, 60% recognize that humans are primarily responsible.
The travel carbon footprint is impossible to deny—it accounts for approximately 8% of the world’s carbon emissions—but the outlook isn’t hopeless. For example, Costa Rica has a history of being a global leader and model due to its well-developed tourism, conservation commitment, and protection of 25% of its land. In turn, the local communities, critical habitats, and biodiversity have benefited from tourism rather than being exploited in the face of a typical tropical destination. Like Costa Rica, other destinations are also implementing strategies to mitigate the impacts of tourism:
- Reservation systems: Many U.S. National Parks now require advanced reservations.
- Entry fees: Venice, Italy, has introduced additional charges to manage tourism flows.
- Capacity limits: Popular sites like Machu Picchu have established daily visitor caps.
Sustainable tourism is more than visiting and preserving natural destinations. The United Nations World Tourism Organization defines it as tourism that “takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.”
These changes require DMOs and their agency partners to not only move from mass marketing campaigns to more targeted approaches, but also to balance the volume of visitation throughout the year. It’s essential to focus on attracting visitors who align with a travel destination’s sustainability goals.
A Balanced Approach to Year-Round Visitation
According to the same climate change report, nearly two-thirds of Americans actively seek eco-friendly travel options. But the challenge for sustainable tourism marketing leaders isn’t getting more visitors—it’s attracting the right ones at the right time.
Nearly half of Americans report experiencing the effects of climate change. Those experiences involve emotions that marketers can tap into. For instance, instead of using generic “eco-friendly” messaging, share stories about local climate projects guests can participate in. Also, most Americans believe global warming will harm plants, animals, and the poor. Marketers who focus on conservation and community support will appeal to those types of concerns.
Travel and tourism destinations should focus on targeting the right traveler for the season, whether it be during the peak season or off-peak season. It also makes sense to seek out travelers who already care about sustainability. As such, marketing for sustainable tourism involves reaching travelers who will:
- Respect local environments and cultures
- Support local businesses
- Engage in responsible activities
However, for each specific destination, it’s crucial for marketers to consider the volume of visitors throughout the year. In particular, striking a balance between peak season and shoulder season can help limit the negative impact on the environment.
During peak seasons, marketers tend to promote to the masses when demand is highest. While this can lead to increased visitation and economic success, it also puts more strain on the local community and natural resources.
Instead, travel and tourism marketers should minimize the impact of peak season visitation by incentivizing travelers throughout the year. There are many ways to accomplish a healthy balance of peak and off-peak visitations, including:
- Data-driven approaches to understand seasonal trends
- Sustainability initiatives to encourage responsible choices
- Promotions to attract visitors during shoulder seasons
- Flexible pricing options during off-peak seasons
- Special events to draw visitors during off-peak months
- Community engagement in tourism activities
Strategic Marketing Approaches
A travel and tourism marketer’s success relies on using strategic marketing channels to reach the right audience. Understanding consumer behavior is also important because, as the Center for Climate Change Communication found, approximately three in ten Americans buy from companies that have taken steps to reduce global warming. Yet, 62% rarely discuss these environmental issues. Marketers have an opportunity to create marketing campaigns that encourage dialogue and raise awareness.
Brand Positioning
Effective marketing for sustainable tourism begins with authentic brand positioning. Travel destinations need to communicate their values and expectations to potential visitors. This ensures they can develop effective, clear narratives that attract the right guests. For example, Park City calls for locals and visitors to be Mountainkind: “a way to be in Park City—allowing us to preserve and protect our town for generations to come!”
Search & Social
Travel and tourism marketers must realize the importance of sustainable positioning, relevant content, and other opportunities on brands’ websites for search and AI bot discovery. Strategic keywords related to sustainable tourism help destinations appear in organic searches. Digital advertising channels, such as paid search and social media, can be designed to reach environmentally conscious travelers. Also, targeted social media campaigns can showcase a destination’s conservation efforts and community initiatives. Social media influencers (“green influencers”) are instrumental in inspiring tourists to exhibit more sustainable behaviors.
Video Content
Video content is an excellent way to tell compelling sustainability stories and showcase authentic experiences. Streaming video and broadcast advertising help create emotional connections with potential visitors who share the same values. For example, Intrepid Travel showcases its conservation efforts through videos, such as featuring a geologist who talks about traveling responsibly.
Marketing Intelligence
Lastly, marketing for sustainable tourism requires data aggregation and analysis to balance economic goals with environmental and social considerations. While technology can help drive targeting and storytelling, data-driven insights reveal consumer behaviors and preferences.
Programmatic advertising, real-time automated ad buying and selling of ad space, further delivers relevant messages at key moments of the traveler’s planning journey. Consumer engagement with sustainable messaging allows DMOs to understand what advertising most resonates with prospective visitors. It also provides the capability to remarket to them with important details to know when visiting and how to enjoy a destination while being respectful of natural resources and the local culture. Gathering first-party consumer data and building look-alike audiences allows destination marketers the opportunity to reach more preferred visitors who understand the importance of sustainability.
Where Do We Go From Here?
The future of travel and tourism marketing is all about aligning revenue with purpose. Travel destinations that ground their stories in authentic sustainability are already ahead of their peers. Those that focus on balancing the volume of visitors during peak and off seasons will gain a competitive advantage and continue to grow as responsible travel becomes the norm.
Travel and tourism marketing experts like Watauga Group understand the importance of destination management and can help destinations achieve the right balance of year-round visitation and a more sustainable level of economic success.
Partner with us to acquire the strategy, data, and creative talent needed to thrive in this new landscape, while protecting the places that make travel worthwhile.
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