Turismo Lanzarote has launched “The Lanzarote Effect” (#LanzaroteEffect), a new promotional tourism campaign focused on the island’s commitment to balancing art and nature with sustainable tourism development. While most visitors come to Lanzarote for the sun, sand and sea, this campaign seeks to highlight a new way to experience the volcanic island, showcasing its unique cultural and historical attributes and told through the eyes of locals.
The destination image of Lanzarote has historically been that of most other Mediterranean islands—sun, sand and sea. However, Lanzarote has a less well known legacy of sustainable destination development.
Unesco declared the island a Biosphere Reserve in October 1993. This was the the first time a whole territory – including all of its population cores – had been so defined.
In 1995 the World Conference on Sustainable Tourism, met in Lanzarote. From that meeting came the Lanzarote Declaration, stating an early commitment to sustainable tourism values.
In 2012, Lanzarote was one of the Early Adopters of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s (GSTC) Destination Criteria, and in April 2015, the island was the first destination in the world to receive the Instituto de Turismo Responsible’s Biosphere Responsible Tourism certification, the first Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) approved certification for the globally recognized GSTC destination standard.
“Sustainable tourism certification may be better known for hotels, tours, and attractions, but destination certification is now growing,” says Randy Durband, CEO of the GSTC. “The Biosphere Responsible Tourism certification is one of the few certification schemes available for destinations, and has achieved the elite level “GSTC-Approved” mark. Destinations around the world can use the GSTC Destination Criteria to improve their sustainability policies and practices, and many are now pursuing certification as a means of proving their commitment and actions” .
Turismo Lanzarote has partnered with Sustainable Travel International since 2012 to receive guidance on how to better identify and promote the island’s responsible actions and values. The organizations have worked together to refresh Turismo Lanzarote’s brand values and communications strategy, train public and private sector stakeholders about sustainable tourism messaging, and helped them achieve sustainable destination certification. In 2016, Turismo Lanzarote and Sustainable Travel International developed “The Lanzarote Effect” campaign based on their six brand values: nature, gastronomy, health and sports, culture, the arts, and leaving a legacy.
“The compassion and commitment that the people of Lanzarote have toward their island’s future is both captivating and addictive. ‘The Lanzarote Effect’ draws you into the island in a way not experienced in other destinations,” stated Lizzie Keenan, Director of Marketing and Communications at Sustainable Travel International. “Lanzarote is one of the world’s best examples of destination stewardship. It is time they are recognized for it and more people experience what makes Lanzarote so special.”
This article is adapted from an original article on Sustainable Travel International. You can read the original here.
